(Rosaline POV)
The council bell rang.
Once.
Twice.
And then—nothing followed.
No herald announcing the arrival of the Crown Prince. No familiar cadence of Arthur's measured steps echoing through the marble hall. The absence was immediate, palpable, like a missing pillar in a grand structure.
Councilors exchanged glances.
Whispers began before anyone dared speak aloud.
The High Chancellor rose from his seat, hands folded neatly before him. His expression was composed, practiced—but there was tension beneath the surface, the kind only those long acquainted with court politics could recognize.
"By order of His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Arthuro Azrael Romulus Draconia," he announced, voice steady, "today's session is adjourned."
A murmur rippled through the chamber.
