Alexis stood before the tall mirror in his private dressing chamber.
Servants moved quietly around him, preparing the garments appropriate for a council session, and as soon as they finished the preparation they left.
Alexis then began to get dressed.
He unclasped the outer shirt he had worn during breakfast and reached for the new one laid out beside it—deep blue silk threaded with subtle gold embroidery along the cuffs and collar.
The colors of Ro.
As he adjusted the collar, something slipped free from beneath the fabric.
The koi necklace.
The small pendant swung lightly against his chest, catching the light.
Alexis paused.
For what seemed like a lifetime it had remained hidden beneath armor, beneath layers of uniform, beneath regal clothes—something private he had kept close while waiting beside a silent bed.
Now it hung freely.
He lifted the pendant between his fingers.
Koi fishes of finely worked silver, one dark as ink, the other pale like frost—swam in a perfect circle around each other, their tails nearly touching, their mouths reaching.
The silver was warm.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Hiral, Alexis" he murmured as his thumb felt the etched names on the koi fishes.
His fingers closed around it briefly before letting it fall back against his chest.
Then he finished dressing—belt, coat, gloves—each piece falling into place with the effortless authority of a man used to command.
When he finally looked back at the mirror, the reflection staring back was unmistakable.
The future king of Ro.
Regal blue and gold.
Composed.
Dignified.
And, perhaps most dangerously of all—
Happy.
Alexis adjusted the coat one last time before stepping out.
As he descended the marble stairs and moved toward the carriage awaiting him in the courtyard, his thoughts turned to the days ahead.
Now that Hiral is awake…
Things would have to change.
He could no longer afford to simply react to circumstances. The coming days would require precision.
Meticulous planning.
The Eastern Empire would soon begin negotiations.
Their great general—Hiral—was currently a war prisoner in Alexis's custody.
The man whose name alone could ignite arguments in court.
As Alexis's carriage rolled through the capital streets toward the palace, he leaned back against the seat, eyes half-lidded in thought.
If negotiations with the Eastern Empire needed to be handled with great care, they would surely demand Hiral's return.
If handled properly…
He might just be able to keep Hiral in Ro.
Which meant Alexis would need to be far more meticulous than before.
Diplomacy first.
Ro and the Eastern Empire had spent years circling each other with hostility. That would have to change—at least publicly.
Trade concessions.
Shared border patrol agreements.
Perhaps even cooperative rebuilding projects in the war-torn regions between them.
Small gestures that would slowly soften the tone between nations.
The more amicable the relationship became, the easier it would be to argue that Hiral should remain in Ro as a "diplomatic envoy."
A living bridge between their empires.
A reason for continued peace.
Alexis's smile deepened slightly.
And once he's here long enough…
Well.
By then, perhaps Hiral would grow accustomed to staying.
Still…
Alexis was not naïve.
Hiral was not a man who could be convinced by comfort alone.
Which meant Alexis needed contingencies.
Succession.
If everything went according to plan, Alexis would soon be crowned king.
But kings were not free men.
Kings belonged to their nations.
Which meant—
If he ever wished to step away… even briefly…
He would need someone capable of ruling in his stead.
A successor.
Someone steady enough that the kingdom would not collapse if its king vanished for a time.
The idea sparked something mischievous in his mind.
Imagine it…
One day, when the world finally settled—
Alexis appearing suddenly before Hiral with a ship prepared.
No warning.
No negotiation.
Simply sweeping him away to some distant island beyond politics and war.
Just the two of them.
Fishing villages. Sea wind. Quiet mornings without council meetings or battlefield maps.
Hiral would certainly glare.
Probably threaten to stab him.
But Alexis could already picture the moment Hiral realized there was no army to command, no empire to run back to—only open sea and a stubborn king who refused to let him go.
Alexis smiled to himself.
It was a dangerous thought.
But a pleasant one.
By the time he reached the council chamber doors, that smile had not faded.
The guards opened the doors.
Inside, the council members were already gathered.
The moment Alexis stepped into the hall, the room fell quiet.
And then confusion rippled through the chamber.
Because the Alexis they had seen during the last meeting had been… different.
Dignified, yes.
But cold.
Grim.
A man carrying the weight of war and victory with iron restraint.
The Alexis who entered today was still dignified.
Still commanding.
But warmth lived in his expression now—something bright and almost wondrous lighting his features.
The councilors exchanged looks.
One noble leaned subtly toward another.
"What changed?" he whispered.
"I have no idea."
Several of them turned their attention toward the head of the table.
The Prime Minister.
If anyone knew the reason for such a transformation, surely it would be him.
The older man noticed their silent questioning immediately.
He raised one eyebrow.
Then smiled.
Ambiguously.
Which answered absolutely nothing.
The councilors looked even more perplexed.
Alexis took his seat at the head of the table.
His gaze swept across the room—steady, confident.
"Shall we begin?" he said calmly.
And with a council full of confused ministers and one quietly amused prime minister, the meeting began.