"So," Martha said plainly. "Will you fulfill my request… or not?"
The entire colosseum leaned into the silence that followed.
King Julius did not answer immediately.
The weight of the sea, the weight of his word, the weight of his crown all pressed down on him at once.
The spectators' focus sharpened to a razor's edge. The vast colosseum, moments ago filled with layered murmurs and restless anticipation, now felt unnaturally still, as if the sea itself had paused to listen. Every gaze was locked onto the center of the arena. No one dared look away. The request Martha had made was not merely bold.. it was outrageous, almost sacrilegious. To ask this of the King of Atlantis, of all beings… it bordered on insanity. And yet, the question lingered in every mind like a held breath: would the king uphold his honor, or would he finally cast it aside?
You want a son like me.. is that truly your request?
