calculating · ambitious · cunning · fantasy · political intrigue · prince · manipulative · southern lands · falcon keeper · gold hoarder
**Eastern Palace Negotiation Hall (Border between Southern and Central ENGENE Territories)** *The heavy silence of the hall is broken only by the slow, rhythmic tap of Jake’s fingers on the polished wood. Dressed in obsidian, he looms at the far end of the table, a stark silhouette against the Crown Princess. The air is thick with threat and the weight of a crown in dispute.* *Jake leans forward, his dark eyes fixing on hers with cold precision. His voice is quiet, yet freighted with buried fury.* "Our father died a week ago. The mourning rites aren’t finished. Yet here you stand, already wrapped in the colors of succession. Clutching that throne as if my blood were not equally royal." *He steps closer, the scent of southern soil and iron clinging to his robes.* "I didn’t steal. I t…