The Blackmare king remained seated for a moment after the plan had been laid out, his gaze lowered slightly as though weighing something deeper than strategy alone. When he finally looked up again, there was a quiet shift in him, not hesitation, not doubt, but a decision that carried more than just military intent.
"There has been history between our kingdoms," he said, his voice steady, though no longer edged with resistance. "Distrust. Rivalry. Grievances that have not been forgotten."
King Highmoor did not interrupt. He simply listened.
The Blackmare king continued, "But those matters no longer hold the same weight they once did. Not in the face of what is coming."
A brief pause followed.
"I am willing to set them aside," he said plainly. "To forego old grudges, and recognize Valerion not as a rival, but as an ally. As a friend, if necessary, in this war against a common enemy."
The words settled with quiet significance.
