Argo dashed right past Melinda and entered the Mansion lounge first.

He was there and already calling out Evelyn's name in worry when Hal walked into said lounge almost at the same time as Melinda but Argo's whole attention was on Hal who he walked over to briskly and grabbed the front of his robes which he noticed was different to the one he was wearing before.

He shook him as he yelled into the boy's face,

"Where is my sister? You stupid servant, if you hurt her..." Argo suddenly froze as he felt a chill behind his back.

A chill that was definitely from Melinda's death glare.

Clearly, she took offense to him calling Hal a servant.

Hal chuckled,

"Quite overprotective of you" he said and pulled Argo's hands off his robes with such ease, the young man's eyes widened in surprise.

What the hell?

He was still thinking about this when his sister Evelyn walked in with shaky legs.

Argo quickly ran over and supported her by putting her arm about his shoulder and bearing her weight while he glared at Hal who was already walking back to Melinda's side and they were having a quiet conversation.

"You look a little gloomy and I hope it's not because he called me a servant" Hal asked with a smile.

"It's part of it" Melinda admitted.

"Oh please. We're heading to the capital and I am doing so without a powerful last name or background to terrify the snobby ones.

If you're going to be this gloomy when I'm insulted, you might develop a permanent scowl" Hal said with a chuckle.

Melinda rolled her eyes,

"Very funny. Why are you being so casual about this?"

Hal shrugged,

"Because they are usually true. I mean I'm not a servant per se but in the capital, in terms of status, I might as well be.

The day I feel I no longer deserve those monikers, then I will get upset.

Besides, it's kind of a turn-on to be a servant bedding the princess" he told her while he buried his face in her hair.

Melinda turned away with a pout,

"I'm not a princess" she said.

"Who said I was talking about you?" Hal teased with a smile.

She smacked him playfully,

"You whore. You just want to do everyone that moves don't you?"

Hal stepped back one step and looked insulted albeit jokingly,

"I'm insulted. I didn't sleep with her" he said and gestured in Evelyn's direction.

The brother-sister pair had watched their little discussion with a strange expression but once Hal gestured in their direction, Argo remembered his complaints,

"What did you do to her?" He yelled but it was not Hal or Melinda who replied, it was Evelyn,

"Shut up Argo. I'm fine. Just a little weak." Then she spoke to Melinda, or at least her words were directed to Melinda while she was facing Hal,

"We were tasked with escorting you to the capital. Your father misses you" she said.

Melinda rolled her eyes,

"Yeah right" she scoffed.

"He really does. So does your Grandmother" Evelyn insisted.

Melinda chuckled lightly,

"My father? I highly doubt that. As for grandmother, I can see that. I'm guessing she's the reason your mission changed from an order of Audit to Pardon."

Evelyn looked at the floor.

She did not know for sure if that was the case but she suspected it as it was no secret that the Dane Patroness had been very upset at Melinda's banishment and even went into seclusion for that reason.

If there was someone who could cause the change, it was her.

Evelyn looked up again and it looked as though she was about to try to convince Melinda further but the golden-eyed lady interrupted her,

"I will return to the capital but it would be at a time of my choosing and my own pace. You can tell them that whichever way you wish.

Now that you have paid me a 'visit' and I have gotten my pound of flesh, I believe it's time you leave." Melinda said with no attempt whatsoever of being courteous.

She had no interest in being hospitable.

If they truly wished to stay in the city, they could find an inn for all she cared.

Argo frowned but said nothing.

Evelyn on the other hand nodded while she looked at Hal with a deep feeling of loss and when he smiled at her, her heartbeat grew faster.

It was only about an hour that she had spent with him and wondered if she could bring herself to leave.

Hal on the other hand continued to smile nonchalantly. As though his experience with her was nothing thought worthy.

Then she remembered something she wished to ask,

"You said he was close to you. Just how close?" She asked.

Melinda frowned lightly,

"Well, he's my f..."

"Friend. I'm her close 'Friend'" Hal interrupted her with a smile.

Evelyn nodded and with a gesture at Argo, the two walked out of the Mansion with Argo bearing most of her weight as her legs were still quite weak and she was actually still having some post-orgasmic spasms at that moment.

Their guards followed and before long, they were back inside the carriage and pulling away. It did not matter that the day was getting dark, there was nothing that could worry them in a city such as this.

Meanwhile, once they were gone and with it, quite an anti-climatic end to the much-anticipated Envoy arrival,

Hal swept Melinda into his arms and kissed her deeply and once they separated, he looked down at her with a smile,

"I'm sorry baby girl, but I'd prefer you did not tell two envoys from your father and uncle who are likely to report it once they arrive, that we are engaged"

From what Hal could glean from the Dane family, he was quite sure they would not take very kindly to the news and he felt at the moment, it was far better to take things slow. At least until they had support.

They had already agreed beforehand that once back with her family, Melinda's first aim was to regain a foothold in the family.

She had argued that she was not such a big fan of politics that existed in a large family such as hers and Hal had told her she should do it the way she felt comfortable.

And that was going to involve a lot of merciless beatings.

Melinda shrugged,

"I got a little excited"

Hal shook his head slightly,

"No, you didn't"

"Alright fine, I felt impulsive..."

Hal pecked her fair neck,

"See? Does It not feel good to tell the truth?" He asked but Melinda was not done with her words,

"...and it's your fault. Too much bottled up energy" she said.

Hal chuckled,

"Now we wouldn't want that. How about making use of that bottled-up energy" He said.

"About time" she replied and joined their lips together in a deep kiss.

...

In the Envoy carriage...

"We'll stop by at an inn. I need to rest" Evelyn said with her head on Argo's shoulder.

"No problem sis." He told her.

They both sighed in unison as they thought back to how enthusiastic they had been and even all but volunteered to be envoys and visit the banished Dane princess.

They had so many plans and ideas and it all fell apart.

First, she had been so beautiful, the thought of putting her down did not come to Argo's mind and then she had been overwhelmingly strong that he could not take advantage of the duel to do so.

As for Evelyn, she had been excited about a prospective new pet and ended up becoming putty in said prospective pet's hands.

"What do you think the relationship between them really is?" Evelyn suddenly asked.

Clearly, she had not believed they were just 'close friends'. After all, how could Melinda live with such a hunk and not tap that?

Argo shrugged,

"Considering the rumor going about in the family, it wouldn't matter anyway"