I paced in my private room behind my throne, hands clasped behind my back, my entire body trembling. The only thing that kept me from collapsing to the floor was the endless back and forth, back and forth.

I'd have to walk forever, it seemed, to keep from utterly falling apart.

Maybe it was a crazy thing to do, but I had little choice in the matter. Putting myself under house arrest in my realm made the only sense in this insane and senseless disaster. I was well aware ...