Alexander stepped out of his bedchamber, leaving the maids to their morning chores of seeing to the tidying of his sleeping quarters. After a deep inhale and an even stronger exhale, he strode past Edmund who had been waiting for him."Your Majesty, three ministers from your court have arrived." His attendant informed him."Very well, I shall attend to them immediately." Alexander replied. The day had only just begun and already the demands of his courtiers required his attention, leaving him without the luxury of breakfast.The morning was beautiful, much like the woman who had come to him the previous day. If he so wished, he could make his ministers wait while he shared breakfast with her, but he refrained, despite the temptation. She needed her privacy to mourn over the fact that she was away from her family, and he would let her have it. For now.Alexander walked briskly to the courtroom, his steps echoing crisply against the marble floors. The sooner he attended to them, the soo
Alexander finally moved his gaze, shifting it away from Guinevere, to focus it squarely on the daring minister who, it seemed, had forgotten his position. He was a hidden ally of Denney, though not as easy as he thought, and if he moved to annoy, Alexander reckoned he would have been the proper reason to dismiss him from the courtFeatings persisted. "A lady in waiting? For a king? Why do you have a lady in waiting?" His tone dropped. "Or is there something more to her esteemed position?" His words were masked enough to be seen.Guinevere's head snapped, eyes turning to Lord Featings. She bit her lower lip, pressing her hands into the other. Alexander saw her distress. He did not like it."I find the tone of your voice quite insulting, Featings. Take a care how you speak to me, lest you find yourself subject to a royal inquiry for daring to question your king." The man swallowed hard, stepping back into place.How dare the lowly placed man demand an answer from him? He was still king
Alexander's expression softened. "Your words hurt me." Untrue. He had been expecting the question. "Why entertain thoughts of departure so soon when you arrived only yesterday?" He waved her forward, gesturing her towards himself and she obeyed by a few steps. "We have shared pleasant moments together, have we not? I, for one, have enjoyed our time together." He relaxed his tone. "Did you not find joy in our dinner last night? And the comfort of the soft beddings, surely they were to your liking?"Guinevere averted her gaze. "Would you not retain Lady Farrington as your lady in waiting then?" Her voice was almost a whisper but he heard her."Why shouldn't I?" Alexander asked with a hint of amusement. Her gaze returned to him and he waved her forward again, this time, commanding her to stand by his side. She complied, climbing up to join him, though she maintained a cautious distance. "My uncle was gracious enough to offer his help, it would be remiss of me not to accept."Guinevere to
Gwen marched out of the courtroom angry at how easily she had allowed Alexander to win over her. Her anger at the loss irritated her more. His words were subtly but perfectly suggestive, yet he had the audacity to claim they were not what she had thought. How dare you with her like a fox on a foxhunting? He made a fool of her for his own gain and would see nothing wrong with it.How had she allowed him to fool her so easily?He was a master of diplomacy, a man who dealt with words and had skills in the art of persuasion and manipulation. She had naively underestimated his cunning. Had she thought she could win him so easily? Believed she could outmanoeuvre his schemes? She knew she couldn't, but losing so easily to him irked her.She sidestepped to allow Edmund entry, then sauntered away from the closed doors, pushing the heavy garment she wore along. The day had barely begun, yet it was going terribly already. How was she to survive through the rest of it? She started away from the c
As soon as Gwen crossed the threshold into the room, her steps slowed down when she caught sight of who was already seated at the breakfast table. Lady Jane Farrington, a woman of noble lineage and considerable influence. As the daughter of a marquess and the niece of Alexander's uncle, she was fitting as the candidate for the king's lady in waiting. Against herself, Gwen was uneasy at the simple presence. It shouldn't threaten her, but it did, and the air in the room grew heavier, tension weighing on it."Good morning" Gwen greeted with a polite nod as Reginald courteously pulled out the chair for her to settle into. Taking her seat opposite the other lady, she offered a small smile.A serving maid set a breakfast plate before her. "I had thought you had given up on eating at the table. Or completely for breakfast." Lady Farrington gave a casual remark.Gwen did not think it so casual. She grabbed her cutlery. "The thought was not far.""Then why bother pulling it near?" Lady Farring
In the quiet corridors of the castle, the sound of two pairs of footsteps tapped softly through the stillness of the afternoon. As always, one set of footsteps kept distance behind the other, their rhythm steady and unhurried. It was almost three in the afternoon, the sun hung proudly in the sky, bathing the surroundings in a warm glow, casting long shadows along the hallway, keeping the temperature warm enough that there was no need for a jacket.Alexander hurried away to his study, with his hands clasped behind his back. Despite his best efforts to manage his time, the day had turned out busier than he had thought, demanding his attention at every turn. But it was a good day, the ledgers had been balanced and he was richer than he had anticipated. The pirates sure were hoarder and their penchant for amassing rather than spending treasures had indeed played to his advantage, enriching his coffers beyond measure.Everything seemed to be going in his favour.Alexander smiled when he th
"I beg to differ." Alexander called back with a smile, his tone light yet unyielding as he continued on his way. Soon, he heard them walking away.As they made the bend, Alexander stopped and turned to gaze in the direction they had gone, finding that they had disappeared from view. A peculiar emotion welled up within him, a mixture of curiosity and something he couldn't quite define. It assailed him, leaving him momentarily suspended in thought. But one thought was true; he always found joy in the little arguments she engaged him in."I wonder how angry she would be today?" He muttered to himself."Shall I instruct Reginald to provide reports on her daily dealings?" Edmund inquired.After a brief moment of consideration, Alexander shook his head. "No." He replied simply. He would only leave a watch with Lady Farrington, there was no need to leave one with Guinevere, at the least, not yet. She should enjoy as much privacy as he would allow, for as long as he would allow, and this, he
"Yes Sir.""What is it you want? Is there more to discuss?" Lord Denney inquired.Lady Farrington set the lamp on the ground once more, and brushed down her skirt again. "What about the poor girl he has attending to him?"Lord Denney's expression changed. "She remains still?""Yes Sir.""He has not sent her back to her family?" He asked again."No, he has not. She remains still here at the castle, and he has her staying in the west wing while I, a room in the south wing." Lady Farrington said, disappointment in her tone. "I am the daughter of a marquess, and he has me staying in the south wing. I feel so disrespected." She lamented.Lord Denney was uninterested in the room placement, his attention focused on a different aspect. "My nephew must prefer her more than I thought." He mused aloud, a hint of realization dawning in his voice."She is not an easy lady, Uncle…" She paused. "I mean, My Lord, and I am beginning to think she enjoys the castle more than she tells.""Why so?""Becau