After the incident that befell the Solven Household, whispers began to travel faster than any royal courier. What first appeared to be an isolated misfortune soon revealed itself to be entangled with something far more unsettling, something that reached from the north to the capital.
And when word arrived from the Hawthorne House, the matter could no longer be ignored.
The Crown Prince did not initially concern himself with the name they presented.
Soren.
To most, it was merely a name. To the Hawthorne household, however, it carried weight and urgency as their message was not framed as a complaint, but as a plea. They spoke carefully, respectfully, but beneath every word lingered unmistakable distress.
The individual they referred to was not merely an acquaintance, nor a passing connection. He was their benefactor… and he was suffering.
