Chapter 4: New Office
After the ceremony, Alicia led Lancelot through a series of winding corridors deeper into the eastern wing of the palace. These were quieter halls, away from the public audience chambers and throne room—lined with oil portraits of long-dead monarchs and shelves of neglected records. It was a part of the palace not meant for spectacle, but for power.
They stopped at a tall oak door flanked by two guards in red sashes.
"This will be your new office," Alicia said, placing her hand on the brass handle. "At least, until you decide to move the seat of governance."
"Move it?" Lancelot raised a brow. "Is that something a regent can do?"
She shrugged. "You’re the regent. If you issue the decree, they’ll make it happen."
He gave a quiet chuckle. "Dangerous amount of freedom you’re handing me."
"We’ll see how long you last with it," she replied dryly, then opened the door.
Lancelot stepped forward and peeked inside.
The room was grand, but in a muted, dignified way. High ceilings with carved wooden beams arched above, and tall windows flooded the space with late-morning light. A massive cherrywood desk dominated the center, surrounded by neatly organized shelves filled with thick ledgers, lawbooks, and scrolls sealed with the royal insignia.
To one side, a globe of the known world rested on a pedestal, its map outdated and faded. A blackboard filled with chalk-written numbers and schedules leaned against the wall nearby, and a second smaller table bore trays of letters and correspondence—some unopened, others stacked neatly in categories labeled "Trade," "Military," "Foreign," and "Internal."
Alicia entered behind him and gestured casually.