Chapter 82: Beastly Pride
Another Council meeting was about to begin.
Today, there was only one important issue on the agenda––slavery.
Lorelai had spent an entire night preparing for this meeting, outlining every possible scenario and highlighting the arguments that the session might prompt. Truthfully, she did not believe that much of her preparations were necessary, but she did not want to risk yet another failure even though she knew that her ace card would most likely be enough to leave the meeting room victorious.
As it was only the first official round of discussion, only a set number of representatives of other nations was allowed to be present during the meeting. As it concerned all four kingdoms of the continent, only high-ranked nobles could take part in the voting process.
While the royal family along with Duke Kadler was supposed to represent Erelith, Lorelai did not share their seating arrangement. Representing the opposition, the princess sat at the head of the long wooden desk with Marquess Galeran and Count Draven as her supporters.
They arrived first, scanning the empty meeting room before they sat down. Count Draven was visibly nervous but tried to hide it; he was scared of the queen and the crown prince, and Lorelai’s brave attempt to go against them only spiked his anxiety.
Stiff as statues, the three of them were nearly holding their breaths as the doors to the meeting room opened. Lorelai rose from her seat, showing her respect to the foreign delegations and the royal crown.
She greeted everyone in a friendly manner until she finally faced the beasts.
"I greet His Majesty, King Rhaegar of the Beast Kingdom."