Norman sank even further into his chair, the fire crackling happily beside him as he shot his friends a weary half smile.

Annika and Fin offered similar expressions in return, before sharing telling looks with each other. Leaning forward so that his elbows would rest on his knees, the witch looked to his King sympathetically.

“Alina seems great, though a bit… on edge,” he observed while lightly clasping his hands together.

“She’s… the light of our lives. Truly. I’m deeply saddened that we are looking to wed her off already… if I could have even one more year…” Sighing and shaking his head, the monarch straightened his shoulders. “No. It’ll always be the same. Just wanting one more year, one extra day, or second where she is my daughter, and my daughter only. Not someone’s wife, or… Gods… someone’s mother…”

Closing his eyes, Norman dropped his forehead to his hand.

“I can’t imagine how tough this is.” Fin’s quiet voice and Annika’s sorrowful stare was beginning to make him feel choked up as he wished he could be sharing their company with Ainsley.

“Well… one day you will know. Your daughter, Katarina, is incredibly striking. You’ve made a daughter with the bearing of a queen, and the beauty to match- perhaps a little quick to be informal. Though I don’t have to speculate who she got that trait from.” Norman smiled as Fin laughed and Annika let out a very telling weary sigh.

“So if you do not mind sharing, what is the story behind your son, Tam?” The King’s eyes moved to Annika, then when he recognized the impenetrable stoney wall of emotion, returned to Fin whose expression of deep guilt and pain alarmed him greatly.

“We don’t… exactly know. Tam was… until he was five, a normal child. Incredibly quiet, and always observing, but he would laugh and play with others his age… often trying to talk Katarina out of trouble or apologizing for her when he failed.” Fin’s gaze dropped to the carpet, his eyes and their strange glimmering shining a little brighter.

“What happened to him?” Norman’s deep concern for the heir to the Viscount house deepening greatly.

“Then one day… he was terrified. Terrified beyond anything a child his age should feel. I… I felt it. I could feel his heart stopping fear… but I couldn’t see where he was. I could see nothing of where he was or what caused it. All I know is, Katarina returned half carrying him as he cried uncontrollably from the lawn at the back of the castle by the King’s forest.”

Norman’s frown deepened as Annika looked as though she were fighting off tears.

“Kat didn’t know what had happened… she said she had run off to play with one of the boys, and that she couldn’t find Tam for hours…”

“Did someone take him?” Norman asked seriously, while sitting tall in his seat once more.

“We have no idea. She says she found him near the cottages on the castle grounds crying and not saying anything. He refused to receive any magic training despite us not even knowing what magical power he possesses in any capacity. All we know is that he becomes agitated in big rooms or spaces. Doesn’t like looking up much… It’s like he’s scared all the time… Sometimes it’s seems as though he fears raising his face and seeing the devil himself smiling at him.”

Fin shook his head and rubbed his eyes wearily. “Whatever or whoever did this to him, I want to break with my own hands. However, he won’t talk about it. I don’t even know if Kat knows, and she normally knows everything about him.”

Norman’s frown was beginning to give him a headache but even he couldn’t deny how alarming the entire situation was…

“I won’t lie to you, Ashowan, I strongly considered your son as a candidate for Alina’s hand. She’d be in a family I trusted, and with ties to the Coven, but…”

“Tam is unwell. I am genuinely worried about the day that he is meant to take over as Viscount, let alone marry,” Annika interrupted while shooting the King a very firm look.

“I can see that now. Don’t worry, I won’t bring it up again,” Norman held up his hands easily. “Besides, everyone is hoping for her to marry a Duke at the very least.”

Fin nodded. “A few unpleasant nobles already gossip about my commoner background as is. Alina doesn’t need to have those insults hurled her way. Nor do you need any more headaches.”

Norman smiled. “Since when do you care a whit about my headaches?”

The redhead grinned mischievously. “I’m competitive, I have to be the biggest one, you see.”

Laughing, the King settled back into his seat. “Don’t worry, you place in a very firm second. Right after that cat of yours. Tell me… how much longer is it that familiars normally live compared to other animals of their species?”

“Hard to say… Kraken is already pushing twenty and says he feels fantastic. He might die only ten years before I do.”

Norman’s eyes narrowed and even Annika couldn’t stop herself from chuckling.

“You haven’t had to live with him in years, Your Highness. I promise he has calmed down a bit,” Fin attempted to soothe the ruler’s obvious agitation.

The low grumble that emitted from the King made Fin laugh.

“Well, don’t worry, we are living in our estate in Austice, there shouldn’t be any pressing matters that require him to be here.”

The King looked at the witch warily for a moment, before his expression faded to one of a more serious nature.

“Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you and Eric?”

Fin’s expression froze. “What have you heard?”

“Nothing. Nothing from either of you, which makes this whole silence strange… I have a hard enough time hearing from my son. Ever since Ainsley’s death he has spent all of his time in Sorlia and is always conveniently busy. I’m lucky if I see him for the Winter Solstice these days…” Norman sighed and cast his eyes to the fire. He failed to notice the hard expression on the redhead’s face, or the spark of anger in his eyes.

“I’m hoping he at least comes back in time for Alina’s engagement ceremony- though he did indicate it might not be until the wedding…”

Annika gently rested her hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Your Majesty, would you like to hear what the workers under Elizabeth Nonata have been able to gather from the Troivackian King’s entourage?”

Giving his head a shake, the King returned his attention to the Viscountess. “Of course. Are his men respectul? Violent? What news have they brought of Troivack?”

The rest of the evening’s discussions carried on between the trio without further mention of the children; however, that did not mean that they were far from their parents’ minds. In fact, the information that had been shared definitely required more consideration…

For one, Norman hadn’t been completely honest about giving up on the notion that Tamlin Ashowan could be a favorable husband for his daughter...

***

Wincing as she cranked the lute’s peg, Alina continued plucking the poor string until it succumbed to her will.

“There you are. No funny business today you understand, Beau? I get you all to myself for exactly an hour. So there better be no trickery with the tuning,” the Princess muttered as she strummed a couple of chords to warm up her hands.

“Now, where did I leave off… I tried singing about the House Witch last time but that was a failure… his daughter is incredibly striking. She seems so… intense!” Alina closed her hazel eyes, and her knee began bouncing frantically as she searched her mind for inspiration.

“Then his son is so… so… not right. Something is strange with him… is it because of magic, or is he just mentally ill?!” the Princess speculated aloud to her empty chamber as the quiet morning outside her window failed to offer any sort of explanation.

“Well… I suppose there can be something to write about the mystery…” switching to a minor chord Alina began humming experimentally, when a loud knock interrupted her.

“Godsdamnit,” Alina muttered under her breath. “Enter.”

In strode her handmaidens and the elderly Head of Housekeeping, Ruby.

“Your Highness, it is time to prepare for your courting time with the King of Troivack.”

It took all of Alina’s etiquette training to stop herself from groaning.

“That isn’t for at least three hours, why in the world do I-”

“Forgive me, Princess. We won’t be so fastidious for all your courting dates, but this is for the most esteemed guest present. He is the monarch of another kingdom and is the highest ranking-”

“I understand, pardon my exasperation,” Alina managed with a sigh even though she wanted to scream and kick them out.

Ruby smiled warmly down at her. “We shall go as quickly as possible, Your Highness. I must say, I was delighted to hear that you developed such a lovely singing voice! We were all terrified about your lungs when we heard-”

“Oh my, is that the gown I’ll be wearing today! How lovely! Pardon my interrupting you, Ruby.” Alina swiftly stood and leaned her lute against the wall before smiling beautifully at the maid and strolling over to where the servants were pulling out a long white gown with a satin long pale blue vest that would run into its train. Truthfully, as long as a dress was comfortable, Alina didn’t care what she wore on her courting dates, but she hated people bringing up her affliction…

“Yes, Your Highness. This is the best of the dresses your father ordered for you. Given that the second courting date is normally riding, we figured this would be the best chance to show off your beauty!” The maid who was answering her was young… probably about four years younger than Alina, but it was clear as day that she was the honest, earnest type.

“I see, what wonderful strategic thinking! What is your name?”

The young woman blushed deeply. “Paula, Your Highness.”

“Wonderful. Now, what all did you have planned to prepare me for my date with the Troivackian King?”

“Oh nothing… too special… just a bath and massage with special oils, then we would comb your hair until it shines. Once dry, we fashion it into the latest style amongst nobility. Then, dress you, and spend the final forty minutes deciding on jewelry!”

The words left Alina’s mouth before she could stop herself. “Bloody hell.”

Everyone in the room froze.

Gazing around herself at the stunned faces, Alina forced a pleasant expression on her face as Paula began to step backwards.

“That all sounds so exciting! Shall we start?”

*

Alina sat in the centre of the castle courtyard beside the glittering greenhouse tower. The day was hot, but in the shadows, was quite pleasant.

Her gaze was cast to the snowy linen of the table in front of herself that was ladened with fine pastries and delicate sandwiches that she couldn’t imagine a giant brute like the Troivackian King enjoying in the least.

“Announcing his highness, King Brendan Devark, King of Troivack.”

Alina lifted her gaze while simultaneously taking a tired breath, only to nearly go into a gasping episode.

The Troivackian King was standing beside the table directly in front of her.

She hadn’t sensed him draw near, or heard anything!

“Princess, I did not mean to startle you.” The Troivackian gave a brief short bow before straightening. The cold expression on his face was not helping his growing intimidating presence.

“Ah, I must have been in deeper thought than I realized. Please have a seat.” Alina did her best to hide her shuddering breath as she gestured to the seat across from herself.

The Troivackian noble bowed again, and then swiftly moved his large form to the seat across from her that made her feel like a child playing tea party with a true adult.

‘No. Even if I were a great and accomplished person, this table would still be set this way…’ Alina found herself trying to remind herself of common sense as the King who wore entirely black from tunic to trousers, sat across from her with his dark eyes betraying nothing.

“I was told that our meeting was for the luncheon hour, was I mistaken?” Brendan’s voice was stiff, but held undeniable command.

“No you aren't, I just arrived early. Would you like some tea, Your Majesty?” the Princess asked while reaching for the pot in the middle of the table

“If you must.”

Alina hesitated in her reach and instead withdrew her hand. “Do you not like tea?”

“Not particularly.”

“What drink do you like then?”

“Water, or Troivackian moonshine.” The Troivackian King’s tone was neither rude nor condescending. It was merely… toneless. Somehow this was even more agitating to the Daxarian noble.

“There are a number of drinks in between those,” Alina pointed out with a small smile.

“None have made an impression thus far,” Brendan replied while his eyes for the briefest of moments flitted to the glass tower behind Alina.

“Ah, well… we could try to find another one during our courtship. How about that? It’d save us from mindless chatter.”

The King’s intense gaze moved back to her and settled against her hazel eyes firmly.

“Is that what these courting meetings are to you? Mindless chatter?”

Alina immediately felt her insides quake, then solidify as her annoyance grew. “I was trying to say we don’t need to make meaningless conversation if we so choose. However, you have butchered that nuanced approach.” The Princess paused to take a steadying breath knowing fully well that she was risking an attack on her lungs.

“I do not do ‘nuanced’ in discussions as serious as marriage. I am here because it would be beneficial to both our kingdoms to form this alliance. Though I doubt you would be able to survive Troivack as you are now.”

Without thinking, Alina stood, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment.

“Then I suppose we have ruled me out as a candidate as your future Queen. Good day, Your Majesty. I hope the rest of your stay in my kingdom is enjoyable.”

Giving a small curtsy Alina stormed away from the table, leaving Brendan Devark staring after her, only unlike before, his emotionless expression was broken by the smallest of frowns etched between his brows.