The King’s face was unreadable as he stared at Fin for a long time without saying a word, then turned his head to stare at Lady Jenoure. No one could say exactly how much time had passed, but the redhead could feel sweat rolling down his spine as he waited.

“It is odd, Viscountess, that you believe yourself to be betrothed. Last I checked, it is my seal that officiates a union for a member of my court.” Despite his light tone, there was a coldness in the King’s voice that the couple had never heard before.

After a tenuous breath, Fin risked speaking. “I only meant that I had asked and she said ye-”

“You will remain silent, Mr. Ashowan, until I get to you, am I clear?” The faint boom in Norman’s voice made the cook flinch. He dropped his gaze to the floor, his cheeks burning as he gave a single nod.

“Lady Jenoure, I had been wondering what was the cause of your recent out of character behavior, and I suppose I have my answer. Now I want nothing but the truth from you.”

Annika lowered her eyes and bowed her head obediently.

“Have you disclosed any secrets I have entrusted to you on behalf of the Kingdom of Daxaria to Mr. Ashowan without my authorization?” Norman's intense gaze was fixed on the Viscountess.

“No, I have not.”

“Is your relationship the reason you were so adamant against getting married?” There was a warning note in the King’s voice that made Fin have to fight against speaking up.

“I never intended to get married to one of the suitors; Mr. Ashowan had nothing to do with that,” Annika once again answered calmly.

“I see.” Norman stared at her for a long period of time, and felt the tiniest bit of his anger ebb away. “How long has this… relationship, existed?”

“A few weeks.” Annika’s unflappable even tone, Norman had to admit, was impressive.

“I see.” Looking back and forth between the couple, the King took another step closer to them, his eyes still hard.“The two of you have betrayed my trust in your actions. You have acted duplicitously, and immaturely, and I do not sanction this absurd union in any way.”

The pair remained quiet.

“Who else is aware of the both of you? I am guessing Mrs. Ashowan given that she is currently residing at your estate, Lady Jenoure,” Norman surmised scathingly.

“She does. She is not in support of it,” Fin admitted.

“I said you were to remain quiet,” The King snapped before turning back to Annika. “Who else?”

“My household staff.”

Norman’s slightly dulled anger flared with renewed life. “Do you mean to tell me… Oh Gods. That was why. Mr. Ashowan you stayed with Lady Jenoure when I gave you a week to rest, and that was when you had to be saved by her personal armed guards.”

Both Annika and Fin silently nodded.

“Yes, Your Highness,” the Viscountess confirmed without lifting her gaze.

“Now tell me, Mr. Ashowan, if no royal secrets were shared, how is it Lady Jenoure knew you were in need of aid that night?” Norman demanded, moving towards the redhead.

“I followed Mr. Ashowan, your highness. He never told me what you asked of him.” Annika cut in swiftly.

The King froze and turned his attention back to the Lady. “Why did you follow him?”

For the first time ever, the monarch witnessed the icy, controlled, manipulative Viscountess blush.

“I… was… jealous… and worried… when he hadn’t returned that night for dinner, and… I saw him speaking to a prostitute.”

The reply threw Norman further off balance than he ever thought possible. It sounded like something Ainsley would’ve done when they first started courting…

The thought of his wife managed to pull the King back to the strange reality unfolding before him. “Does her majesty the Queen know about this?”

‘Surely Ainsley wouldn’t condone or keep this matter a secret from me…’

Norman’s heart thudded against his chest when he noticed how rigid Annika had gone.

“Do you mean to tell me… my wife, your ruler, was aware of this?” The royal's voice had risen substantially, but Annika still didn’t reply. Turning his chin sharply towards the door, he then called out. “Guards!”

The door opened, the poor infantry men looked incredibly distressed.

“Send for her majesty this instant.”

The poor Knights shut the door hastily after a quick bow.

Turning back towards the redhead, Norman fixed Finlay under his murderous stare.

“Now, I will address you, Mr. Ashowan.”

The witch straightened his spine with great difficulty.

“Did you ask me for time away so that you could spend a scandalous week with the Viscountess?”

“No… actually we weren’t speaking to each other at the time due to… an… argument.” Fin cleared his throat and felt even the tips of his ears deepen in color.

For some reason unbeknownst to himself, Norman couldn’t help but ask before thinking.

“What was this argument about?”

“Err… it was about how Lady Jenoure… wouldn’t… communicate. I was also worried because her brother had just grabbed her, and-”

“I get the idea,” Norman cut him off firmly. It was so strange… hearing Finlay sound like… well, like a man in a normal relationship. The monarch looked back to Annika.

Perhaps it was more one-sided and she was merely going along with it because she could be the one in control?

“Lady Jenoure, how did this relationship transpire?”

She grew obviously uncomfortable and Norman couldn’t help but become even more intrigued.

“I used to spend a great deal of time in the kitchen as it was a source of information, but Mr. Ashowan banned anyone who wasn’t an aide from entering… So I… tried to persuade him.”

The King frowned. “So this has been going on since Mr. Ashowan first arrived?”

“Uh… not… not exactly… Mr. Ashowan… kicked me out repeatedly.”

Norman very nearly laughed. ‘Gods, why is this suddenly more entertaining than infuriating?!’

“Then, how is it your attitude changed?” The King turned to Fin, whom he realized was staring at Annika with a smile that couldn’t be suppressed.

“I thought she was a manipulative bratty noble who just wanted something from me, but then… I overheard noblewomen speaking ill of her and watched how she handled it with grace. I realized I had fun bickering with her, and she even brought me my familiar-”

“You’re the one responsible for bringing that demon furball into my castle?” Norman suddenly exploded at Annika who nearly jumped out of her skin.

“S-Sire? Her M-majesty the Queen has arrived,” the guard outside called out fearfully. Unknowingly to the man, the interruption gave the couple a moment to gather their wits back

Norman barely registered the announcement however as he stared wildly at the Viscountess who had unconsciously moved a little closer to Fin.

When Ainsley entered the room, her cheeks a little flushed from her walk, and saw Fin, Annika, and Norman facing each other, she immediately regretted not bringing down Lina with her as well. At least there wouldn’t be as much shouting with the baby in the room…

“My dear, please take a seat. It would seem we have much to discuss,” Norman called out while still glowering at the Viscountess.

Ainsley winced at his tone. It was clear as day he was livid.

Slowly taking her time to seat herself, Ainsley neatly folded her hands atop the table, and waited. When the King still didn’t speak after several long moments, and both Finlay and Annika appeared too petrified to move, she decided to get the ball rolling.

“It would seem that… you have been made aware of Lady Jenoure’s plans to marry the cook,” the Queen began lightly.

“Yes, and you knew about their relationship and hid it from me.” Norman rounded on his wife. The murderous aura around him dimmed greatly however, when he noticed the tinges of red in her cheeks from the exertion of the short trip from their chambers to the council room. While she had started going for small walks up and down the corridor at Mrs. Ashowan’s request, she had a great deal more to do before becoming fully recovered.

“I only found out the day before Lina was born. Since then I’ve been a little bit busy,” she explained, raising an eyebrow towards her husband.

“Why didn’t you tell me before Troivackia’s Chief of Military arrived?” Norman walked around the table so that he stood across from his wife’s spot at the table.

“It wasn’t my place to tell you. That was up to the Viscountess and Mr. Ashowan.”

“Ainsley, this affects everything now!”

“Now it does, yes. Which is when I am guessing these two came to you and told you.”

Norman let out a long breath, clearly still angry about being deceived, when he turned to look at Annika and Fin and noticed that he was holding her hand.

“Good Gods not here. Not right now.” The King’s voice rasped as he tried to remain in control.

Fin visibly struggled with releasing Annika’s hand as he gave it one final squeeze and very slowly moved away from her.

With his eyes closed, the King shook his head and gave a long suffering sigh before speaking. “Ashowan, tell me exactly what you are theorizing your father is trying to do.”

“I think if you reject his proposition of a good will hostage, he will publicly revealed Annika and I to be in an intimate relationship. Once exposed to the nobles, I would be thrown out of the castle, and therefore this would no longer be my home. In fact, I wouldn’t have a home at all. Unless I travelled all the way to the south of the Kingdom again and resumed living in my childhood home.”

Norman’s frown began to ease as he realized what this meant.

“Your father thinks you are a threat in this war.”

“Yes.”

The King then turned to Annika. “You would also be ostracized and fined heavily. You wouldn’t be able to even be in the same city to give me information.”

Annika glanced at Finlay, the realization clear on her face as well. “Yes, but… Fin would be the one to be the most affected by it. Even Mrs. Ashowan would have to leave out of disgrace.”

The room fell silent as the multiple implications of the new theory settled over everyone.

“Mr. Ashowan, I have been wondering this for quite some time, but… is it possible for you to identify say… an entire city, or country… as your home?” Ainsley looked to Fin, an interested glint in her eyes.

“I… I… don’t believe so, Your Majesty. If I do not feel that without a doubt, a place is my home, my abilities will not work. Even if I have an inkling of hesitancy. My magic can’t be… tricked. The castle I can protect without a doubt.” The witch added on at the end with more confidence, though there was a wariness in his gaze only Annika noticed.

“What about Austice? Do you not feel at home in the city?” Norman asked, a desperate note in his voice.

Fin’s face grew pale.

It was happening again.

People thinking his magic was the answer to everything… putting responsibility on him when he had warned them time and time again…

The cook turned his saddened blue eyes to the King, and in that moment, Norman knew exactly what he had done. He remembered suddenly with great clarity why Finlay had been so adamant about hiding his abilities.

Because of moments like this.

“No. My home is where I am safe, and where I can be comfortable. In Austice I can be pickpocketed, murdered, and the people haven’t a clue who I am. It is not my home. It is just a place that happens to have my home within it.”

“You can be murdered or robbed anywhere. Even in your own-” Ainsley began, but Norman shot her a soft gaze and shook his head.

“What is it your father is worried about you doing, then?” Norman asked more quietly.

“I can protect this castle, perhaps that is enough of a threat.” Fin bowed in apology, the pained expression on his face not completely gone.

Annika once again moved closer to him, and while Norman stiffened as a result, there was a sharpness in her features that made him allow the show of affection.

“Well, if that’s the case, then how is it we stop him from revealing this secret- also how is it he even found out about you two?” Ainsley asked, frowning.

“I told your highness everyone on my side that knew of us, but I think Mr. Ashowan has his own list,” Annika admitted slowly.

Fin hesitated, and debated whether or not to report mage Lee’s awareness of his relationship…

“My aides know, and Lord Ryu knows.”

“Lord Ryu knows?!” Norman exclaimed, completely stunned.

“Err… yes… he is one of the people who encouraged-”

Norman held up his hand to stop the redhead from saying more, and dropped his forehead into his other palm.

“Also, mage Lee knows.”

The King’s head shot back up in an instant as incredulous outrage filled his entire face.

“GUARDS! PLEASE SUMMON MAGE LEE THIS IMMEDIATELY!”

A beat later the door opened a crack. “Your majesty he...er… he is here. He’s been waiting outside.”

“I bet he has,” the King growled as the door then swung open and the old git hobbled in while leaning dramatically on his staff.

The door swung shut behind him, and immediately Norman rounded on him.

“Your highness! Before you say a word, I tried to talk him out of it and told him to report to you-”

“Lee, I was unaware you had grown to be such good friends with the House Witch.”

“We’re not friends,” both the mage and the witch blurted out immediately in unison.

A frightening smile climbed up the King’s face when he looked back at Finlay. “Well, you must be close friends, for Mage Lee to harbor such a dear secret to you.”

“He found out by accident. He kept trying to get me to marry Clara-”

Norman’s flat expression silenced Fin immediately.

“Alright, Mr. Ashowan. We now know everything. So, we will need to determine who is the spy- if there is one at all, and we will also need to figure out what we are going to do to prevent this scandal from dividing my court before a war.”

Turning to the mage, Norman slowly began to roll up the sleeves of his tunic. “Lee, I need you to summon Mr. Howard, Captain Antonio, and Lord Fuks. We need an emergency plan.”

Norman then gestured to the table before turning a steely gaze to Fin and Annika.

“You two, sit. I need to decide whether or not to get you married, hide you, or kill you both myself.” Turning then to Ainsley, Norman was momentarily distracted by the odd expression on his wife’s face.

“What is it?”

Ainsley smiled at Annika who grew so immensely uncomfortable under the expression that she apparently understood the meaning of, that her face matched Fin’s hair.

The Queen's devilish grin only deepened before she turned to her husband. “I think they make quite a charming couple, don’t you, my dear?”