“I want to talk to her,” Norwan said, his voice firm yet laced with frustration. He looked toward the opposing camp, where Natalie’s people stood, prepared for battle.

Natalie swallowed hard, shaking her head in response. “You can’t talk to her like this, Norwan,” she warned, her voice low, filled with tension. She gestured to the two armies that stood poised for conflict, a single misstep could send them spiraling into chaos. “Not with everything on the line. If you make a move now, my men will see it as a threat to me One wrong word, one wrong gesture, and we’re at war.”

Norwan’s gaze hardened as he processed...