Chapter 199: A King's Decision
The letter lay on the polished oak table, its seal cracked and its words weighed heavier than any crown.
Thalren of the Ocean Kingdom sat at the head of his council chamber, the parchment before him like a stone pressing on his chest. His councilors—men and women of silver hair, proud bloodlines, and deep-seated caution—sat around him in a half-circle.
The hall smelled of salt and oil from the great braziers, the faint sound of waves rolling against the stone walls of the castle below.
"Your Majesty," began Lord Vael, one of his oldest advisors, his tone clipped but respectful. "If you send supplies north to Kael, what will our people say? That you bend knee to a daemon-born lord? That you starve your own in favor of foreigners?"
Others murmured agreement.
"We've only just crushed the whispers of betrayal within our own ranks," Lady Sareth added. "If we are seen aiding Kael now, some will take it as proof—that the Hollow holds sway over us. That our king is in league with a monster."
The words stung, not for their truth but for their weight. Thalren rubbed a hand across his jaw, his eyes heavy. "Kael is no monster."
"He is to them," Vael countered, folding his hands together. "Your Majesty, Kael saved you, yes—but that does not erase what he is. The people remember what he did as a dragon. They will not forgive easily. To risk their wrath now—"
Thalren's fist struck the table, silencing the chamber. "He saved my life. Twice. He stood between me and death when no one else dared. He asked me for aid, not for conquest, not for wealth. Food—for his people. How can I call myself a king if I deny him this?"
The room fell into tense silence. The councilors exchanged looks, but none spoke further. The question lingered like smoke: what mattered more, the loyalty of his people—or the debt he owed to the Hollow's lord?
The Quiet Counsel
That evening, Thalren found himself in his chambers, the roar of the sea echoing beyond the windows. His wife, Queen Alenya, stood by the balcony, her dark hair caught in the breeze. She turned as he entered, the worry already etched in her face.
"You've been with them again," she said softly.
Thalren let out a breath. "They see shadows where there are none. They call Kael a danger. They tell me to turn him away."
"And you?"
He looked down at the letter still clutched in his hand. "I want to send it. Gods, Alenya, I want to send every ship in the harbor to him. He has never asked for more than fairness. And now, when his people starve, he humbles himself enough to beg for help. How can I deny that?"
Alenya stepped forward, her hand finding his. "Then why do you hesitate?"
"Because my council is right," he admitted, his voice heavy. "My people are still afraid. They whisper that I've bound myself too close to him. That his shadow darkens our throne. If I send food, it will feed that fear. It may breed resentment I cannot afford."
Alenya's gaze sharpened, her voice steady. "Thalren. How many times has Kael saved your life?"
His eyes closed. "…Twice."
"And how many times have you saved his?"
The silence that followed was damning.
Alenya lifted his chin so he would meet her eyes. "You owe him, husband. Not as a king to an ally, but as a man to another man. He stood for you. Twice. If you cannot stand for him now, then what kind of king will your people truly see?"
Thalren swallowed hard, her words striking deeper than any councilor's warning.
The Dawn Decision
Sleep did not come easily that night. Thalren lay awake beside Alenya, the waves crashing below like the relentless beat of his thoughts. But when dawn broke, the sun gilding the sea in molten gold, he knew his answer.
The council gathered once more in the morning, ready to press their case further. But when Thalren entered, there was no hesitation in his stride.
"You may counsel me in fear," he said as he stood before them, "but I will not rule in it. Kael saved my life, and I will not forget it. My decision is final. We will send supplies north—grain, salted fish, dried fruit, livestock enough to feed them until their harvest. The Hollow will not starve while I sit on this throne."
The protests came swiftly, but Thalren silenced them with a raised hand. "You call him a danger. I call him a friend. And I will not betray a friend in need."
The Reply
That afternoon, a messenger rode from the Ocean Kingdom's gates, a sealed letter in hand and wagons of supplies being prepared behind him.
The letter read:
Kael,
You owe me nothing. Do not speak of favors, for you have already given me more than I can repay. You have saved my life twice. If anything, it is I who am in your debt still.
The supplies you asked for will arrive within the fortnight. Feed your people. Keep them strong. We will need that strength in the days to come.
—Thalren, King of the Ocean Kingdom