Third Person POV
Kieran withdrew from the campaign quietly.
There was no stage. No bannered hall. No questions shouted from reporters eager to capture the moment his ambition finally fractured under pressure. There was only a written statement, released through official channels just before dawn, concise and immaculately phrased.
He cited instability across the kingdom. Heightened security threats. A belief that leadership during crisis required focus, not competition. He expressed confidence in the council’s ability to guide the realm forward and reiterated his commitment to Pine Ridge above all else.
It was dignified.
It was bloodless.
And it was a devastating end to his campaign.
By midmorning, the news had rippled across the kingdom, faster than even Nolan’s
