Throne in turbid waters

By Romanov Heiress

At the top of a nameless reign, within a palace that exuded both opulence and decadence, the king's chambers glowed with the deceptive sheen of lost grandeur. Aged gilding, tapestries that told stories of ancient victories, and a bed so large it resembled a battlefield.

 In the midst of this dying splendor, lay the king, a man of seventy whose eyes had seen more days than he had days to live.

Upon awakening, the sun penetrated faintly through the thick curtains, bathing the room in a dim light that seemed afraid to reveal too much.