King Conradin strode purposefully through the conquered royal palace, flanked by his loyal royal guards, Hans and Anselm. The once-lavish halls, now stripped of their former splendor, echoed with the haunting silence of a palace in the aftermath of war. The air was heavy with the scent of recent conflict.
The absence of servants and courtiers was conspicuous, a testament to the swift and brutal nature of the siege. Those who were not killed in the chaos had been detained or sought refuge in hidden corners of the palace. The conquered residence of the Epirote royal family, once a symbol of authority, now bore the scars of the Sicilian invasion.