Earwen sat in the Taimanian council room, her shoulders hunched, hands clenched tightly in her lap. Alistair sat at the head of the table to her left. He was leaning back, a hand at his temple, the other holding a knife in his fist resting on his thigh. His gaze was fixed on the table in front of him. The silence was suffocating her.

"What am I to do with you now?"

Earwen stiffened at the king's words. She cautiously looked up at him. His gaze had moved to the blade in his hand.

"Part of me still wants to kill you."

Cold ice washed through her veins.

"I am sure," she said.

He sat up, studying her.

"So you can wield magic?"

Earwen frowned, not understanding. Alistair rose from his chair and paced the room stiffly, knife still in hand.

"Your sister, her first day here, sought to intimidate me with a show of magic. Something I am sure you know is not gifted to my people. Your stunt with the shackles?"

He turned back to her, his face awash with anger and the slightest twinge of fear.

Swallowing, Earwen shifted in her seat.

"I know you will not find this likely, your majesty. But I am not gifted as my sister is. I have never performed any kind of magic in my life."

The knife came without warning. It sunk deep into the wooden table at her shoulder, and the king's nose was inches from hers. His hot breath stirred the tendrils of auburn hair about her face. His steel-grey eyes bored into hers.

"Liar," he said softly, countering his aggression only moments ago.

Earwen's breaths were shaky, though she held her composure.

"What reason have I to lie?"

"What reason did you have to kill my friend?"

"I was no more a part of that than I was when the shackles loosed themselves from me."

The king retreated some. He looked at the knife in the table, then searched her face once more.

"You really didn't know what they were up to did you? Your friends?"

Earwen shook her head.

"I didn't. We were recently estranged. Which is why, you found me so easily."

"Why were you estranged?"

Earwen cleared her throat.

"I had discovered one of my friends had been lying to me for some time."

"If it is to be believed, a friend of mine was lying to me as well."

Earwen felt her heart squeeze tight in sympathy for the king. He was hurting, she did not understand the circumstances of why Gideon was dead, but she did know what it meant to be betrayed by a good friend.

"Well, I guess we have arrived back to your earlier question. What are you going to do with me?"

Alistair opened his mouth, and the doors to the throne room burst open. Feredir was grappling with a guard, another followed right behind them tripping over his comrade's spear.

"Get off me. I demand to see the princess. Earwen!"

It only took the guards a few moments to successfully restrain the young blacksmith and start dragging him before Alistair. Earwen forced herself to remain seated. As Feredir was dragged by, she widened her eyes in question at him. What was the fool doing? The guards dropped the young man unceremoniously at the king's feet.

"And who are you?"

"Nobody," Earwen said, standing quickly. "He is nobody, your majesty."

Feredir found his feet and looked at her quizzically. Alistair looked between the two of them. Then he studied the young blacksmith more carefully.

"You are the boy whose brother died in the races. They found the elf girl with your parents."

Feredir's jaw worked. The guards still had not left his side. Both looked as if they longed to drag him away for embarrassing them.

"Yes."

"Interesting. Why are you here?"

Feredir gestured toward Earwen.

"I would offer to house the Lady Earwen, or rather my parents would."

"And you think I would let my most prized and recently acquired leverage over Celeblas walk out the door with you?"

"Well," Feredir swallowed nervously. "When you say it like that."

Alistair sat again, sliding his fingers into his hairline and clasping the crown of his head between his palms. Earwen spoke quickly.

"If it pleases, your majesty, it might be best..."

Alistair looked up, eyes flashing.

"It would please me, very much, to throw you in the dungeons and forget you existed. It would please me to feed you to my gryphon in front of my citizens. There are a great many things that would please me, little elfling."

Silence fell heavy upon the throne room. Even the guards seemed to hardly dare to draw breath. Alistair leaned back once again and sighed heavily, closing his eyes.

"I made a promise. And I shall keep it. You may go and hide with your little blacksmith. I will warn the people again you are not to be touched. Though, I am sure not all of them will easily comply. Gideon was loved and highly revered. I suggest you not go wandering freely and alone."

Surprise shown on everyone's faces at the King's declaration.

"Oh, thank you, your majesty." Feredir stepped forward, only to be yanked back by his shoulders.

Alistair stood and moved in front of the young man.

"Do not thank me, boy. If anything should happen to the elf girl under your watch. Whether she mysteriously disappears, sends word to her friends, is visited by them, even if she should lose her life, you and your family's lives will be forfeit."

Alistair towered over Feredir, his nose nearly touching the younger man's.

"Is this understood?"

Feredir had paled, but after a few moments and a hard swallow he nodded.

"Understood, your majesty."

Alistair stepped back, taking in the young man once more.

"It must be true what they say," Alistair said.

"Your majesty?" Feredir asked.

He looked from him to Earwen.

"Misery loves company."

Thank you so much for reading! <3

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*** I was originally going to title this chapter "Well Sh*t" lol but I refrained. Still not sure if I am happy with the current title. What do you guys think?