Taaffeite gred at her husband as he finally set her down, having carried her though the entire castle as he strode past sck jawed guards.

  Her gre bounced right off the man as he grinned at her, “Oh don’t look at me like that.” He pced a calming hand on her shoulder, the contact only fueling her anger at the man.

  She had explicitly told him not to nd inside of the castle walls. In fact, she remembered outlining the pn in detail st night. He was supposed to nd outside of the city itself to avoid causing an uproar!

  “Did you forget you were supposed to nd outside of the city?” She hissed up at him, clenching her fist as she gred at the mustering guards in the hall; the half dozen armored men and women all collectively stepping back before her attention was pulled back to Alistar, his rge hand gently massaging her shoulder as he chuckled.

  Did he just forget that we are at war? She spped his hand away only for him to ugh, turning both his hands palms out towards her as if pcating a wild animal!

  He kept his voice low, calming as he expined. “It may have… slipped my mind,” the deep calming bass of his voice reverberated through her, her tension bleeding off despite her desire to be angry at him. “I was just excited to see my girls.” He put on his biggest grin, that goofy innocent smile of his that made people underestimate him, he had even let a little of his accent bleed through to really sell it.

  Taaffeite wasn’t buying it. This little act of his might have worked on others, but she knew better and made it clear as she gred up at him. “Don’t act cute with me, Alistar.”

  Much to her annoyance, he puffed his chest out like it was some kind of complement. “You think I’m cute.” She considered, not for the first time in their retionship, stabbing him.

  Before she could retort, he cut her off with a sigh. Defting a little as he spoke, “Taaffeite, my love.” His smile softened as he met her eyes. “You are brilliant, an amazing mother and phenomenal leader.” She… didn’t dislike this, however she felt the “but” before it even left his lips. “But, sometimes you’re a bit…” he hummed, tapping his chin though his thick beard, “hard headed.” He nodded, pressing on as she blinked up at him, confused about where this was all going. “Since the girls… left on their adventure.” She didn’t miss how he avoided saying they disappeared, like they have been saying for months now. “You have done nothing but sulk at home, burying yourself behind work to avoid dealing with the real problem.”

  She really didn’t like where this was going now, her eyes darting around the hallway as if searching for any hint on what he was up to… it was just a long stone hallway, it looked like any other hallway in the castle; not to mention he had carried her the entire way here, so she was a bit turned around.

  She looked back at the guards lingering behind, milling about just close enough to hear them but still making no motion to stop them. Turning she looked past Alistar to see a pair of guards on the other side… did they circle around to surround us?

  “Where are we?” she asked, scanning for anything that would hint to where in the castle they were.

  Alistar didn’t answer her question, simply pressed on in his little speech. “If I had nded outside of the castle, you would have scurried off to do… well, just about anything you could to avoid it.” He turned away from her, striding towards the two guards on the other side of him. The two men stiffening as they actually motioned for him to stop, as if that would work.

  “Avoid what?” she growled, as he stepped right through one of the men who tried to block his path. The guard grabbed onto his waist to keep from falling more than anything as Alistar continued towards a door on the far end of the hall.

  Taaffeite froze as he smiled back at her, “You will have to talk to her, my love.” He said with a wink before stepping “through” the closed door with a crunch.

  The door smmed against the stone wall on the other side as she heard the distinctive sound of people panicking mixed with her husband’s jovial ughter. “I hope we aren’t interrupting?” his voice rang out as he vanished into the room.

  Taaffeite’s hands shook as she finally connected the dots. She knew, logically, that she would have to see the Queen eventually; she was here to conduct the meeting between Crown and Felnnor after all, so of course she would talk with the Queen.

  So why did her feet suddenly refuse to move, her entire body rooted in pce as she stared into the open doorway. Her mind raced as she searched for… an excuse. The thought was like a cold bucket of water as her husband's words rang in her mind. You have done nothing but sulk, burying yourself behind work to avoid dealing with the real problem.

  That’s all it would be. An excuse to prolong the meeting. Just like all the other ones she has made in the st few months to avoid doing what her entire family has been pushing her to do.

  She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she listened to the maelstrom of noise coming from the room. Someone was throwing accusations at Alistar who was still ughing as he greeted Alexa, pointedly ignoring the flustered man who was now shouting at him while there was a scuffling sound. She heard a sharp exhale followed by Alexa greeting her father, her voice a bit strained as if she was being squeezed.

  Then she heard it, “Lord Lapidary.” Irithal’s voice was quiet, almost tentative as it cut through the noise and silenced the room. It was strange to Taaffeite, the queen's voice cked its usual commanding power as she greeted Alistar who had barged into her office. “As you can see, we are currently in a meeting.” Why did it sound almost as if she was asking a question?

  Taaffeite took a single step forward, her pulse racing as she listened to the exchange on the other side of the door… suddenly feeling foolish as she leaned closer to the doorway, though just as the rge table that dominated the middle of the room came into view she froze again. A tingling sensation running down her spine as if someone was staring directly at her though the stone wall beside the door, which was… foolish, she wasn’t making any attempt to hide her presence, and after Alistair’s entrance everyone in the castle likely knew they were there.

  Of course someone was tracking her, the thought was almost comical as she let out a long breath; circuting her mana inside of her body she reigned back her presence only to find the feeling didn’t go away. It was like a physical barrier that kept her from entering the room as her husband’s voice reached her.

  “Oh,” he chuckled from somewhere in the room, “Then I am sorry, my Queen, I was just so eager to see my daughter I must have forgotten my manners.” Even though his voice was a bit muffled, likely facing away from her if she had to guess, she could just hear that slight southern drawl that told her he was grinning from ear to ear.

  “I… see.” The Queen’s voice was crystal clear, like she was speaking directly to Taaffeite despite her being in the hallway around the corner. “Though I understand your excitement…”

  “There she is,” Alistar cut the queen off, only to stop a moment ter. “Oops, sorry little one, I didn’t see you there.”

  Just what is he doing now! She screamed in her mind, her apprehension at hearing the queen forgotten for a moment as she heard a clearly terrified girl stammering to reply.

  “It's… it's fine.” The clearly feminine voice replied, followed by what could only be described as squeak.

  “And who might you be?”

  “I… Nobody… sir” Taaffeite was certain the woman… or girl, was about to piss herself as Alistar ughed.

  “I’ve never met someone named Nobody,” he chuckled, “Well it's nice to meet you, Lady Nobody, sorry for knocking you over like that.”

  Is he purposely causing a mess of things!? “Alistar.” She nearly hissed as she stormed into the room, stepping past the threshold only to see her husband standing over a terrified young woman, Alexa tucked under one of his arms as his other hand rested on the woman’s shoulder as if steadying her. His hand on her shoulder engulfed the girl’s upper arm as she shook, her face pale as she stared at him.

  But that entire scene was lost to her as she heard a sharp intake of breath, her eyes snapped to the head of the table, locking onto Queen Irithal who was half standing from her chair. Their eyes met and Taaffeite’s heart sank at the conflicting emotions that filled her.

  Her shoulders tensed as her heart began to race in her chest, anger warring with relief and concern at the sight of the other woman.

  “Taffy…” Irithal started only to sigh, dropping back into her seat and sagging slightly as she closed her eyes, giving Taaffeite a moment to take in the other woman.

  Irithal was… beautiful as ever but she looked… tired. There were clearly bags under her eyes despite being hidden under makeup that didn’t quite match her skin tone. her hair which was held in pce by her crown had a slight sheen to it…

  Is she… sleeping properly? The thought came unbidden as a kernel of concern formed in her gut. Of course she isn’t, the nation is at war and then there is the meeting with the elves ter today. Irithal was probably running herself-ragged if the pile of paperwork on her desk in the corner was any indication.

  Despite her concern a part of Taaffeite was… not gd to see the Queen in such a state, but it felt justifying. After all, it was Irithal who had put her family in danger; the twins vanishing and Jasper going to Algimar…

  That’s not right… she reminded herself. It isn’t her fault… Jasper is an adult… and Amethyst and Hecatolite were already pnning on leaving… she knew it, logically she understood it… yet part of her still bmed Tari.

  Taking a deep breath, Irithal opened her eyes, her steely mask back in pce as she spoke. “Lady Lapidary.” The formal greeting stung as she stared into the Queen’s eyes. For the first time in a very long time, she didn’t feel the familiar push of power into her mind, the absence feeling like a void as Taaffeite straightened her shoulders.

  “My Queen.” She returned the greeting, her voice sounding distant even to herself as the two stared at each other across the table for a long moment.

  “Ares!” Alistar’s voice shattered the moment as he bellowed, drawing all eyes to him as he lifted the small woman into a one-armed bear hug.

  “Uncle Alistar.” Princess Ares giggled as she returned his hug. “How have you been?” She asked as he easily held her in one arm, the other still holding onto Alexa.

  Meeting Alexa’s eye, Taaffeite suddenly had a very uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach…

  “I’ve been great,” Alistar bellowed, as he looked around the room. “Don’t tell me they have kept you locked up in this stuffy castle since the st time I saw you?” he said, and she knew where this was going.

  “Alistar.” Her voice dripped with an unspoken threat as she pushed every ounce of feeling into it. “Don’t you dare.”

  “It’s so nice outside…” he said with a wide grin, ignoring her as he gnced at the queen who was now staring up at him. “Maybe a good day for a training exercise.”

  “A… training exercise?” Irithal asked, clearly lost as she gnced at Taaffeite who was now pinching the bridge of her nose.

  Nodding to the princess, Alistar flipped Alexa onto his shoulder, their daughter nding like a sack of potatoes as she let out a loud oomph. “Yes, don’t worry your majesty. My daughter and I will take the utmost care of the princess during this exercise.” He grinned, not a trace of his accent as he addressed the queen. “Actually, I might grab Saffron too… for added protection of course.” He said with a completely straight face as he looked around the room. “Where is my daughter-in-w?”

  “Sulking in her room.” Alexa grumbled as she crossed her arms, the action comical due to being slung over his shoulder.

  “Well, we can’t have that.” He shook his head as he turned to leave, the princess in one arm and Alexa over his shoulder as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

  “Wait, where are you going?” Irithal stood from her seat, several of the noble’s in the room rising as if they were pnning on trying to stop him.

  Alistar, undeterred, continued to walk towards the door. “As I said, a training exercise.” He didn’t even slow down as he passed Taaffeite, the princess giving her a thumbs up as she passed.

  Clearing her throat, Ares dramatically threw herself back in his arms, giggling as she said. “Oh no, I’m being kidnapped.” She clearly hadn’t gotten her mothers acting skills as she giggled and “whispered” to Alister, “How was that?”

  “That was great.” He ughed before looking back to Taaffeite, “It should only take an hour or two for the guards to catch us. You can guard the queen for that long right?”

  She was about to protest, her hand coming up to cast a spell to stop him only for her magic to splutter, Alexa grimacing before she gave her a sheepish smile. “Sorry mom.” She whispered as Alistar walked out of the room.

  “You two py nice now.” His voice carried back into the room a moment before all hell broke loose.

  The remaining nobles lost their collective minds as they started shouting, one young man she felt like she should remember was screaming at her looking as if he was about to jump the table and attack her.

  Irithal just sat back down in her chair, releasing a long sigh as she shook her head. It showed an enormous level of trust for her to just let him leave like that, not that Taaffeite disagreed. The princess was likely in the safest spot in the entire Empire with Alistar and Alexa there, not to mention Saffron once they retrieved her from her room…

  “You heard him.” The Queen’s voice was even as she raised her head, “I do hope you all wouldn’t just stand around and shout if my daughter were to get kidnapped.” She hissed and the room went still, “Go.” She growled and they went, blowing past her in in a frenzy to get into the hallway only for them to start shouting something about ice. The only one left in the room was the young woman Alistar had bumped into… “Lady Seyfair?” the girl nearly fell as she jumped, turning to face the queen as her entire body shook. “Would you be so kind as to find the captain of my guard and inform them of the situation. Please stress that this is an exercise, and I expect my city to be in one piece by the end of it. Tell him… tell him that I will be considered indisposed for this and not to bother me until my daughter has been recovered.”

  Taaffeite didn’t know how she felt about this turn of event as the young noble girl scurried from the room, leaving the two of them alone… alone with no excuse but to talk to one another.

  She couldn’t help but grumble as she strode forward and took a seat opposite the queen only to jump slightly as the door suddenly shut.

  Twisting in her seat she saw the Queen's butler standing there, a slight smile on the elderly man's face as he carefully tched the now slightly crooked door. He didn’t say a word, simply nodding once to Taaffeite before vanishing with a pop.

  “He didn’t even offer tea.” Irithal grumbled, “I guess we don’t have a choice.” She sighed before her shoulders sagged, her entire body lilting forward as the Queen… no, Tari, looked up to meet Taaffeites eyes.