For some reason, the castle residents all seemed to be in a flurry of activity, but whenever Alina would get closer to question what was happening, they’d scurry off.

Even her guards seemed… reticent. They kept avoiding her gaze, and their replies were hesitant.

After her confrontation with her father, she had retired to her chamber to think about what she could do to lessen his anger and convince him not to send Katarina away, and when she had come out for the dining hour… there had been a strange stillness, as though something had happened she knew nothing about.

Upon entering the banquet hall, the murmurs filling the room fell silent.

A sea of eyes looked at their Princess with expressions mixed with pity, disappointment… some even fascination, making Alina grow incredibly worried.

Then when her father and Brendan failed to arrive and the servants began carrying in the meal, she panicked.

Immediately, her eyes sought out Mr. Howard’s, only he wasn't looking at her, and his expression was grim.

The Captain was the only one who risked giving her a slow nod of respect, though it was clear he was deeply uncomfortable as he did so.

Casting her gaze around the room once more, she found then that the Ashowans and Prince Henry were also missing!

The uneasiness in her gut churned twofold, and as her cheeks began to deepen in color, she decided to do the only thing possible in that moment…

Pretend nothing was amiss until she could ask her father’s assistant just what in the world had happened.

*

Mr. Howard tried to avoid Alina by darting out of the banquet room, but little did he know, her nerves were frayed, and so she did not hesitate or think of the embarrassment of shouting over the heads of nobles.

“Mr. Howard, a word if you please.”

The courtiers hurried their pace in flowing past the assistant who was glued to the stones beneath his feet, his back still turned to the young monarch.

Once the doors of the banquet room had closed, Alina leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs as she waited for Mr. Kevin Howard to slowly turn around, and approach her.

After several breaths, he finally did so. His face pale as he took painstakingly slow steps towards the young woman whose patience was dwindling rapidly.

“For the love of the Gods- what is going on?” Alina demanded, not liking how shrill her voice sounded.

Mr. Howard flinched as he slowly folded his hands at his front.

“You see, Princess… there was… an altercation between the… the two King’s earlier today.”

Alina felt the blood drain from her face.

“What… what do you mean?”

“The details are a little… tough to follow, but I believe your betrothed was trying to convince the Daxarian King to not exile Lady Katarina, and then from there he somehow mentioned your brother. Your father, His Majesty… said some things… threw some things… The Troivackian King had to get stitches when a candlestick hit him. Then there were threats… your father is trying to end the engagement, but the Troivackian King refuses… and now Lord Ashowan is trying to calm your father down, and Prince Henry is doing the same for the Troivackian King.”

Mr. Howard cleared his throat awkwardly as the Princess’ eyes bulged and her mouth hung open.

“My father… the King… attacked His Majesty Brendan Devark verbally and physically?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Did His Majesty Brendan Devark physically harm my father?” In Alina’s mind she could just see the bear of a man breaking her father’s skull and every tooth he had from one punch…

“No, no. He merely deflected and eventually detained the King, your father…”

Closing her eyes for a moment, Alina took a long slow breath.

It was happening again.

Her father was known as a wise, fair, and kind ruler. He had led the land tremendously for decades only, after losing Ainsley, and her brother disappearing for longer stretches of time with no word about him…

He began to unravel if someone pulled one of those threads.

It was one of her deepest fears that her father would become completely unhinged and allow his grief to consume his former self…

It’s why she wrote to her brother every month, begging him to come back to them.

Their father needed Eric, and… it felt as though the weight of the crown was beginning to be too heavy for him to bear without his Queen.

Alina was on her feet immediately. “I take it my father doesn’t want to see me.”

Mr. Howard shook his head.

“I can’t go to the Troivackian King as that would cause rumors to circulate, but please let me know what the Physican has to say about his injuries. As soon as Lord Ashowan has finished with my father, I would like to speak with him.”

The assistant eyed the Princess warily, and she could almost hear his thoughts as he did so.

‘I serve the King, not you. You are not in a position to give these orders.’

Gritting her teeth Alina locked eyes with him and stared flatly until he finally bowed and turned to leave her.

‘Now’s not the time for this. Come hell or high water, I will get to the bottom of this. It’s time we all stopped pussyfooting around this family drama.’

*

Sitting in the council room in her father’s chair, Alina stared at the Lord Ashowan grimly, which was difficult because of his caring expression.

Mr. Howard sat on her left, and appeared incredibly interested in the exact shade of burgundy of his wine.

Alina desperately wanted to fidget… to hide and be comforted, but… with her father being as he was… there wasn’t anyone there for those trifle things.

“Lord Ashowan, where is my brother?”

Finlay leaned back in his seat, clearly taken aback by the direct question, and when an answer didn’t immediately leave his lips, the Princess knew she had to push even more.

“My father is losing himself little by little every year, as though the hope of my brother’s return is fading away. It’s as though my father is grieving him when I’ve been assured time and time again the Prince still lives. How much longer can my father rule like this, Viscount? He attacked a foreign King today. Personal relationship aside, politically he made a grave error.”

Fin didn’t say anything as he regarded the young monarch with an interested tilt of his head.

“Princess, what are your feelings on your camping adventure with my daughter?”

Alina’s cheeks turned crimson. “Are you being insolent, Viscount?”

Smiling apologetically, Fin held up his hands. “I’m just trying to glean your character… it helps me understand your motivations.”

“My character is not what needs examining, Lord Ashowan. Duke Iones and yourself insist that my brother is in Sorlia. Is this true?”

The Viscount continued to stare at her nonplussed as though he were trying to figure something out, and Alina didn’t like it one bit.

“I dislike camping and the outdoors. It agitates my breathing, and I dislike bears and bugs. What I enjoyed was the freedom of not standing on ceremony with someone I consider a friend. Now, I’ve answered your question, you answer mine. My brother needs to come back and help my father. Why hasn’t he done this? He should be preparing to take over the throne and ready to do so at any moment.”

The Viscount leaned back in his chair and slowly folded his arms over his chest. “The Prince is not able to take on his responsibilities at this time.”

Growing more angry and agitated by the minute, Alina tried again, ignoring the tears that always came when she got enraged.

“Will he ever be able to take over as King, because if not I-”

“You what, Your Highness?” Fin asked, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the table. He didn’t sound as though he were mocking her, and his tone was gentle. The glint in his eyes indicated he genuinely wanted to know…

“I need to know if I should consider taking over the responsibility.”

Mr. Howard choked on his wine while Fin’s eyebrows shot up in shock.

“You would abandon your betrothal with the Troivackian King to rule Daxaria?” the Viscount asked slowly.

“That or we discussed my being Queen consort of Troivack with him, the King consort of Daxaria.”

“Was this something the Troivackian King suggested?!” Mr. Howard managed, his eyes still watering from his choking.

“He did, yes.”

Fin’s face grew shuttered. “Alina, that is incredibly suspicious.”

“A lot less suspicious than your evasive answers pertaining to my brother. I don’t want to take what is meant to be his, but where the hell is my brother?! Why do only you know, and not even our father?!”

Pain flashed through the Viscount’s eyes, and when his shoulders hunched, Alina was immediately stricken by how worn down the infamous Daxrian hero suddenly seemed… as though the burden of his knowledge was already heavy enough.

“Your father doesn’t want to know. He asked me to keep it secret, and when the Prince returns… if he returns, it is up to him to share the details.” Finlay’s voice was raised, and firm, and despite Alina having to dash the tears from her cheeks, she appreciated that he didn’t try to console her.

“So in other words, Lord Ashowan… I should be more active in taking over some of my father’s duties.”

“If you were planning on being the ruling Queen without the Troivackian King, I could see it being a wise and bold move.”

Alina felt her chest tighten.

Cut off her engagement to Brendan… why did that idea fill her with dread?

She could tell the Troivackian King would be angry, but he wouldn’t hurt her or retaliate…

He’d probably just try to explain that it was ridiculous that they not marry for that reason.

“I see. Why do you think so, Viscount?”

Fin cast an uncertain glance at Mr. Howard who was in the process of once again topping up his goblet.

“The Daxarian people will be uneasy about it because it could be interpreted as him manipulating you in order to rule our land.” Alina opened her mouth to interrupt and argue but the Viscount held up his hands stopping her. “I’m not saying that is how it is. I’m saying why the people could feel… skeptical, and consequently, less supportive of the union.”

Despite hating the reason, she had to admit the Viscount had a point. “Are there any other reasons?”

“Yes, an important one…” Fin sighed and slumped back in his chair before giving her a tired smile. “Marriage is hard enough when you live together. Living a continent apart? There will be no end to the troubles. One day you could discover he has mistresses, only they could be rumors but there is no way to truly know. The amount of scandals people would invent because they see it is easier to attack an individual instead of a united couple…”

Letting out a long breath, Fin tried to smile but failed. “Ruling a continent is a burdensome, and trying life. You should ask the Troivackian King what it is like ruling without someone by your side.”

Alina’s hazel eyes dropped to the table as she recalled how Brendan already expressed his view of her as a partner, and how a King shouldn’t love his wife…

“Political or a love marriage… a couple needs to be united in more ways than one. If you want to rule as the Daxarian Queen, you will have my support. I’m sorry I can’t share more with you about your brother,” Fin interrupted her thoughts quietly, but his sincere apology somehow managed to incense her all over again.

“You swear to me he is alive, right?” Alina’s sharp voice failed to move the Viscount.

With a sad grimace, he glanced at the assistant who obviously shared Alina’s displeasure over his secrecy, then returned his shimmering gaze to the Princess.

“The last I saw him, he was still breathing, talking, and walking about.”

“Again with these riddles for answers,” Mr. Howard muttered darkly.

The Viscount didn’t say anything as he slowly stood, and then bowed to Alina.

Without another word, he took his leave of the council room, leaving behind an irate assistant, and an emotionally overtaxed Princess.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t even faced the storm that would await him in his own keep.

*

Tam continued jotting down his notes on one of the many pieces of parchment fanned across his desk, content with the solitude as doors slammed and shouts rang out everywhere else in his home.

His sister’s return had been greeted with the expected whirlwind of lectures, fights, and the usual emotional chaos that followed his twin doggedly.

In a way, it was comforting.

It was a constant in their lives growing up, and a sign that everyone was accounted for, and present.

‘If only I hadn’t had to get involved in trying to help her… again…’ Tam thought to himself while outwardly cringing at the memory of his terrible proposal announcement to the King.

Glancing briefly over to the corner where the Princess’ birthday present already sat waiting, he hoped she would still like it when he’d give it to her in a month’s time.

He had commissioned the lute to be made with several detailed features he had taken pains to ensure done. For one, the neck was smaller for her hands, for another, it bore fine inlays along the perimeter of the instrument's body and back of mother of pearl and emeralds. The emerald was the predominant gemstone in the Daxarian crowns, and the mother of pearl shining against the wood really brought attention to its fine grain lines.

Sighing Tam fiddled with the quill in his hands.

As possible wives went, Princess Alina Reyes was probably the woman that made him get the closest to considering marriage… but he knew by the way she was instantly drawn to the Troivackians that she was seeking something more… ambitious for her life.

Which to Tam, immediately repulsed him.

No, he just wanted to be left alone, in his chamber with his books and trinkets, and hope that one day… he would no longer feel his magic summoning him closer to their depths.

His chamber door suddenly slammed open startling him into dropping his quill and spilling his inkspot.

“Son of a- Kat?! What the-” Tam turned in his seat to stare at his sister’s red face and wild glowing eyes.

“You told them where I was?!”

Closing his eyes slowly, Tam pushed himself up onto his feet to face his sister’s wrath.

“They were about to send Knights throughout Austice and the forest. I had to tell them to stop it getting bigger than-”

“Honestly- if you had just looked for the note in my room, none of this would have happened!” Kat snapped out angrily.

Tam crossed his arms across his chest with a frown. “Yes, it would’ve, Kat. She could’ve been hurt or in trouble. Stop being an idiot. She’s a Princess, not a maid you can run around doing whatever you like with.”

“She’s fine! Everyone keeps treating her like a bloody porcelain plate! She chose to stay with me!”

“Because you shoved her into it! You always are doing this! You make people do what you want, and if they don’t like it, too bad- because you always have to have it your way! You’re going to burn more than bridges with people you care about if you don’t figure out how to bloody well control yourself!”

Kat stared at her brother, chest heaving, and golden eyes sharp with her anger, heat rolled off of her body in waves as she turned, and slammed his door behind herself without another word.

Tam stared at the closed arch door for a moment, his throat tight, and his hands gripped into fists in his pockets before collapsing abruptly into his chair once more.

‘This might not resolve like it usually does…’