Ariana sat beside Zavren in the large dining hall as the maid gently put the final touches on the dishes. The old lady sat across from them, accompanied by three ladies and three men—supposedly her children and their wives.
"I cannot express my joy at seeing Alpha Zavren here. You rarely visit, and coming now is quite a shock. Counting how many times you've been here in the past few years, it's not more than the fingers on one hand," she said, raising her hand to emphasize her point. A soft laugh broke the tension, and Ariana smiled at the lady's words before they all began to eat.
Lord James sat beside his wife, Lady Emma, and then spoke.
"Oh, Mother, you didn't inform us that the king would be arriving," he said. As the First son, his voice carried a calm authority. His wife smiled softly, her eyes mostly fixed on Ariana.
"I thought getting married would bring some sense to a place that lacked it, but I was wrong. Didn't you hear my earlier words? I was surprised too."
