Chapter 99: King’s Return a Kingdom in Turmoil
Eric and Alina remained inside their assigned dormitory room for the entire day. The hours stretched on long and slow. The room was filled with a quiet tension a feeling of waiting.
Eric in an attempt to be useful to distract himself from his own anxieties and worries gave Alina the books he had brought with him from their kingdom of Estoria.
He encouraged her to study. He told her to prepare for the theoretical parts of the Academy’s entrance examination.
This was an opportunity that had so unexpectedly fallen into her lap a chance she never dreamed she would have.
Despite this attempt at normalcy at making things seem ordinary Eric found himself pacing the small confines of the room. He walked back and forth.
A knot of worry was tightening in his stomach as he awaited his father’s return. He replayed the recent tumultuous events over and over in his mind.
It was all too much to take in too fast. His mind felt overwhelmed.
Evening finally descended upon the Imperial capital. Long shadows began to stretch across the Imperial Palace grounds. Just as the day began to fade the door to their dormitory creaked open. King Noor entered the room.
The lines of exhaustion were etched deeply onto his face.
They were a clear testament to the immense stress and the whirlwind of activity he had endured in the past few hours.
Yet as his gaze fell upon Eric and Alina a weary but genuine smile touched his lips.