I lingered outside the door to my study hesitantly. Was it really wise to put all my faith and time into one Debutante?

What could she do anyway if I decided she wasn't worth it? I had enough time to change my mind.

I opened the door and stepped inside, Evangeline was already there, settled in my favourite chair, Anthony Reynolds's account of the Baracosian civil war of 1478 in her lap.

She jumped as she noticed me and stood up, dropping the book.
"Sorry... Lord Turner said I could read one because..."

I smirked at how flustered she got and passed her the book sitting down in the chair she had occupied as she moved over to the window.

"You can sit, if you want. Have you eaten?"

"No I haven't." She muttered snappily, clutching the book to her chest. "And I'll stand, thank you. It seems my preferred seat is occupied." I chuckled lightly and stood up, gesturing for her to reclaim my seat as I rang for breakfast.

"She has a favourite chair already?" I smiled at her, sitting on the long couch across the low table. A pleasant silence settled between us as she turned back to the account.

"So what is this then?" She asked petulantly.

"That's Anthony Reynolds's-"

"No, what's this? Why did you invite me to breakfast in a library?"

I shrugged idly, a small smile on my lips. "We could eat breakfast elsewhere if you'd prefer? I was just under the impression that military movements interested you."

"They do." She admitted with a small smile. "I expect you plan to do this for all the Debutantes?"

I shivered and laughed, shaking my head. "Alas the other girls aren't fond of conversations about the military. Speaking of which why are you?"

Her smile grew deeper into her face and her eyes found her hands, which rested on the book.

"My er, my brother and I always used to play at being generals and we orchestrated wars with my wooden skittles against his tin soldiers. He's an officer in your war now, by the way."

"Really?" I looked up to find her smiling in earnest. She nodded proudly. "Which regiment is he, do you know?"

She nodded. "Fourteenth." Her nose crinkled in an adorable way when she pronounced the ee. "Signed up as soon as it was announced, I should like to see him again sometime if that's a favour you can arrange."

I nodded, impressed. "Of course. I must say though," I hastened to add, "If it were my decision, this war would not be happening. My father insists on tactics which are awfully gallant but will decidedly never win us the war, the feeling is mutually held by King Thomas of Baracosia. God only knows why. Don't go repeating that mind you."

She nodded in a dignified way. "Well that is perfectly obvious, why else would there be such large scale battles so far apart in time? And of course I will endeavour to keep it a secret if that's necessary."

One of the older butlers appeared with the breakfast tray and clucked his tongue at me, but I waved him off.

"He didn't seem awfully friendly." Evangeline retorted as the door closed, I laughed and shook my head.

"He's not a tattle tale." I said, pulling things from the tray onto my plate.

"And what would it matter of he were?" She raised an eyebrow, pulling her legs up underneath her as she took a lump of cheese from the tray.

"Well," I chuckled, "We are alone together."

She arched her eyebrow again, starting to daintily eat the cheese. "And? What does that suggest your Highness?"

"Please, call me Gavrila." I interrupted, finding it strange that she didn't even understand how scandalous this rendezvous was.

"Very well, call me Evangeline."

We ate in companiable silence again before she sipped her water, looking across the rim of the glass to me.

"I want you to apologise to my maid, by the way, it was very rude how you just knocked her over the other day."

I chuffed. "I was in a bit of a hurry, besides, she was in the way."

"She was most certainly not and hurting someone without an apology is most inexcusable. Good morning, Your Highness." She snapped, getting up sharply and heading for the door.

"Wait." I called, halting her footsteps.

"What?" She hissed.

"You don't know the way, let's use the back corridor." I pulled the huge marked map of Baracosia back to show the little door. The mere sight of it made her eyes widen in excitement.
She held up a hand though, slightly reluctantly.

"Your - Gavrila, I meant to ask, do you know, is there any way I might be able to get out of the ball tonight?" She chanced a look up at me and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Why? Do you not want to come?"

She shook her head.

"Why ever not?" We sat back down on one of the stiffer couches.

"I can't dance." She murmured, casting her eyes down to her hands.

"I'm sure you're not that bad." I rolled my eyes, disappointed that she was the kind to go fishing for compliments.

"Literally, I can't -"

"I'll make sure you end up with me for the first one so I can show you how." I offered, forcing sympathy in to play along. It was a feeble way to try and claim my first dance and I realised that I probably was wrong to think that she was different. If she hadn't asked I would've gladly picked her anyway.
"I'll ring for a maid to take you back to your suite." I said, it was a little stiff.

Her eyebrows creased but she said nothing to try and win me back, to her credit.

When I got back into my room I found Afanasy gazing out of the window, perched on the sill. Ib had his long limbs sprawled across him.

"Where the hell were you?" He scowled.

I chuckled and sat back on the armchair. "In my library, why?"

"Yes why?" Fana shot back.

I shrugged, "I wanted breakfast in there."

Fana raised an eyebrow again and I rolled my eyes.

"I thought brothers didn't keep secrets." He mumbled saltily. "What's Starkey's replacement like then?" He dropped the sulking act to push the dog off of him and bounce into my sofa. I couldn't believe he already knew what I was doing again. Tristan had promised he wouldn't tell.

"Cmon, she's not in the social circle enough for me to know her. What was she like?"

I scowled at him.  "How do you know everything?" He tapped his nose and then his eyes, but kept staring at me until I gave in.

"She seems to try a lot harder than the others to appear desirable and seems to actually put the work in which I credit her for, but ultimately it seems she's a card player and she knows a lot more about military structure than most ladies do."

Fana raised his left eyebrow and sipped at elderflower cordial. "You think she's a spy or something? She doesn't look Baracosian at all, or Gratian either. Besides, they wouldn't send someone so clumsy."

I shrugged. "Can you investigate her for me? If she's a spy then we need to tell Father, but only once we're sure, I won't convict an innocent."

Fana grinned and I smiled weakly back at him, glad to have him on my side.