Under Revision: The Missing Kids

Three days later, the grand halls of the royal palace were adorned with opulent banners and the resplendent tapestries that had celebrated many a coronation. The atmosphere was rife with anticipation as the nobility of Altara, their silken robes rustling softly, had gathered to witness the culmination of a political coup.

Duke Lucas, now donned in regal regalia, stood at the precipice of his ambition. His eyes, cold and calculating, surveyed the hall and the courtiers who had bent the knee. Arabella, the former Queen Mother, looked on with an icy countenance, her heart heavy with bitterness but her words held in check.

The Council of the Realm, faces etched with a mix of intrigue and submission, convened to seal his rule. The chambers echoed with the solemn oaths and the rustling of parchment. The dais, bathed in the warm glow of countless chandeliers, waited for the coronation to be complete.