The King stood before the window of his private chamber, his eyes tracking the carriage as it rolled through the gates.
Behind him, Elias adjusted his uniform collar while the wheels faded beyond the guarded courtyard below.
"Why stay behind, Your Majesty?" Elias asked, keeping his respectful gaze lowered toward the polished floor.
"I need not meet him now," the King said while watching the carriage disappear into the capital.
"We will meet soon enough," he added, turning away once the vehicle vanished among the crowded streets.
He returned to his desk and gestured for wine, allowing another deliberate silence to settle between them.
"What of the sixth region?" the King asked, studying his servant's reaction to the unexpected question.
Elias considered the question while filling the crystal glass with the King's favored dark wine.
"It is barren, Your Majesty," Elias replied, keeping his assessment measured despite the region's notorious suffering.
