The other, older maid jumped when she saw me, before clearing her throat to drag Evie's attention back from the vivid moonlight in the window.

"Please please give me a chance to explain." I set to begging, putting my little woolen bundle down on the table and walking over to the girl. I took her hands and she walked with me back to the couch, we sat down. I looked right into her eyes, finding that the gold in them gave me strength. "You have done nothing wrong." I said carefully, trying to enunciate every word. "To me, everything you've done so far is perfect. I want to apologise for my conduct tonight. I had some terrible terrible news and it's been hurting me."

Evie's eyebrows dropped down, shading the golden hue a little. I saw her glance out of the corner of her eye a little to the other maid, who unwillingly stepped into the bedroom, closing the door. Then Evie took my hand. She had removed her gloves now and her hands were warm, gorgeously warm.

"What's gone wrong?" She whispered, this time it was she who held my gaze.

I shook my head, still so wary so admit my crime, still so embarrassed about what I'd done. I owed it to her now though. "I... I made a decision. A few weeks ago. I put my friends on the front lines in danger and some of them died for it. They died at my word." I found myself breathless once I'd spat it out, but her warm hands only gripped tighter on to mine.

I was saved a little, from the verge of breaking down, by a warmth on my cheek, it was her hand again. "I'm so so sorry, Gavrila. That's awful. I'm so so sorry that happened." I let her hand rest on my cheek and took the other one.

"These things happen, I'm told." I focused on the golden flecks in her eyes again. "Part of the duty of being king."

She shook her head, moving both her hands to push some of her hair back. "It's never easy to lose a friend I expect. Where was it they died?"

"Gringle field. Pretty much exactly on the border." I admitted, the name tasting bitter in my mouth.

Evie gasped but tried to hide it, I took her hand to help her on and she looked up at me. "I'm sure it's not. But it's just... Nick wrote me a few days ago, see. Saying he was going into Gringle Field to fight. I haven't heard anything since, but you would've done wouldn't you. If the worst had happened?"

I nodded, only realising two seconds too late what I had just done. She didn't need to know that her brother was dead anyway. Not now.

"Look." I murmured, the gold in her eyes now feeling like the golden crown of lies I'd set myself on track for. "I don't want to talk about death any more tonight. Not while I've let you down. Tonight was meant to be your first proper ball and I was barely there." I left her on the couch, going over to my wool wrapped bundle. "Now I know I shouldn't apologise to a lady for ruining her ball by doing this, but you're no lady." I turned over my shoulder grinning at her, she grinned back at me.

"You didn't completely ruin it you know." She informed me as I untied the straps. "Your brother was... Quite the interrogator when - oh my God is that a real sword?" She rushed over to kneel down by my side, her skirts rustling as she sat down in front of the blade.

I nodded, offering her the hilt of my beloved. It was a Zbecoginan Schiavona, with rope styled decorations. Truly it was a masterpiece.

"The weight on that is beautiful." Evie whispered, testing it with her wrist. I raised my sightline, impressed. "I've handled a couple before, my father and both grandfathers were military men. And Papa himself fought way more duels than were good for him." She explained. I moved around to sit next to her as she flexed her arm.

"I'm impressed." I admitted. "My father had this one made for me when I turned fifteen, seeing as I wouldn't spend any more time around the palace when there was a war on." She turned to me, placing the sword down on her skirts.

"You were fifteen? And not conscripted?" She whispered, her face a pale blue in the moonlight.

I nodded. "Dissuaded from going really. I've been somewhat obsessed with fighting all my life."

We watched the fire for a few moments, though Evie seemed to be struggling to sit still. She leaned into my shoulder, her eyes upturned to mine mischievously.

"Got any cool scars?" She grinned.

I grinned too. In doing so trying to hide a blush which I could feel working it's way to my neck. "Six." I pulled off my jacket and chucked it over the couch and took the cufflinks out of my left sleeve so I could roll it up to my elbow, showing off the white mark I had gained from my first battle. Evie ran her fingers over it lightly.

"That looks deep, was it a stab?" She murmured, inspecting it.

I shook my head, recalling the shock as I watched that huge hulking Baracosian fighter pull the side of his blade back out from my arm, going to strike again before Tommy took him out for me. "It was a cut, but a deep one, well placed. I did, however, get stabbed here." I leaned forward, my fingers just under the scar on the back of my neck. "I was actually really lucky with that, a few inches one way, it could've immobilised me, a few inches the other way and I'd have bled out in seconds." I felt her warm fingers trace the path of the scar again and when they left, I sat back up.

Evie's eyes were again fixed on my arm. "Scars are cool. What about the other four?"

I laughed and shook my head. "Not in appropriate places I'm afraid. Another time perhaps." I winked, and then laughed at her blush, hoping it to cover my own gradually rising one. I turned away just in case, and retrieved my cufflinks.

There was a knock on the front door and a kitchen maid came in with a plate, which she set down quietly on the table, she bobbed a nervous curtsey, then left.

"What's this?" Evie asked, looking curiously up at me. I gestured for her to  remove the bell. She did so and upon seeing the wealth of cheese there laid out, turned back to me, her eyes locked in on mine, her lips curved into a wide smile. "You are amazing." She laughed.

I laughed too. "Help yourself. You seem to be partial to a cheese platter." I slid back down onto the floor next to her, taking a cracker with cheese and taking a bite.

"Gavrila," She asked softly, her hand resting on the table, "Why do you treat me so nicely?"

The question caught me, now was the time either to admit it or blow my chances. I ran a hand through my hair in preparation, then took both her hands. "I'm falling in love with you, Evangeline." I realised once I'd said it that I was smiling. I realised then too that she was smiling.

"Why on earth." She smirked, blushing again.  "I'm easily the least attractive person here."

I laughed. "You are sorely mistaken, my lady."

She laughed and shook her head. "Are you sure about that?" In response I gave her fingers a little squeeze and nodded, I couldn't catch her eyes because they were turned down to our hands. "Good." She murmured very quietly, then her eyes came back up, I looked into them as soon as I could. "Because," She whispered, a small smile on her lips, her eyes dancing, "I think I'm falling in love with you too."

I laughed incredulously, amazed at my luck.

And then we kissed.

And eventually we got a telling off from her maid, but she was falling for me. But we kissed.

And I returned to my room that night in better spirits than ever before.