Thirty minutes later, all three of us, Fionn included, are out of breath. Admon seems perfectly fine. “You weren’t kidding when you warned us about the stairs,” I barely gasp out. Admon only smiles and leads us down another dark and cold hallway and into a large Council chamber.

I’m surprised at the number of advisors here. There must be at least thirty in the room. While my father has many courtiers and nobles, his formal list of advisors is extremely short, holding only two names.

Admon notices my surprise. “Her Majesty Queen Laurel is a ruler who seeks the opinions of many when making decisions. The Council of Advisors is quite large, as you can see. Not everyone attends every meeting, but they have all shown up to meet Velmara’s Crown Prince.” I only nod, then follow him to the head of the large square table, where four seats have been arranged. He gestures for Silene, Fionn, and me to sit.

Once again, I search for the Queen, and once again, Admon informs me, “Her Majesty will not be joining us. She has delegated relations with Velmara to her Council. You will meet with sub-committees of the Council for various topics throughout your time here.” I bristle, feeling somewhat insulted that the Queen is not even attempting to meet me or welcome me herself. Before I can say anything, Admon stands and addresses the room. “As the temporary and acting chair of the Council of Advisors, I am delighted to introduce you to His Royal Highness, Prince Hawthorne Vicant, Crown Prince of Velmara. We are pleased to extend you our welcome, Prince Hawthorne. We are also pleased to meet your betrothed, Miss Silene Kalmeera, as well as your advisor, Fionn Solanum. Welcome to Thayaria.”

So much for staying silent on our betrothal. I inwardly sigh. They must have been told by my father when he wrote to Queen Laurel requesting permission for me to bring two advisors along. It seems he’s not letting me out of this betrothal, even if it would have made it easier to get her to trust me. The room of advisors claps quietly, an odd reaction to being introduced to the first strangers to enter their lands in three hundred years.

Admon continues. “Today’s meeting is an opportunity for the advisors to introduce themselves. Once the room has completed introductions, we’ll ask for a list of topics you’d like to prioritize so that we can arrange a series of meetings for your first weeks here.”