Xenia was serving breakfast to her brothers and younger sister when she overheard them discussing the nobles raising flags against August.
"Where did you hear that?" she asked, turning her gaze toward her fifth brother, Ethan.
"I was at a nobleman's estate yesterday to deliver an order," Ethan replied between bites. "I saw the commotion myself."
"Why are you only mentioning this now?" Xenia questioned.
"It simply slipped my mind until now," Ethan said with a shrug.
"Are you not going to eat?" Henry asked, looking up at her with a concerned expression. "Sit down and join us. For days now, you have been barely touching your food, as if you have completely lost your appetite."
Xenia sat down as Charlie ladled a portion of oat porridge into her bowl. "Eat this."
She picked up her spoon without a word and began to eat, her mind drifting back to August and the news of the nobles rising against him.
