The silence in the Great Hall is deafening as the uninvited lords stand before the king's table. I sink lower in my chair, wishing I could somehow become invisible. Just minutes ago, I was having a surprisingly enjoyable conversation with Princess Eliana about Dawnhaven's architecture. Now, the tension in the room is thick enough to cut with a knife.

  "Lord Harrowmont," King Arlen's voice is ice cold. "This is an unexpected intrusion into a formal state function."

  The northern lord offers a minimal bow. "Your Majesty. When we learned of tonight's unusual guests, we felt it imperative to represent the northern provinces' interests."

  "Who are these guys?" I whisper to Princess Eliana.

  "Northern province lords," she replies under her breath. "They control nearly a third of the kingdom's territory."

  I catch Morrigan's eye at the nearby table. Her subtle head shake tells me to stay quiet and observe.

  "Your presence was neither requested nor required," the king states. "The crown decides who attends royal functions."

  Harrowmont steps forward, his bearing that of a military commander rather than a mere nobleman. "In ordinary times, perhaps. But these are not ordinary times, are they, Your Majesty? Not when you seek foreign alliances while ignoring the council's recommendations."

  The king's crown glimmers, the small fragment embedded in its center pulsing subtly. I notice how the court's attention seems drawn to him when it activates, like a magical amplification of his presence.

  "You speak of council recommendations," the king responds, "yet the northern provinces withhold the very resources needed to address our kingdom's challenges."

  "Resources?" Lord Blackwell, I’m told my Eliana, a stern-faced man with silver at his temples, joins Harrowmont. "We withhold nothing that would be properly used. The disaster at the deepvault mines proved where royal priorities truly lie."

  The king rises, his composure cracking. "You dare blame the crown for challenges that existed long before my reign? The northern lords have undermined royal authority for generations!"

  "We undermine incompetence, not authority," Lady Ironheart, whose name I also just learned from Eliana, a formidable woman in practical finery, calls out. "Commander Voss lost three hundred men because the crown refused our offers of additional scouts and proper equipment."

  The argument escalates, with nobles from around the hall beginning to call out support for either side. Court officials look increasingly nervous, guards shift their stances, and my lieutenants watch with alert attention, clearly ready for trouble.

  I slide down further in my chair, hoping to somehow disappear. This is exactly the kind of political drama I wanted to avoid. Princess Eliana gives me a sympathetic glance, clearly recognizing my discomfort.

  "The Monster Lord should hear how the royal forces fared against real threats," Harrowmont declares, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Perhaps then he might understand why the northern provinces question certain royal decisions."

  "The Monster Lord is a guest of the crown," the king counters, the fragment in his crown pulsing brighter, "and will be properly informed through appropriate channels."

  "Appropriate channels?" Lord Blackwell scoffs. "You mean carefully curated propaganda that omits the kingdom's true condition?"

  The confrontation grows increasingly heated, nobles from both factions shouting across the hall. I notice servants edging toward the exits, clearly sensing this dinner might turn into something far less civilized at any moment.

  "Enough!" the king thunders, slamming his hand on the table. "You forget yourselves in the presence of our distinguished guest!"

  "It is precisely because of your distinguished guest that we are here," Harrowmont responds, his voice steady despite the tension. "The Monster Lord deserves to hear all perspectives before making any commitments to Dawnhaven."

  Suddenly, both the king and Harrowmont turn to face me, their argument reaching its inevitable conclusion.

  "Monster Lord," the king addresses me directly, his crown fragment glowing, "I apologize for this disruption. Lord Harrowmont's concerns are being addressed through proper governmental channels. This visit was intended as a gesture of friendship between our realms."

  "Monster Lord," Harrowmont counters immediately, "the northern provinces seek only to ensure you receive complete information about our kingdom's situation before considering any alliances. The crown's perspective is but one of many."

  The entire hall falls silent, all eyes fixed on me. I swallow hard, looking between the two men who have effectively cornered me into responding.

  "Uh..." I begin eloquently, wishing I'd paid more attention to Morrigan's diplomatic coaching. "Look, I don't know anything about your kingdom's politics, but it seems like you've got some serious disagreements to work out."

  Both faction leaders watch me intently, clearly waiting for me to pick a side. I catch Morrigan's subtle nod from across the room, encouraging me to continue.

  "Since everyone seems so interested in my opinion," I say reluctantly, "how about this: I'm here for three days. Today and tomorrow, I'll see the capital as planned. The day after that, I'll visit the northern provinces and hear what Lord Harrowmont has to say. Then I can make a more informed decision about... whatever it is you all want from me."

  The simplicity of this suggestion seems to catch everyone off guard. They're all playing complex political games, and I've just suggested the equivalent of taking turns.

  "An... equitable compromise," the king acknowledges carefully, clearly not thrilled but unable to object without appearing unreasonable.

  "The northern provinces would be honored to host you," Harrowmont agrees, studying me with new interest.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Great," I say, relieved they've accepted. "Can we please go back to eating now? That dessert looks amazing."

  My mundane comment breaks some of the tension, and there's scattered laughter. The king, recognizing an opportunity to regain control of the situation, gestures magnanimously.

  "Lord Harrowmont, since you and your colleagues have traveled so far, perhaps you would join us for the remainder of the banquet? I believe we can arrange additional seating."

  As the northern lords are seated at hastily arranged places, I exhale slowly, relieved to no longer be the center of attention.

  "That was well handled," Princess Eliana murmurs beside me.

  "I literally just said what anyone would say," I reply with a shrug.

  She studies me with renewed interest. "The court expected you to immediately side with either my father or the northern lords. By refusing to choose, you've created leverage for yourself while appearing perfectly reasonable. It was quite politically astute."

  "Lucky accident," I admit quietly. "I just wanted to eat dessert without people yelling."

  She smiles slightly. "Sometimes the simplest approaches are most effective. My tutors spent years teaching me the intricacies of court politics, yet your straightforward solution accomplished what hours of formal negotiation might not have."

  "So what's really going on here?" I ask, keeping my voice low. "Why is everyone so interested in what I think?"

  "Power," she replies simply. "The reports from Northcrest were... impressive. Your forces completely routed an army five times their size in less than two hours. Such military capability would decisively end this power struggle."

  I take a bite of the finally-served dessert, buying time to think. "And everyone wants that power on their side."

  "Precisely," she confirms. "The northern lords have effectively governed themselves for generations while maintaining the pretense of royal authority. Now they seek to formalize that arrangement. My father wishes to restore true royal control throughout the kingdom. Whoever secures your support will likely prevail."

  I notice how the fragment in the king's crown pulses whenever his authority is directly acknowledged, the magical energy subtly enhancing his presence. "That crown... it's important to his authority, isn't it?"

  Eliana follows my gaze. "The Royal Crown of Dawnhaven has been passed from monarch to monarch since the kingdom's founding. It's said to contain a fragment of the original king's power, binding the royal bloodline to the land itself."

  That's interesting information. "So it's not just a symbol?"

  "Symbols have power," she replies. "But yes, there's real magic in the crown. It reinforces the divine right of kings, making the monarch's authority feel natural and proper to those around them."

  That does change things. I have a lot to consider.

  The rest of the banquet passes with superficial pleasantries, though I notice the court has subtly reorganized itself into clear factions. The king maintains regal authority, the fragment in his crown occasionally pulsing as he speaks. The northern lords present a united front of respectful disagreement. And everyone, absolutely everyone, keeps glancing at me, wondering which side I'll choose.

  What they don't realize is that I'm wondering the same thing.

  ---

  "Well, that was interesting," I say to my lieutenants once we're safely back in our guest quarters. "Not exactly the quiet diplomatic dinner I was expecting."

  "Political disunity evident throughout court," Nerk observes, pacing the room with barely contained energy. "Clear factional divisions. Northern provinces semi-autonomous in practice if not in law."

  "The fragment in the king's crown is significant," Morrigan adds, her transformed features thoughtful. "It enhances his natural authority, reinforcing the divine right perception common in human monarchies."

  "I noticed that too," I nod. "Every time he was challenged, it would pulse and people would pay more attention to him. Not super powerful, but definitely useful for a king."

  Gorthal, who has been silent until now, speaks from his position by the window. "King desperate. Northern lords confident. Both sides know Monster Lord's army determines victory."

  "That about sums it up," I agree. "Whoever gets our support comes out on top. The question is, which side deserves it? Or do we just stay out of it entirely?"

  "Neutrality rarely viable long-term strategy," Nerk points out. "Declining to choose merely delays inevitable decision while potentially alienating both factions."

  "King's invitation suggests greater desperation," Morrigan observes. "Northern faction appears more financially stable based on their attire and confidence. However, royal legitimacy carries its own value."

  I flop down in a chair, trying to process everything that happened. "Let's put aside politics for a moment. What about that fragment? Is it worth trying to get it?"

  My lieutenants exchange glances, a silent communication passing between them.

  "Crown fragment likely integrated into royal lineage magic," Morrigan finally says. "Unlike standalone fragments we've encountered previously. Extraction would potentially destabilize more than just the king's authority."

  "Eliana said as much,” I sigh. “Makes getting the fragment that much more complicated. Any other observations from tonight?"

  "Princess shows genuine interest," Gorthal states bluntly. "Not merely diplomatic performance."

  I feel my face growing warm. "I don't think that's relevant to our strategic assessment."

  "Potential marriage, alliance obvious royal strategy," Nerk adds matter-of-factly. "Common human diplomatic approach. Provides legal framework for military support without appearing as mercenary arrangement."

  "Wait, what?" I sit up straighter. "Marriage alliance? You think the king is planning to offer his daughter's hand or something?"

  "High probability," Nerk confirms. "Logical solution to multiple problems. Provides Monster Lord with human royal legitimacy. Gives king access to military capabilities without depleting treasury. Creates permanent alliance rather than temporary arrangement."

  I stare at him, then at the others, who don't seem at all surprised by this assessment. "And you're just mentioning this now?"

  "Assumed you recognized obvious diplomatic pattern," Nerk replies with what might almost be surprise. "Princess seated beside you, exclusive conversational access, obvious royal approval of interaction."

  Now that he spells it out, it does seem pretty obvious. The king's eagerness to host us, the careful seating arrangement, the way he nodded approvingly when Eliana and I were talking... I groan and cover my face with my hands.

  "I'm an idiot. I thought she was just being diplomatic and friendly."

  "Your interaction appeared genuine beyond diplomatic requirements," Morrigan notes. "Princess Eliana demonstrated authentic interest in several topics you discussed."

  That doesn't make me feel any better. "So what do we do? I'm not looking to get married to secure some political alliance."

  "Suggest maintaining current approach," Nerk says practically. "Gather information from both factions. Assess strategic advantages of each potential alliance. Marriage proposal remains theoretical until explicitly presented."

  "Nerk's right," I admit. "We'll stick with the plan. Tomorrow we see the king's perspective, the day after we hear from the northern lords. Then we decide."

  As my lieutenants retire to their own chambers, I find myself standing at the window, looking out over the moonlit gardens of Dawnhaven Palace. In the distance, I can just make out Crystallis's massive form curled up in the courtyard, crystal scales reflecting the moonlight.

  This visit is proving far more complicated than I anticipated. Political factions, potential marriage proposals, a crown fragment tied to kingdom magic... not to mention a princess who's far more interesting than I expected a royal to be.

  Just another day in the life of the Monster Lord, I suppose. Far cry from my old life of paycheck-to-paycheck and weekend video games. Sometimes I still can't believe this is real.

  One thing's for sure: tomorrow is going to be interesting.