The throne room of Valoria was colder than Arvin remembered.
Not because of the weather.
Because of the eyes watching him.
Arvin stood in the center of the vast chamber, the polished marble floor reflecting the light from the tall windows above. At the far end of the hall sat King Albert upon his throne.
Beside him stood Prince Marlic.
The king's gaze was sharp.
"So," King Albert said slowly, "the knight who abandoned his post has returned."
Arvin bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty."
The king leaned forward slightly.
"You left the capital without permission."
His voice grew colder.
"And now you return riding a creature large enough to terrify half my kingdom."
The court murmured quietly.
King Albert's eyes narrowed.
"Explain yourself."
Arvin remained calm.
"I left because I was weak."
The hall fell silent.
The king frowned.
"Weak?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Arvin lifted his head.
"I realized that if I wished to truly serve Valoria… I needed strength greater than what I possessed."
King Albert studied him carefully.
"And you thought disappearing for a year was the best way to obtain it?"
Arvin did not hesitate.
"Yes."
The king leaned back in his throne, clearly unimpressed.
"That sounds suspiciously like cowardice."
Before Arvin could respond, Prince Marlic spoke.
"Or perhaps ambition."
All eyes turned toward him.
Marlic stepped forward with an amused smile.
"If the knight truly left to become stronger… then he must have gained something during his journey."
He looked at Arvin thoughtfully.
"After all, very few men return from the Frostveil Mountains alive."
Arvin met his gaze but said nothing.
Marlic turned back to the king.
"Your Majesty, perhaps we should test the knight's claim."
The king raised an eyebrow.
"Test it how?"
"A tournament."
The court erupted into quiet whispers.
Marlic continued smoothly.
"Sixteen of the kingdom's finest warriors."
His eyes briefly flicked toward Arvin.
"Four rounds."
The king considered this.
"And what would this prove?"
Marlic smiled slightly.
"If Sir Arvin truly left to gain strength… then the kingdom should witness it."
He gestured toward the gathered nobles.
"And if he fails, Your Majesty will have every reason to exile him for abandoning his duty."
King Albert slowly nodded.
"That seems… reasonable."
He turned toward Arvin.
"Well?"
Arvin's expression did not change.
"If that is the king's command."
The king stood.
"Then it is settled."
He looked toward Marlic.
"You proposed the idea."
His voice echoed through the hall.
"You will host the tournament."
Marlic bowed slightly.
"With pleasure, Your Majesty."
The king waved his hand dismissively.
"Sir Arvin, you are dismissed."
Arvin bowed once more and turned to leave the hall.
But as he passed Marlic, the prince spoke quietly enough that only he could hear.
"I hope the north taught you how to fight."
Arvin stopped for half a second.
Then continued walking.
Without looking back.
---
That night, Prince Marlic stood alone in his chamber.
A map of the tournament arena lay across his desk.
His fingers traced the positions carefully.
Sixteen fighters.
Four rounds.
But the tournament itself was not the real plan.
Marlic smiled.
After the second round, his men would create chaos in the arena.
Outlaws.
Mercenaries.
Paid criminals.
In the confusion, Arvin would be killed.
No witnesses.
No blame.
Just an unfortunate tragedy.
Marlic leaned back in his chair.
"Let us see how powerful the knight truly is."
---
Meanwhile, deep within the palace gardens—
Arvin and Seraphina met in secret.
And for the first time in a year…
They finally spoke.
The palace gardens were quiet long after the court had gone to sleep.
Moonlight spilled across the marble paths, and the fountains whispered softly in the cool night air.
Arvin waited beneath the old cedar tree.
He had stood there many times as a young knight guarding the palace grounds.
Tonight felt different.
Footsteps approached.
Light.
Careful.
Seraphina emerged from the shadows, her dark cloak hiding the royal gown beneath.
For a moment, they simply looked at each other.
A year had passed.
Yet somehow it felt like no time had passed at all.
"You handled the throne room well," Seraphina said quietly.
Arvin shrugged slightly.
"I tried not to get executed."
Seraphina almost smiled.
"But you noticed it too, didn't you?"
Arvin nodded.
"Prince Marlic."
"Yes."
She stepped closer.
"He pushed the king toward the tournament far too quickly."
Arvin leaned lightly against the stone railing of the fountain.
"He wants to see what I can do."
Seraphina shook her head.
"No."
Her voice was calm but firm.
"He wants to kill you."
Arvin was silent for a moment.
Then he nodded slowly.
"I assumed as much."
Seraphina looked at him carefully.
"And you accepted the tournament anyway."
Arvin met her gaze.
"If I refused, your father would exile me."
"Yes."
"If I lose, I'm exiled."
"Yes."
"If I win…"
Seraphina finished the sentence.
"Then the real trap begins."
The fountain water rippled softly between them.
Arvin spoke again.
"He plans to create chaos in the arena."
Seraphina's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You already figured that out?"
"It's the easiest way."
Arvin looked toward the palace walls.
"If assassins attack during the tournament, no one will know who they were really sent for."
Seraphina crossed her arms.
"And you'll be surrounded."
Arvin nodded once.
"Most likely."
Silence hung between them.
Finally she asked,
"Are you afraid?"
Arvin looked at her.
"No."
She studied his expression.
"You should be."
"Why?"
"Because Marlic doesn't lose."
Arvin smiled faintly.
"Neither do I."
Seraphina exhaled slowly.
"For a year I've been delaying a marriage, manipulating nobles, and building allies."
Her voice softened.
"All so that when you returned, you wouldn't walk into a kingdom already owned by him."
Arvin stepped closer.
"You've done more than enough."
"No."
She shook her head.
"We're only at the beginning."
For a moment the wind moved softly through the garden trees.
Then Seraphina looked at him again.
"You didn't come back alone, did you?"
Arvin chuckled quietly.
"Kaelor insisted on accompanying me."
Seraphina raised an eyebrow.
"The giant beast that shook half the northern border?"
"That's the one."
She sighed.
"You always had a talent for subtle entrances."
Arvin leaned closer to her slightly.
"You're the one planning to overthrow half the court."
"That's different."
"How?"
"I'm doing it quietly."
Arvin laughed softly.
For the first time in a long while, Seraphina allowed herself to relax a little.
But only for a moment.
Then her expression became serious again.
"The tournament is only the first move," she said.
Arvin nodded.
"And after that?"
Seraphina looked toward the distant royal tower.
"After that…"
Her voice lowered.
"We begin breaking Prince Marlic's plan."
Arvin rested his hand lightly on the hilt of his sword.
"Good."
Seraphina looked back at him.
"Why?"
His answer came without hesitation.
"Because I didn't spend a year fighting monsters in the north just to lose to one in a palace."
The wind stirred the garden trees again.
And somewhere beyond the palace walls—
Kaelor's distant roar echoed through the night.