Thalurian Royal Palace
Emperor Dorian von Thalurian slammed the war declaration onto his desk. The impact cracked through the silence of his office room like a whip, sending a tremor through the two aides who were sitting while reading some of the empire's documents.
The prime minister had burst into the emperor's office too early in the morning, his face pale and slick with sweat, clutching a sealed scroll stamped with Aethelgard's crest. The guards barely had time to announce the prime minister before he fell to one knee in front of Emperor Dorian von Thalurian.
"Your Majesty," he gasped, holding out the parchment. "The Kingdom of Aethelgard has declared war."
For a heartbeat, the room went utterly still. The Emperor's gaze darkened as he rose from his chair. He snatched the scroll from the minister's trembling hands and tore it open, eyes scanning the words written in Aethelgard's elegant, written script.
