"May I come in, my prince?" It was Narim, his oldest friend and second counselor. Darian felt a small sense of relief at the sound of his voice. Narim had always been there to help him since childhood.
Narim and Lokir, the other counselor to the king, were constantly at odds with each other, always arguing and finding counterarguments to each other's words. Despite their mutual animosity, however, the king considered them both invaluable servants to the kingdom.
"You may come in," Darian said, grateful for the distraction.
An old man with deeply wrinkled skin and short white braids shuffled into the modest chamber, his movements sluggish. It was Narim's father, an esteemed counselor in his own right, who had served the kingdom for decades.
"Congratulations on the birth of your brother,
