The news of the unexpected defeat of the Allied army crossed the continent with the speed of lightning. The power and prestige of Katolis, built year after year with patience by King Harrow, Queen Sarai and General Amaya, suffered a blow that risked being fatal.

Neolandia, until then relegated to the political periphery of the continent, had shown itself able to compete militarily and economically against a larger and more powerful enemy. The desert kingdom could then propose itself as an alternative to the hegemony of Katolis in the leadership of the human kingdoms.

Evemere, determined to avoid antagonizing such a power, sent ambassadors and aid in money for the reconstruction of Shafiz.

Sigmond, the Black Prince of Del Bar, went further by proposing to Ilehas an alliance: in exchange for the help of Neolandia in the civil war, Sigmond would recognize the legitimacy of the new Neolandian conquests once he ascended the throne.

Ilehas was at the height of power and prestige: in the eyes of his people, he had performed a miracle. To further strengthen his position, just a month after the Battle of the Sand Ilehas married Princess Shirin, King Ahling's second daughter and heir to the throne, and became King of Neolandia. Between the two there were over twenty-five years of age difference, but no one raised objections. The people trusted Ilehas more than the legitimate royal line: how to blame them?

While among the charred ruins of Shafiz the people danced in celebration, the Katoleans mourned the death of their soldiers.

"The city is paralyzed. The streets are empty. Only the sound of crying betrays the presence of the inhabitants", writes Callum.

Amaya's death was a blow to everyone, especially to King Ezran. But despite his youth, he was strong: he was the one who collected the rest of the court from the torpor of mourning and took the reins of the situation.

Ezran's power never ran the risk of being overthrown as in those days. We have already talked about how many former supporters of Viren had deserted to join various gangs of bandits. The news of the defeat only encouraged these outlaws, who throughout the kingdom began to assault elves and royal dignitaries.

Even the capital was not safe: Ezran himself was assaulted by a hitman during a public hearing, and only Soren's promptness prevented the irreparable.

If Neolandia had launched an invasion, it would probably have triggered a general uprising. Fortunately it did not happen: the kingdom of the desert was in turn devastated by the war, thus unable to sustain another campaign. Ilehas instead focused on the reconstruction of his capital. He even sent Amaya's body back to Katolis so she could receive a proper burial.

And Xadia? Paradoxically, this defeat united the elves and the humans as never before. Any feeling of hostility was replaced by hatred towards the common enemy, not unlike what had happened during the Virenian invasion. At that time the war had touched almost only the Sunfire elves: this time all the Elven races had been involved.

In Lux Aurea, the Queen locked herself in her palace for days mourning the death of his soldiers and their general. It is well known in fact that Janai was very close to Amaya since the time of the Virenian War.

It is said, although it is probably an exaggeration, that she had sworn to avenge her soldiers by killing the Regent of Neolandia by her own hand, to the point of ordering one of her servants to remind her every night before bedtime.

Dragons, if possible, were even more unsettled. The blind Sol Regem cursed Zubeia, accusing her of cowardice, and dozens of dragons came to hear him from all over Xadia. The Dragon Queen made Ezran know that, if the situation would not have been resolved quickly, she would not have been able to hold back the warlike Sun Archdragon.

The solution to the crisis came in an absolutely unexpected way, in the person of Queen Aanya of Duren. The 13-year-old Queen arrived at the castle a few days after Amaya's funeral with a proposal for the King of Katolis.

Once she got off the saddle, it became clear to everyone that anything she came to discuss was of the utmost importance. Instead of her usual simple golden circle she wore the elaborate and heavy crown of Queen Annika, and had with her the entire Durenian royal guard: fifty heavy knights in full uniform. In the presence of the King, she spoke in the same refined and imperious style with which she wrote her edicts. She was no longer Aanya, but the Queen of Duren, descendant of warriors.

"Our kingdoms have always been friends, our peoples are brothers: we have shared food in times of hunger, blood in times of war. Now that both our nations are threatened, the time has come to put aside our differences and forge an even stronger alliance, a bond that could never be destroyed. I am the last heir of the royal line of Duren, and you bear the proud blood of the kings of Katolis: I propose you to unite our houses whith a marriage. Our families will become one, as will our peoples."

Understandably the court was at the time completely stunned, and most of all the king.

The meeting of the Council that followed was one of the most exhausting of the reign of Ezran.

On the one hand, Lady Opeli and Lord Nissem were categorically opposed. They argued that such an action would undermine the stability of the kingdom, and that the continent's balance of power would be compromised. They gave voice to an ancient mentality, which saw as a natural order of things the division of humanity into the five realms of the Pentarchy.

Others at court, however, understood that such a vision was outdated: Lord Vrigel and Colonel Gren (who had momentarily taken Amaya's place on the Council as the highest surviving officer) were in fact in favour. Trade would prosper with such a union, they said, and demilitarizing one of the borders would allow the army to focus on the Neolandian frontier. Callum, who had been in a similar situation a few months before, did not openly take sides out of respect towards Ezran. In his diaries, however, he gives voice to his doubts.

"Aanya's proposal makes terrible sense. As Minister of the Kingdom, I can only be in favour... but it is still my brother! Aanya is a smart girl, but she's ambitious. It is clear that she has been planning this move for a long time: there is no way that her ministers could have approved such a thing in such a short time. I wonder... what will be her goal?"

Ezran, for his part, was terrified to say the least. Let us remember that at the time of the events he had just turned twelve years old, and certainly did not expect to have to deal with his marriage so soon.

Fortunately for us historians, we know what was going through the King's head, because he confided with nothing less than Rayla, his new sister-in-law, who later told Callum all about it.

Of course, Aanya was a dear friend, but... Ezran was not naive. He knew that it was a purely political union. The way in which the proposal was made did not give rise to any doubts.

"Marriage is a terribly difficult thing, I don't want to lead you on," Rayla replied. "although we love each other, sometimes Callum and I wonder if it would have been better if we had found another system. But then, when I walk the streets of the city, I see humans and elves living happily together... and I know I made the right choice. The good of the kingdom sometimes requires sacrifice."

The next day, Ezran let Aanya know that he accepted his proposal.