Chapter 47: Veiled Shadows**
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"My queen, please take a seat," Nathaniel offered, gesturing towards a regal chair.
"I intended for you to rest; you face a challenging training tomorrow," he advised, concern etched on his aged face.
"Rest? Tomorrow, I doubt I can. My husband left behind a formidable troop, the Shadows, to protect his kingdom. It's our duty to fight for our realm," Queen Liora declared, standing tall. The old man smiled knowingly.
"Oceans don't always storm violently, and ships navigate through with patience. Patience can resolve everything," he spoke in an adage, his words laden with wisdom. Undeterred, he continued, "You must prepare yourself for what lies ahead."
"I am strong, brave, and fear nothing. I won't sit idly training to be a dragon keeper when I can be a keeper of my people. I am a queen, for God's sake," she asserted, placing a protective hand on her pregnant belly. Nathaniel, with a knowing smile, instructed her to take a warm cup brought by Queen Liora's bodyguard.
"Take this," he urged, and though suspicious, she drank. "Oh my God, what is this? It's so bitter," she exclaimed.
"It's beneficial for your health, especially in your condition. You look pale; this will aid your recovery," Nathaniel assured. Fatigue overcame her, and she slowly drifted into sleep. The bodyguard gently carried her to the bedroom.
Concerned about the mage, Nathaniel turned to the silent and watchful bodyguard. "What happened to the mage?" he inquired.
"She might have been captured," the bodyguard replied with a mix of emotions. Nathaniel sighed, leaving with a vial, seemingly prepared for an experiment.
Within the palace, Maximus, scarred and wicked, addressed his subjects with laughter that sent shivers down their spines. The once vibrant assembly had dwindled, the casualties of Maximus's ruthless pursuit of power.
"Greetings to my subjects," he mocked, his twisted scars bearing witness to the atrocities committed. The remaining subjects were gripped with fear, their future uncertain in the veiled shadows that now engulfed the kingdom.