The Rule
Their flicker cast long, twitching silhouettes upon the stone walls, draping the chamber in a half-light that made it difficult to tell what was real and what was reflection.
At the center of the room sat William, bathed in the faint glow of gold and shadow. He reclined easily upon a cushioned divan of deep maroon velvet, one leg crossed over the other. Before him, on a low table of blackened oak, was a game, Alekhtar. A war-strategy game of conquest and sabotage, said to be favoured by monarchs who preferred subtlety over brute strength. The pieces gleamed — some carved of obsidian, others of ivory.
He moved them idly, not to play, but to think.
Sikat na Kabanata