The rain came down in sheets, lightning splitting the dark skies above the palace.
Thunder growled, shaking the windows, and the corridors shimmered with the flash of light.
The Empress walked slowly down the long hallway. Suddenly, the palace lights winked out, and for a moment, silence and darkness held the air.
She stopped by a tall window, brushing the curtain aside, and watched as the storm raged.
A faint sigh escaped her lips.
"Never has it rained this hard in the capital before…"
Just then, a knight appeared, boots covered in mud and faint splatters of blood staining his sword.
He sank to one knee, holding out a sealed letter.
"Your Highness… this came from the Crown Prince."
The Empress took the envelope, breaking the seal. As she read, the color drained from her face. Her fingers trembled, terror rising in her chest. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to comprehend the words before her.
Behind her, lightning crashed again with a deafening "KrrRRAAACK!!" and shook the windows. The Empress remained there, unable to move, as the storm raged wildly on.
---
Royal Academy.
Aslan, George, Alice, and Cael were saying their goodbyes. It was the academy's final day, and soon everyone would return to their families for the vacation.
Cael gave Aslan a teasing smile.
"Make sure you stay in touch. You never gave us an address, so how can we send you a letter? At least write to us when you can."
Aslan chuckled quietly as he climbed into the carriage.
"If I gave you an address, you three would never let me spend my vacation in peace."
Alice waved from the side.
"If you ever get the chance, you have to visit my estate!"
"Alright," Aslan replied with a faint smile.
As the carriage pulled away, Aslan watched from the window as the academy and his friends grew smaller and smaller. He sank back into the seat, voice soft, almost a whisper to himself.
"It's been so long… when was the last time I met all of them?"
"I miss all of them so much. Especially Varek. It's been two and a half years since he left for the border."
"And Father… Lucian… I haven't seen them in nearly six months. I never thought I'd miss them this much."
With that thought resting deep in his heart, the carriage carried Aslan closer to a reunion he longed for — and a storm that was yet to come.
---
Aslan arrived at the palace gates, breathless from the long journey.
The carriage rolled slowly down the long, marble‑paved courtyard, passing between manicured gardens and towering statues. The grand gates of the palace stood open, and at the end of the courtyard, just before the steps, Lucian stood quietly.
The carriage came to a halt. Aslan stepped down, his gaze falling on Lucian.
"Aslan called out, but Lucian didn't seem to hear."
Aslan began to walk towards him. Lucian was lost in thought.
His eyes were fixed on the floor, brimming with tears he refused to let fall.
A silence surrounded him, so deep it felt as if the world itself was drowning within it.
His fingers kept twisting the edge of his shirt — a faint, trembling motion that spoke of a heart weighed down by pain.
He stood rooted to the spot, as if the weight of the world had crashed down upon his shoulders.
He remained silent, the only sound breaking the stillness was the faint, unsteady draw of his breath.
Aslan came closer and placed a hand on Lucian's shoulder. In a voice weighed down with worry, he spoke.
"Lucian?"
Slowly, Lucian lifted his gaze, heartbreak reflected in his eyes. Without a word, he pulled Aslan into a hug, voice shaking as he whispered, "Aslan…"
Confused and frightened, Aslan pulled back slightly.
"Where is Mother? Father? Varek?"
A few moments later, in the quiet of the room, Lucian pressed his lips together, swallowing hard. Then he drew a slow, shaky breath and spoke quietly, telling him what had happened.
"The morning after the attack… Varek and the knights went out to search for Father. All we found was his helmet, lying on the ground. We searched everywhere… but there was no sign of him."
Aslan stood there, shaking, unable to comprehend. His hands trembled as he asked, voice wavering,
"And… Varek? Mother?"
Lucian met his gaze, voice weighed down by grief.
"Varek is at the border. The beasts surged towards the capital… We've never seen a disaster like this before. He's holding the line, doing everything he can to stop them from reaching the city."
---
"And… Mother?"
Lucian didn't reply right away. Instead, he led Aslan down the long corridors to the Empress's room.
When Aslan stepped inside, the sight made the blood drain from his face. The floor felt like it disappeared from under him.
The Empress lay on the bed, her skin as pale as a waning moon, a faint line of dried blood at the corner of her mouth.
With a voice weighed down by grief, Lucian spoke.
"After the news about Father came, Mother tried to bear the weight of the kingdom herself. But three nights ago, at dinner, she suddenly vomited blood. We discovered someone had poisoned her drink."