"Did you know, Regina, that my grandfather and grandmother were assassinated?" I asked as I leaned back in the quiet of the castle library, my boots crossed and propped up upon the reading desk while I read an ancient tome detailing the Helios lineage.
Standing just behind me, Regina furrowed her brow slightly. "I may have heard vague whispers of it, but the details were always a bit confusing, Your Majesty."
"Well, it happened during a diplomatic journey to forge a major treaty with the Radhamantian Empire. They traveled to the imperial capital together, and they were murdered within its walls. Radhamantia hastily placed the blame on their own political extremists, or perhaps the Thirteen Moons. A bloody war was on the verge of breaking out between Helios and Radhamantia once again, but my father prevented it by demanding peace. The very next day, he rode out to recover his parents' bodies," I explained, turning a crisp page.
