Chapter 10 - The Sovereign Crown
For a long, tense moment, the air in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Mother and son stared at each other, two apex predators assessing the territory.
Then, slowly, Victoria Vanguard did something she had not done in forty years.
She smiled. A genuine, proud smile.
She reached out and adjusted his silk tie. "You finally understand, Arthur. Power isn't something you are handed. It is something you must be willing to take. Even from those you love."
"I understand," Arthur said, his voice devoid of any warmth. "I learned from the best."
"Just remember," Victoria whispered, turning to walk out of the office. "I may have built the throne for you, Arthur. But you have to bleed to keep it."
The heavy oak doors closed behind her.
May you like
Arthur turned back to the window, watching the chaotic, glittering grid of the city below. The silent war was over. The naive prince was dead. In his place stood a king forged in ice and iron, ready to rule the empire. And as he looked down at the world, Arthur Vanguard knew one absolute truth:
No one would ever threaten his reign again.
