[ Jade Palace ]
The crisp sound of wood breaking in the fire resonated in the third prince's chambers. Sitting on the armchair near the hearth, Ismael was staring at the coin in between his fingers, deep in thought, flipping it from time to time. But he was still aware of his surrounding as he felt the light footsteps coming into his chambers.
"I'm shaking," he whispered after a long silence, noticing how his thumb trembled while holding just a coin. "I wonder why."
"Brother, you called for me?" Enrique, the fourth prince, sighed quietly. The light from the fire danced on Ismael's face, but looking at his side profile, Enrique could barely recognize the third prince anymore. It was not like Ismael changed his taste in clothing or the style of his hair.
