She slowly opened her eyes. They slowly adjusted to the light that was flooding the room. Lifting her head slightly, she turned to her side. She was met with a cold hollow spot besides her.

So he's already up, she thought. She was about to get up from the bed when something caught her attention. A small, neatly folded note on the pillow besides hers. She immediately took it and, unfolding, read it.

'I'm sorry to have left you all alone. Please forgive me, I didn't wish to disturb your peaceful sleep. The Grand Master has requested my presence. I promise to come back to you as soon as possible.'

A smile spread across her face as she read the note.

"You adorable man, you didn't have to apologise for carrying kit your duty." She said to herself.

She got up and put on her dress. It was still early morning so she doubted many people would be up. Perhaps she could sneak back to her quarters before he entourage started panicking. This thought made her giggle. She had never thought the day would come when she'd have to sneak out of a man's room. Then again, she had never thought she would feel this way. She gently pushed the door open and, checking to see that nobody was looking, she made her way out. The hallway was empty as she made her way back to her quarters, thankfully.

As she approached the door,however, she found Valerio waiting for her. His long red hair was tied back in a low pony. His face was marred by a long scar than ran from his left eyebrow all the way down to the lest side of his chin. His demeanour was cold and calculating. His features didn't soften as he saw her approach, rather his frown deepened.

(A/N : So I decided since it's just these two speaking I'd skip the foreign language dialect and jump to the translation😊)

"Where were you all night?" He asked in their native tongue.

"I don't have to respond to that." She replied sternly.

"Yes. Yes you do. Especially seeing as I am your chief council and I'm constantly making excuses for you! I could tolerate you disappearing most of the day for your investigation or whatever it is you call gallivanting amongst the commoners but disappearing all night is a new low, even for you!" He yelled. "You are a Queen and it's about time you started acting like one!"

"You're right, I am Queen. In case you've forgotten. So start showing me the respect that is due to me or I will have to have a word with your father." She said coldly. "You're not my husband, Valerio. No matter what our people may say, you are my advisor. So do yourself a favor and remember that the next time you think you have the authority to chastise me."

With those words and one final glare at the red haired elf, she pushed past him and entered her room.

******************************

How dare she treat him like a child! He had never felt such anger before in his life. He stomped down the hallway. He didn't know where he was going but he knew he needed to clear his head.

"Vrei shes pakra venekuch palorè! Palorè!" He exclaimed in the elvish tongue. "Krishi vakush mhan pashis viti endrash palorè! Vish mhan centorè pao Azzari! Vish mhan ahish pakra vilikeesh."

The bitch thinks she can talk like that to me? Me?!?!Well I'll show her to not disrespect me! I am the heir of Assar! I'll teach you your place, you little bitch!

"You know, if you talk to yourself then people might think that you've gone mad." A voice came from behind him.

He turned to find Miraz standing there with a wicked smile.

"Well, well. If it isn't the King who never was." Valerio said in sarcasm. "What do you want?"

"That's not how you speak to your host, boy." Miraz said in warning.

"Except I don't see my host anywhere near me. Do you?" Valerio asked in challenge.

"You're quite opinionated, aren't you?" Miraz asked in interested.

"If you mean I don't beat about the bush then you're right. If the fruit is rotten then that's just what it is. Not spoiled, not accursed. If it's rotten then it's rotten." Valerio said.

"Good. I need people like you as my Allies." Miraz said.

"Allies? Well, you sir, have certainly lost it. Who would want to be the ally of a man whose own brother passed him over for a bastard?" Valerio asked with a scoff.

Miraz pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes at him. Any other person would have been dead right now for saying that to his face but the boy would make a worthy ally. So he decided to play his game.

"The same way your lovely Queen passed you over for that very same bastard?" He asked with a smirk.

He saw the elf lose whatever smirk he'd had. Ah, so he'd hit a nerve.

"You don't know what you're talking about, old man!" Valerio snapped.

"Oh please! You can't fool anyone. I have eyes and ears everywhere." Miraz said, taunting the elf.

Valerio simply scowled and looked away. Miraz saw this as his chance to deliver his sales pitch.

"Looks like we have the same problem. That's why we need to work together." He said with a grin.

"I'm afraid even if I agree with you, my Lord, I do not have the power to be of any help." Valerio said with a sigh.

"That's where you are wrong, my friend." Miraz replied with a secret grin. "See, at times power isn't given to us. We have to take it."

Valerio's eyes widened in shock as he understood what the elder Lord was implying. He immediately regained his composure as he stared at him with a smile.

"Perhaps that is so but I would sooner my elders lead by example." He said to Miraz.

Miraz simply regarded him with a knowing smile before he turned and walked away.

********************************************************************************"*******
He was still confused by the conversation he'd had with the Grand Master. From the very moment he'd left, he just couldn't think of anything else. As he walked into his room, he realised that Nymeria was no longer there as well as the note he'd left. He immediately figured she had gone back to her quarters. Before he knew it, a knock came. Walking to the door, he opened the door to find a young maid.
"Your Grace, I'm sorry to intrude but we've brought your breakfast." She said a little flustered. "May we come in?"
"Uhm... Sure." He replied as he opened the door and let them in.
He watched as a large food platter was wheeled in
Do they expect me to eat all that? He asked himself as he sweat dropped.
"Please enjoy, your Grace." The young girl said in a more cheery voice.
"Thank you." He replied. "You can all join me if you like."
They all looked up at him in confusion.
"Your Grace?" The young maid said.
"Why are you all surprised?" He asked them, feeling a little self aware.
"Your Grace, we are but humble servants." She said to him.
"And I'm not that different from you." He said to them. "Besides, it's not like I can finish all this by myself."
Seeing their hesitation, he decided to take the first initiative. He picked up some rolls of ginger bread and began to hand them out. The four servants took these bread rolls although they were a bit stunned. He picked up his own roll.
"Let's eat, shall we?" He said to them with a smile as he raised the loaf in a toast of sorts.
This made them all visibly relax. Even the young maid smiled at him as she took a bite of her roll. As he brought the loaf to his mouth, he froze as he realized that the young maid had grown pale.
"Are you alright?" He asked her in concern as he set his own loaf back down.
She opened her mouth to speak but she immediately started coughing up blood. He stared at her in shock. He didn't know what was going on and before he knew what was happening he was being led out of the room.