Alina continued dashing tears from her cheeks as she strode into the castle, and did her best to ignore the whispers of concern that fluttered around her.

Picking up her skirt with one hand, she began to climb the stairs to the second floor to speak with her father about ending her engagement. She knew he most likely was in the council room with Mr. Howard summarizing his notes, and so, even though the thought was churning her stomach violently, she set her course.

When she reached the door, her face completely tear stained, and her nose beginning to run, the guards glanced at each other uneasily.

“Erm… everythin’ alright, Your Highness?” the one on the left asked worriedly.

“F-Fine,” Alina choked on the word. “P-Please tell my father that I need to speak with him now. It is of an urgent nature.”

Both guards turned hurriedly at the same time to deliver her message, and nearly crashed into each other as a result. Once they sorted themselves, the man on the right slipped into the room, and returned almost immediately.

“His Majesty says to enter.”

Alina nodded, then burst into the room unceremoniously.

Norman was seated at the head of the table with Mr. Howard seated at his left. Between them were stacks of books and documents, and the King’s navy blue tunic was rolled at the sleeves to reveal smears of ink on his hands and the occasional smudges across his arms.

It was clear they were in the midst of some serious work, but after seeing Alina’s face, the two men rose to their feet.

“Princess, whatever is the-” Mr. Howard began, his frown matching Norman’s.

“I want to break off the engagement,” Alina managed before she wiped away the fresh tears that began to fall from her eyes at having to speak aloud the purpose of her visit.

“What did that Troivackian do?” Norman growled as he rounded the table towards his daughter.

“He… He said I would only be in charge of the women in Troivack. Th-That a King couldn’t always share everything with his wife,” she began before casting her eyes to the floor. Her throat was beginning to ache fiercely.

Norman glanced at Mr. Howard, his dark expression easing away. “Alina, love, that isn’t… given his time ruling his kingdom on his own… and you would take a long time to become established with your own power, it makes sense that-”

“-He said he doesn’t want us to have children of our own. He said that he’d have to name someone else as his heir or, or… or take a mistress.”

At first Alina thought her father would begin to agree with Brendan yet again, but all she heard was silence. After a moment she risked raising her flushed face to see Norman's reaction, and found herself watching Mr. Howard handing him his sword. Both looked eerily calm and serious… though both had a coldness in their eyes Alina had never seen before that made it all the more disconcerting.

The two men began to move towards the door. “I’m going for a walk, love. Go to your chamber, and don’t fret. Your engagement will be dissolved. I swe-”

A sudden commotion interrupted the King before he could finish what he was saying.

There was plenty of shouting, a few shrieks…

“Stay here,” Norman ordered, tension springing to his features as he stepped around his daughter and threw open the door.

“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded as his guards stared transfixed down the end of the hall where a herd of people raced towards the stairs.

“U-Uuuh, Your Majesty, I cannot say for certain, but… it sounds as though…”

“GOOD GODS!” Mage Keith Lee suddenly bolted past them from the opposite end of the hall with Tam Ashowan close behind.

“KEITH! WHAT IS GOING ON?” Norman roared, making the mage skid to a halt, which forced Tam to leap to the side to stop from crashing into him. Despite the near collision, Tam's eyes were fixed on the floor, but they were wide… he had clearly just seen something very troubling.

“The House Witch just blasted the Troivackian King into the Alcide Sea!” The mage explained breathlessly before turning andonce again beginning to run towards the stairs without any further explanation.

This time however, Tam did not follow suit, instead the young Lord stayed behind and nervously raised his eyes to the monarch to see what his reaction was about the news regarding his father.

He was surprised by the expression that greeted him.

The King was smiling, quite happily before placing a hand on his chest and looking to the sky.

“I knew you sent that witch here for a good reason.”

Then, Norman casually rested the flat of the blade of his sword against his shoulder, and strode towards the chaos, only his pace was far more leisurely.

Mr. Howard followed behind him grumbling. “I know it saves you from getting violent, but this probably won’t go over well in negotiations…”

Alina stared after them, her worry for Brendan momentarily consuming her thoughts before she remembered the house witch would never do any real harm with his magic…

She slowly turned, and moved further down the hall with the intention of taking the servant’s staircase to go to her room. It seemed they had all flocked to the source of excitement and therefore was most likely her best bet on returning to her chamber unnoticed.

“Alina? Are you alright?” Tam’s quiet voice behind her halted her labored step and turned to face him knowing she looked a fright.

“Not right this moment,” she managed before giving him a small weak smile.

The young Lord stepped forward, his hands opening and closing at his sides. “Would you like to talk about it?”

Reaching out and giving his arm an affectionate squeeze, Alina felt her tears rejuvenate once more.

“Not right at this moment, but thank you. I’m sure you’re curious about why your father blasted a foreign King into the Alcide Sea… you should go find out.”

As she turned to leave the future Viscount, she was startled to find he had reached out and clasped her shoulders stopping her, and gently turning her around.

“I understand you don’t want to talk right now, but just know, if you are ever in need the Ashowans will protect and help you. It’s what we do, so don’t-”

“There you are! My gods! Did you hear what my Da did?! Oh… hi, Tam.” Katarina Ashowan’s exuberant greeting cut off her brother as she appeared striding down the hallway, having somehow freed herself from Alina’s maids.

Her greeting toward her brother momentarily piqued the Princess’ curiosity. She remembered hearing they’d been fighting back at the ball where she’d sung with Prince Henry, but were they still fighting?

“I’m going back to my room. Excuse me,” Alina curtsied and took her leave, leaving the siblings alone as she fought off the urge to outwardly sob.

She didn’t want to risk a breathing attack while out where people could see her.

Once she had disappeared around the corner and stepped foot on the servant’s staircase, Katarina turned to her brother, her golden eyes bright and her expression grim.

“What were you saying to her?”

Tam regarded his twin calmly. “I was just reminding her that no matter what, the Ashowans will do or be whatever she needs.”

Kat nodded briefly. “Godsdamn right.”

“Do you know why Da blasted the King?” Tam asked idly as his sister stepped to follow the Princess.

“The King made Alina cry, and she indicated she wanted to break off the engagement. My bet is the Troivackian oaf tried to pick a fight with Da to let off steam.”

“Da wouldn’t rise to the bait though... unless…” Tam closed his eyes as he pieced together the final mystery of the event. “Unless the Troivackian King literally asked him to do it.”

Kat snorted. “Well I suppose we have nothing to worry about then.”

Tam shook his head. “This matter won’t just be waved off. The King’s entourage and brother will most likely take great offense… it has the potential to brew very bad blood.”

“Well then it’s a good thing our father can be charming when he feels like it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, brother, I would like to attend to the Princess.” Kat once again began moving away from her kin, only for him to once again speak out and stop her.

“Kat can we… can we really not make up now?”

Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes flashing angrily, Kat stared at her brother for a wordless moment. Then, as she continued studying him, and he met her gaze unwaveringly, she finally sighed and turned around to face him.

“I… know… you had some decent points, but you’re stupid and annoying to say that to because you never admit when I’m right about you needing to try and step up! Otherwise Likon is going to take over for Da, and what will you do hm? Hide forever?”

“Kat, it isn’t… it isn’t that simple for me to just…” Tam trailed off, his brown eyes dropping to the floor and his pained expression worsening.

“Well it sure as hell isn’t easy for me to sit through Godsdamn meetings without moving a muscle and speaking politely to every person there- including the asshats! Do you know how many asshats are in this castle?! Way too many! It’s terrible! I hate it! But…” Kat stopped, and closed her eyes for a moment while trying to get her emotions back under control.

“I do it because it’s the right thing to do.”

“I thought you did it because it was your punishment for going camping?” Tam injected mildly.

Kat’s irritated snort as her golden eyes snapped open had the same level of ferocity as a bull’s, and it was directed at her brother's face.

“See? This is why I’m not ready to make up with you!” Turning on her heel and storming off, she was resolute in not letting him distract her further.

“Likon is going with Da to Zinfera.”

Tam’s shout succeeded in making her freeze for a moment, but she held fast to her resolve and continued on to the servant’s stairwell.

Her brother remained in the corridor, completely alone.

As he let out a long breath, he felt himself slump against the castle wall, his right hand that was pressed into his pocket balled into a fist.

‘Sorry, Kat. I just… don’t know how to tell you that I have enough that I'm worried about… I really don't think I should ever be Viscount.’

*

Kat paced the Princess’ room while Alina lay curled on her side hugging her pillow on her bed, her tears falling more slowly, but at least the threat of a breathing attack wasn’t imminent.

“So, you’re a free woman again! Isn’t this good? You could just become the Queen Daxaria, and you can stay here with your father!” Kat theorized energetically.

“I… I wanted to… feel… I wanted to feel stronger, and he… he always made me feel like I was,” Alina managed brokenly.

“Well you are strong! You don’t need some King with the manners of a dog and the facial expressions of an ale barrel!”

“Kat…” Alina began while sitting up slowly, her wavy blonde hair mussed.

“The ale barrel is more expressive, you’re right… I think even a rock is more telling than that Troivackian’s face is…”

“No, Kat, that isn’t right! He… he does show his thoughts and feelings, it's just… more subtle. I mean what would you expect? He’s had people try to take advantage of him and hurt him since he was a child!” Alina bit out sharply.

“Well why’s he such a grumpy dolt about my family?” Kat tried again throwing her hands in the air while continuing to pace.

“Your family from an outsider’s position could appear very suspicious, and I’ll be honest, I am not at all in agreeance with your father when it comes to my brother. I’m the Prince's sister, and I deserve to know where he is and what he’s doing more than the house witch!” Alina was on her feet, and her voice was beginning to grow stronger as she spoke.

“Well… I agree with you about you having the right to know about your brother. I mean, I’m pretty sure my mother doesn’t even know anything, and she normally knows more than my Da!”

A thought suddenly occurred to Alina then, a wild yet… enticing thought. “Kat, remember how I told you I ran into that bard your family hired for my birthday gift?”

Kat finally ceased her harried movements, confused by the Princess’ sudden shift in attention. “Yes? He should be coming to the castle next week…”

“Well I think he knows something about my brother! Maybe while he was traveling he saw him…”

“You need to talk to him!” Kat immediately grabbed Alina’s hands excitedly.

“I know, but if I wait until he comes to the castle, I’ll never get a chance to talk with him alone,” the Princess reasoned out slowly. "The Viscount or my father may make sure the servants in the room don't ever let him talk about anything other than music."

“Well we can go one of these days to Austice and-”

“I’ll be too busy dealing with the fall out from my engagement! No, I need to go tonight!” Alina’s hazel eyes shone with urgency as she peered up pleadingly at her friend.

“Err… tonight? With… with guards right? Do you even know where he lives?” Kat asked while trying to take a step back from the Princess’ rejuvenated determination.

“No guards, one of them might try to stop me, and as for where he lives… I don’t know… but you do.” The Princess’ wry smile brightened her still teary face, and Kat winced as she had an ominous sense of where the discussion was going.

“I do, but… Alina I really am not sure this is the best-”

“Please! I know I can’t do this without you and, aren’t you and your brother saying the Ashowans will always help me?!” The Princess was clasping Kat’s hands tightly and pulling them closer to her chest as she appeared on the verge of begging.

After a tense moment of silence Kat let out a whoosh of air and allowed her shoulders to slump forward in defeat.

“Alright, but we go dressed as boys, and take no risks. For the record, I don’t believe this is the only chance you’ll get for questioning him, but… you’re going through a bad time and I think a little adventure might help, so… what the hell?”

Alina’s brilliant smile illuminated her features as she immediately began professing her deep love for her friend and the other Ashowan family members.

Kat chuckled while listening to the litany of compliments, while trying to brush off the strange bad feeling she got in her gut.

‘It’ll probably be fine… I mean… at the very worst we find out something terrible like the Prince is secretly dead or something…’