Member-only story
The Kingdom of Marcus
Secrets behind the Golden Gates.
The world had grown quiet and more distant from behind the golden walls of the palace, like a song once remembered but never heard clearly. Courtiers spoke carefully. Advisors spoke strategically. Even laughter felt rehearsed. And each voice felt was calculated when it reached him.
Yet, for all the years he had worn the crown, the King had never felt something unfamiliar ...distance.
Not the distance of land or time. Not of kingdoms mapped. Not hours counted. Not from gilded halls. Not from polished surfaces. But from the wellspring inside. From its understanding. It was slipping away. Quietly. Endlessly. But the King remained, crown heavy, yet more distant from himself than ever.
Lex noticed.
A seasoned record keeper in the palace courts, Lex spent his days buried in scrolls… tax records. Land disputes. Petitions from farmers whose ink carried more desperation than elegance. He had sharp eyes. Sharper curiosity. Although few noticed. Years of diligence had taught him patience. Patience had taught him to peel into what others overlooked.
He noticed the king standing by the fountain one morning before dawn. Not in official regalia but disguised like any civilian.
