Chronicles of Aetheria

Chapter 20: Dying Twice

"Brakor, Jun, Damien, Ugarth, Mowen, it is a pleasure to see all of you, especially you, Brakor,"King Jade remarked upon settling into his seat.

"I cannot fathom the fact that I will have the pleasure of seeing you again, Your Majesty."Brakor bowed slightly and the King clenched his teeth

"Then you should not have returned with your eyes intact,"King Jade quipped, eliciting laughter from the crowd. One of the maidens poured red wine into his cup and offered it to him.

"Here's to life,"he declared, raising his cup in a toast.

"Cheers."The guests responded in unison, raising their own cups and downing the wine simultaneously."Bring me more,"the King commanded as the feast continued.

The atmosphere was jovial, with the conversation transitioning to light-hearted topics. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, except for the Princess, who remained quiet. She scanned the room with a contemplative gaze, as if searching for someone.

"Your Majesty, the feast is prepared,"one of the maide