As it turned out, Eret didn't really know anything about the layout of the castle (seeing as he had only just arrived a few hours prior) and you were more than willing to take him on an impromptu tour of the place, just wandering around the halls as you watched the sun sink fully behind the trees.

For a while, it was quiet as you walked together - the only conversation being every now and again when you would point out a room or hallway. You didn't mind too much though - after all the commotion that the day had brought, the peace was welcome, and you could tell that it wasn't the sort of silence that needed to be filled.

When Eret did speak though, his voice was soft. "The king didn't even bother to see if you were alright." He said. "I told him that you'd gotten dragged into it all, but he didn't even seem to care."

"Well," You started. "I was a means to an end for him. I'm sure that if I hadn't convinced you to lend your support I would have been at least snubbed in the sessions for a good while."

You had always known that deep down, the king saw you as just another one of his subjects. Someone he could use. You had grown up knowing that if you went into the court, that would be the underlying point of your position - you were offering yourself up to him as a tool to use. You had seen it with your parents, though you hadn't recognized it until you were older. It was just a fact of life.

If you had never met Eret and seen how he treated people - not just the members of his court - you wouldn't have even blinked an eye.

"That's horrible." Eret said. "How can he just toss aside people who have offered their support to him?"

"It's just how things work here." You said. "It's not that bad once you get used to it - or if you were like me and didn't know any better." You glanced over at him out of the corner of your eye to see a strong downset in the corner of his mouth.

"But you do know better now." He said. "You don't have to settle for this, you know." He paused. "When it's all over, you could come back with me. I would be more than happy to have you, and there would always be a seat waiting for you around my court table."

"Eret..." You started. "Thank you for saving me today. But you don't have to save me from this as well."

"Why not?" He asked, eyes flicking to you for a moment. "Y/N, you can do so much better than being in the court here. You've told me time and time again how much more you like how things are run back at my home, why not come back?"

"It's..." You paused. What really was holding you back? Your parents legacy? The sense of loyalty to the crown that had been instilled in you from birth? Eret was offering you everything you ever wanted, yet for some reason you still wavered. Perhaps it was the uncertainty of it all that was frightening, but whatever it was, you weren't ready to let go of this place just yet. "Difficult." You finished.

He let out a long sigh. "I'll pester you every day for as long as I'm here if I have to." He said. "I'm not going to let you waste away here."

You huffed out a little laugh at that. "That seems like a lot of effort for a mediocre addition to your court."

Eret's eyes snapped to yours, checking to see if you were serious. When he saw that you were, his eyebrows furrowed, and the steady pace of his feet slowed to a stop, forcing you to stop beside him in the center of the hall. "You don't honestly believe that, do you?"

"Eret, I'm not particularly talented at public speaking, or maintaining relations. The only reason Etienne even sent me out was because I was expendable if it didn't work out. You already have a full cabinet of more intelligent and talented people than I, and you really don't need just someone else to support you-"

"You're wrong." Eret interrupted you, reaching down to grab your hand and interlace his fingers with yours. "You're wrong about so many things."

You watched as he brought your conjoined hands up so that his other hand could join until he was just clutching one of your hands as he looked deep into your eyes. That look from earlier in the throne room was back and you could finally put words into what it was - pure, unfiltered adoration.

"You're wonderful at what you do - from the moment when you gave that address I knew that in the end I would probably end up lending my support anyway." Eret said. "Not to mention that you're wonderful company, just having you around was the most fun I've had since before I was crowned king. Just walking in the gardens with you, or that night at the welcome banquet... it would mean the world to me if you would come back."

"Eret-" You started, only to be cut off again.

"One more thing." He said softly. "I think you might already know... I wasn't that subtle about it after all..."

Your heart picked up speed in your chest as you took in the look in his eyes, the tone of his voice, and the way he clutched his hands around yours, squeezing ever so slightly. You had an idea as to where the end of that sentence might be going, but you couldn't be sure... you could never know for sure with Eret, wild card that he was.

"I'm in love with you." He said, voice barely above a whisper now. The words hung in the air between you for a moment, as his eyes searched yours, looking for any sign of rejection.

He didn't have to worry though, because as it was, you were in love with him too.