Jemima opened the door wide eyed and I had to force myself to remain calm and composed.

"Your Highness." She sank down into a deep curtsey as I tried to look into the room. Cecily was sat with tea by the window and Evie was sat by the vanity table, the other maid at her hair. Cecily shot me a most peculiar glance, she looked somewhat afraid. "We weren't expecting you." Jemima spoke in a very small voice.

"Of course you weren't." I tried to infuse some warmth into my smile, but it was work enough to tame the adrenaline coursing through my blood. "May I borrow Lady Bence?"

The other maid had abandoned Evie's hair to join Jemima, who looked up to her as though for guidance. The older maid frowned slightly at me. "We have not finished setting Her Ladyship's hair yet. If you would come back in -"

"Perhaps," I interjected, aware of how vital it was that I got her to the room so we could work on her case as soon as possible, "I could wait in here. I'll keep lady Affer company whilst you finish up with lady Bence." I forced steel into my voice and the maid could do nothing but open the door for me. She set to ushering Evie into the bedroom, shutting the door sharply as she stepped through. I stepped heavily into the room, anxious to get on and work on Evie's case. I was no lawyer, and even less of a politician, but I knew it was absolutely vital I gathered as much evidence to defend Evie as possible.

"Good morning, Cecily." I sat down across from her and accepted a cup of tea from Jemima. "What are your plans for the day?"

She cast her eyes out to the window. "Well in light of the palace being in apparent lockdown I was going to sample the royal galleries with Evangeline. I suppose you're here to thwart my plans though?" She seemed to grin into her teacup and I couldn't help but smile.

I sipped my tea and strained my ears to make sure Evie was actually getting ready in the other room. "Alas, yes. I do hope you'll forgive me for stealing her away."

"Yes how very dare you." Evie laughed, her laugh hurt me, her gaze hurt me more. I didn't want to be anything but happy with her, and I didn't want her to be anything but happy with me. She laughed then as though it had been a joke but it wasn't a joke and I wanted to get down on my knees and beg her forgiveness and explain myself. But I couldn't. Because Cecily was there.  "I was rather looking forward to seeing the paintings." Evie spoke again, directing her attention solely to Cecily, not to me, the crown prince who was giving her all my time. I give up my day to help fight for her, I try everything I can to stop my father from having her murdered, and this is how she repays me?

Cecily readjusted her skirts, looking between me and the other girl, seeming to make no plan to excuse herself any time soon. "Were you really? I mean they aren't a bad excursion, but I would much rather visit the villages. I feel trapped here, not allowed to leave, like a little bird. Why must we stay within our cages, your highness?" She asked, somewhat snidely actually, which surprised me.

"Safety, my lady." I tried to smile warmly, but I was distracted by Evie, who was frowning by my side. She had been nodding along thoughtfully to everything Cecily had said. "If you would excuse us I really must steal Evangeline away now." I moved to offer Evie my hand, trying not to react as she shocked me by walking straight past, to collect two books from the table. They were the books I had given her last week but her blatant ignorance of me had me having to focus to stop my heart from beating so fast. Cecily noticed it and stood a little awkwardly, not keen to break the silence which had settled. Instead she collected her fan from the floor beside the low coffee table and curtsied to me.

"I shall have to find another way to pass my day." She smiled warmly. It was all fake, plain as day to see, but she wanted me to know that. "Good morning your highness, Evangeline." Then she breezed out of the room and disappeared down the corridor.

Once Jemima had shut the door behind Cecily, Evie turned to me. "Alright what do you want."

I looked at her carefully, still angry from our fight, still scared of the fate of Thursday, the pit of dread in my stomach wide open.

"I need you to come with me." I spoke carefully.

She walked over and pushed the two books into my hands, looking at a spot over my shoulder. I turned to see what it was but there was nothing there. "Why? Does Serena know you're in my room? I don't think she'd appreciate it."

"Enough with fucking Serena." I accidentally shouted, making both the maids jump and the older one glare very sharply at me. "I'm sorry." I remembered myself and bowed quickly to both of them. "I'm sorry." I said to Evie too. "Please please come with me. I can answer some of your questions now but not here."

She glared at me for half my life, then threw her arms up sharply. "Where are we going then?"

I took that as my cue and led her to the door, opening it reverently.

"I don't understand you." She muttered through the corridors.

"You will in about two minutes." I hissed back, trying to keep as inconspicuous as possible.

She shook her head gently beside me. "Sod this." Her hissing slapped against the marble corridors. We were so deep into the palace now that there was no one else to hear her insult me. "Sod you. I'm going to find Cecily." And then the girl turned away from me, the crown Prince.

"You can't go." I snapped to her back, angry that she'd defied me, still terrified for her future.

She turned her head over her shoulder to lock her eyes on mine. "Watch me." She enunciated, turning on her heel and stalking off down the corridor.

No. No no no. The exchange was that I kept her in the room so Fana could keep her alive. So she needed to get to the room. I ran up behind her and caught her wrists in one hand. "I am sorry." I whispered, willing her to know I meant that.

"You little shit." She shouted, and a surprisingly sharply edged shoe caught me in the shin. I hissed in pain, but turned her to face back in the direction of the room. She shouted. She swore. She screamed at me until finally I had to shove her into the red carpeted living room. Letting out a sigh of relief, I shut the door.