Sitting in his chair with his legs crossed and using his elbow and hand as a headrest he looked at the scrawny attempt of man that stood in front of him. The silence in the room was tense and with only him, the scrawny man, and one of the man's scouts it would stay that quiet unless he spoke first.

"Have they been located?"

The man jumped at the soft whisper of his voice as it floated in the air. He looked back at his scout and swallowed hard. If what his scout reported to him was accurate then they could bring forth the plan they wish to put into action.

"We have heard the traitors have taken refuge at the castle school, sire."

'Sire', the name was given to you only when the royal family could not be addressed; a stand-in, substitute, second, it didn't matter what name was used they all meant the same thing-temporary power. If he wanted people to take him seriously and to respect him like he deserved, he had to get that strong-willed princess to marry him. He was waiting for her to make good on her word when she made such a bold speech in public, but it would seem she was nothing more than flashy words and empty promises.

"That little witch seems to have forgotten all about me and her promise to me. So be it, capture all of them and kill them. If their loyalty can be so easily won with a few good meals and some bandages, they are of no use to me. But the captain you bring to me. I will deal with Vestin personally."

The thin man pointed his forefinger in the air slowly. He met with Jayel's eyes as he pressed his lips together.

"Sire, if I may speak so boldly?"

Curious to hear what the fool had to say he shifted to the other armrest and waved his hand in a way to let him know the floor was his.

"You may."

Shocked, the man stepped away from Jayel slightly. He hunched his shoulders up to his ears and shut his eyes tight, squeezing his hands into two tightly bound fists.

"Perhaps we could use the traitors to lure the young princess to you. She has grown fond of them as they have grown fond of her."

"Do you think such a plan will work?"

"Yes, I do believe it will. I have seen her kind before. She is still young and knows nothing about how this world truly works. If we use the men to lure her here, we could use them to get her to agree to anything."

The image of Vestin standing beside Loraz on the day she made her declaration flashed before his eyes. It meant that should anything happen to Loraz, Vestin would take control of matters until she had recovered, but the look on Vestin's face told Jayel something about their relationship. If he could use that to get Loraz to marry him and gain official control over Serenity, then he wouldn't have to resort to his old methods of getting what he wanted.

"Okay, but we only need one of them alive. The captain, Vestin. Capture him and then bring him here. Then I will have him watch as I make her mine. This is simply too delicious of a plan. Once she has arrived, bring her to the queen's quarters. I am certain they will want to meet and get acquainted."

The men snapped up straight, their feet pressed together, hand over their chest, then bowed their heads. One walked over to the door and opened it he n stood at attention. He walked out the room and down the hall escorted only by a candle orb. With each step he took you heard the echoes of his boots. Reaching the door he inhaled deeply, released it slowly then upon opening the door walked in. On the other side lied Loraz's stepmother, the current queen of Serenity. Still a bit battered from her attempt at ending her life she looked as if she were just sleeping. How it was that she survived the fall was a mystery and left doctors stunned, but a feeling deep down within him was glad she had not joined the damned in Giod.

He walked over to her bed and let the candle rest on the table beside it. The small flame flickered and cast a dim light over the queen's face riddled with bruises and a few minor cuts. He kept the room dark for the time being and barely opened the curtains. Looking upon the window she jumped out of would bring back the memories of that day and he wanted to lock them away and forget.

"You tried to leave me alone, my queen. We can't have you leaving so soon."

The queen just lay there in a deep slumber. She had been sleeping now for two months and her wounds were already beginning to heal. Her hair had grown a bit longer, skin a bit paler, and she had gotten rather thin.

"Continue to rest up, we've got a lot of planning to do when you wake up. Your darling stepdaughter will be joining us soon and then we will have the wedding. I already have a dress picked for both of you."

He traced her body over the blanket and watched as she breathed. The memories of them dining in the same room not long ago flooded his head. They would spend many nights together like lovers would; holding each other, talking about the future, about the past. He thought at one time that she loved him only to find out he was being played with like a young fool. So, he won over her son's trust and gained his title of power. When her son became too sick, he was appointed the shadow king and given liberties he never thought he'd have before. Yet even with all the power, he held in his hand she never would truly look his way.

"Am I that hard to love? Was everything just so you could avenge your husband's wife," He leaned into her and looked over her face, "I didn't mean for all this to happen the way it has, to drive you so far into a corner and have you hated the very thought of being with me."

He kissed her lips gently and then sighed. Making his way to the other side of the bed he looked at the bottles of medication that were lined up on the table. A soft chuckle escaped him, and he looked over at the window. Someone had opened it to let in the night breeze and he caught a glimpse of the moon as the curtain blew forward. It was a full blue moon that night which meant that the next red moon wouldn't be for another few months. He needed the red moon so that the night he married Loraz they would be seen as the true rulers of Serenity. Everyone in the royal family must marry on the night of a red moon for the union to be recognized by the Grand Consul and the citizens.

"Once I marry your daughter and gain full control over the kingdom then I will show you that I am no one's toy or a fool. Then you will have to suffer and watch as I live the life you wanted for your son. Just you wait, my queen, the Ancestors are with me, and it is only a matter of time before I get everything that I deserve."

He walked over to the window now barred shut to keep the queen from 'falling' out of it again. Placing one hand between the cold metal he pressed his hand on the glass and stared silently at the moon while the queen continued to sleep. Images of Queen Lariz standing in that very spot looking back at him with eyes full of pity. He clenched his fist and lightly pounded it against the bars and bit at the inside of his bottom lip as he looked back at the queen.

"Everything will be mine including you."