Norman stared down at Annika’s bowed head with gritted teeth. Even Ainsley knew better than to say anything.

“We haven’t had much time to talk have we, Lady Jenoure.” The King observed his distant tone, not affecting the woman curtsied before him in the slightest.

Standing slowly, Annika face Norman with a mask of innocence as she clasped her hands demurely in front of herself.

“We have not, Sire. Not since the meeting with the suitors following your son’s birthday party, and the arrest of my brother.”

Something shifted behind Norman’s eyes, but neither of the women present could identify it.

“Would you care to explain to me how it is Lord Nam and Lady Marigold Iones have become… smitten?” The note of pain in his voice made Ainsley bite down on her lower lip.

“I may have been… less than ideal to the man. However, I wouldn’t say that I was entirely unagreeable,” Annika replied mildly.

Norman’s eyes were beginning to bulge from his head in a most concerning manner.

“You do realize that Lady Marigold, as a result, will have to return to Zinfera to continue garnering favor from the Zinferan Emperor?”

The Viscountess replied with a pleasant smile.

“You also realize if that woman manages to insult anyone, they could choose not to support Daxaria in the war?”

“Which is why they will have to send a message of their marriage, and insist that they stay here for a year so that the new Duke and Duchess might settle matters here before paying Zinfera a visit.”

Norman closed his eyes and took several deep, calming breaths.

“Lady Jenoure, you are privy to a great deal of… political flexibility because we share an understanding. However, your underhanded way of handling the matter of your marriage without conferring with myself cannot be ignored.”

“Your highness, you said yourself the Zinferan Emperor declared that either myself or Marigold would be acceptable. I have done nothing to-”

“Don’t play that card with me, Lady Jenoure. You’re on very thin ice as it is.”

It was then that Annika’s face finally hardened into seriousness.

“Sire, I genuinely did not believe that I was doing anything truly damaging. Daxaria has its army through this marriage, and if we keep both Lady Marigold and her intended here until the war is over, then-”

It was Ainsley who interrupted Annika this time.

“Norman, we need to tell her. Word is about to come out regarding… you know. She should be prepared.” The stress in her voice made both the Viscountess and King turn and stare at the Queen, whose rounded belly rose and fell with each soft breath.

With a sigh, Norman let his chin fall to his chest. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he then raised his head and stared sharply into Annika’s keen gaze.

“Marigold’s dowry and political appeal to Zinfera is that she is a daughter in a Dukedom that has no apparent male heir. Her husband is set to inherit the title. You had the same to appeal, which is what made you both viable candidates; however…”

A strong sense of foreboding filled Annika.

The King stole one glance at his wife who looked as discontented as he did.

“Marigold is set to lose the Dukedome title and all the estates, land, and money save for her dowry in less than a year.”

Annika’s face turned ghostly white.

“How can that be? The deceased Duke Iones was frugal to a fault! He made many smart financial decisions that should set-”

“-Because he has a son. An illegitimate one that I’ve been… secretly aiding for many years in hopes that he would lay his claim on the title and lands. I believe he will be a better leader and addition to the nobility than whatever ponce Lady Marigold chooses to marry,” Norman bit out in a rare moment of pettiness.

Annika looked as though she were about to faint. Which was so unlike her that even Norman’s anger faded to concern.

“Lady Jenoure, I realize this might come as a shock to you, but-”

“Why now? Why is the son coming forward now?” Even more uncharacteristic of her, the Viscountess spoke informally and without a lick of her former composure when she asked her question.

Decidedly ignoring the show of rudeness, Norman answered.

“When I spoke with Sir Harris he indicated that his sister may have recently spoken to him and been… well… herself. He declared then that he couldn’t sit by and let her get her way any longer. Then he got the support of his friends- you know how Mr. Ashowan tends to-”

“Fin did this?”

The room fell unnaturally quiet.

The King stepped forward with a raised eyebrow.

“I was unaware you were on a first name basis with the cook.”

“He helped me the day I got stabbed, and didn’t ask questions,” Annika lied smoothly, but whether it was convincing enough was hard to tell.

“How odd that you acted formally towards him the day we convened in his cottage.”

“It was an official meeting, your majesty.”

Before the King could question her further, there was an odd commotion outside the bedchamber door. Striding over hastily and opening the door, Annika already had her hand on the small decorative dagger that hung from her belt.

Upon opening the door however, the King found himself staring at Katelyn Ashowan who was facing a young blonde woman Norman recognized as one of Finlay Ashowan’s aides.

“What is the meaning of this?” The monarch boomed.

Both women immediately dipped into curtseys.

“S-Sorry your highness,” Hannah puffed, she clearly had run a long way. “I-I was just trying to… to tell,” the blonde aide’s eyes then landed on Annika behind the King and her eyes rounded.

“To tell Mrs. Ashowan something?” The King prompted again, this time his voice gentler.

“It’s Fin! I mean, Mr. Ashowan!” she announced her volume noticeably increasing for some reason her eyes occassionally darting to the Viscountess in the room behind him.“There was an accident, and I was coming to get his mum to help!”

Katelyn Ashowan turned to the King immediately, her posture rigid but her voice was in full command.

“Your majesty, I apologize, but I must tend to my son. Please send word if the Queen’s condition changes.”

Then, without waiting for a reply, the healer swept off while tugging Hannah along hurriedly.

Norman watched them retreat towards the servant’s stairwell with a deep frown. He hoped the witch hadn’t landed himself in anything too serious… Mage Lee had mentioned there had been some trouble in town with Finlay, but the elder had been relatively vague on the details.

When the monarch turned back to his bedchamber, he was startled to see that Lady Jenoure no longer stood waiting. In fact, she was no where to be seen.

Turning a questioning eye to his wife, he became even more alarmed to see a look of stunned concern on her face.

“What is it dearest? Do I need to call for Mrs. Ashowan? Where in the world did Lady Jenoure go, it-”

“I’m fine… she took the secret passageway while you were talking to the women outside.” Ainsley’s voice was quiet, but her eyes were trained on the passageway door on the other end of their chamber that only three people knew about, her thoughts unknown.

“It isn’t like her to run from me,” Norman began slowly, hoping to prod some more information from his wife.

Ainsley didn’t say anything though, only continued staring at the door, lost in thought.

She didn’t want to say anything to her husband just yet. Not until she had a chance to talk to Annika alone…

She had to find out for sure if what she’d just seen actually had happened.

Ainsley’s best friend, political stooge, and trained killer working for the crown of Daxaria, had panicked and fled at the news that the cook, Finlay Ashowan, had been harmed in an accident.

Given everything that had just been uncovered moments before, the pieces to the puzzle began to form in the Queen’s head, and all too quickly, Annika’s best friend had a pretty damn good idea what was going on.

‘This is a far bigger problem than we realized…’ Resting her hands on her unborn, Ainsley began rubbing slow anxious circles. ‘Gods… this is so sudden…’

*

Kate stared into her son’s pale sleeping face for several moments before pulling up the chair that had been brought in from the cottage’s main room into the bedroom.

The truth of it all was that there was very little one could do to heal a witch once they had begun using their life energy instead of their magic. Rest was often required, and usually their abilities would be weaker for an indeterminate amount of time, but how long Fin would sleep was unknown.

With a sigh, Kate stood and exited the cottage to face the worried faces of the kitchen aides and Adamma’s niece and nephew. The earth witch had taken Sky back home to get some rest and make sure she wouldn’t become violent again. Aside from a minor concussion, the wind witch's greatest injury was not a physical one...

“There’s nothing to do but wait. He didn’t suffer any other real injuries aside from a few scratches and bruises, but what ails him is not something that is easily healed. It’s a matter of the soul more than the body. I’m also worried about how this affects Sky… sometimes when witches use their energy force the results can be semi-permanent. If the caster dies then it becomes a curse of sorts.” Katelyn Ashowan was beginning to speak more to herself than the group that was rapidly growing more alarmed by her words.

There was a strange crack that echoed in the cottage, making Katelyn turn to peer in, when the Hannah interrupted her.

“You mean, Fin could have permanently taken her powers if he’d kept going?” The petite blonde asked suddenly with a frown.

“At the cost of his life, yes. It is a most unholy thing to do as it is essentially stripping away a piece of another witch’s soul.”

The group settled into an uneasy silence, when a faint call originating from the castle drew their attention.

“We need to be getting back to work, we’ve already been gone far too long… Ruby will have to report to Fin about us being absent- er,” Sir Andrews trailed off and awkwardly began to back away from the cook’s cottage. “Pardon me, ma’am.”

The Knight then darted away from the cottage, leaving a puzzled Katelyn to stare after him.

“What in the world was that about?”

“Oh, Andrews is a little dodgy around you given that you’re Fin’s mother, and also courting with our Captain. You’re tied closely with both his superiors you see,” Sir Harris volunteered breezily with a bright smile on his face.

Katelyn turned scarlet at the mention of her recent outings with Captain Antonio.

“Ah… I see… yes, well… best be off you lot. Can’t have a short-staffed kitchen!”

The aides all smiled and waved farewell to Katelyn Ashowan as they traipsed back to their posts, each wondering if their beloved cook would be better sooner rather than later.

Entering back into the cottage, the healer headed back to her son’s room, and froze in her tracks.

Fin was awake. Sitting up, and wearing an oddly dreamy smile on his face, he stared towards the open window.

“Wh-What?!” Katelyn rushed forward and placed her cool hand on her son's forehead drawing his attention to her. “My boy! How in the world are you recovered this quickly?!” She continued to fuss over him, but he remained oddly quiet. A pleasant breeze wafted through the window that made her pause.

She had closed those when she’d performed a magical examination… She’d even locked them.

How had they come open?

“Sorry to frighten you, Mum, I think I just need a good night's sleep. I’ll be alright by morning. Make sure you go check on the Queen. You mentioned before I left you think she will go into labor in a few weeks.” Fin yawned sleepily, and closed his eyes again, his expression peaceful.

Shaking her head over the oddity of the day, the elder Ashowan turned to the cottage to begin preparing a cup of tea. She needed time to think before her evening stroll with the Captain…

*

Annika paced her chamber floor while chewing on her thumb nail. She hadn’t returned to her home in Austice. Despite the danger, she couldn’t just leave Fin when he’d been bedridden…

She knew the King wasn’t through talking to her, and she needed time to form a new plan. Things were tenuous at best, and she needed some way to firm up the relations with Zinfera without being forced into a marriage…

A small knock at Annika’s door had her stop and storm over. Who in the world needed to talk to her when next to no one knew she was there?

Upon opening the door, the Viscountess found herself staring into Ainsley’s slightly rounder face. The Queen’s flat expression didn’t lighten as she pressed herself into the chamber before Annika could stop her. She wore nothing but a velvet robe that she’d left hung open and a chemise- yet the monarch seemed completely unperturbed by her state of undress.

“You’re supposed to be in bed!” the Viscountess finally blurted, her mind finally stepping out of its flurry of plans and worries.

“A small trip to your chamber is good for me. I’ll just sit while we have a little chat, hm?” The Queen waddled over to the four poster bed and cast a wry glance over her shoulder.

Annika rushed forward and gave her friend a hand as she lowered herself atop of the ruby coverlet.

“Now. How long have you been sleeping with the cook?”

The Viscountess didn’t even bother to lie, and instead let out an unladylike groan.

“I knew you’d catch on after today…”

Ainsley let out a disapproving sigh. “I know he’s attractive, but Annika… you’re risking your entire country’s safety for him. Do you realize that? You can’t marry him.”

“I can handle this, Ainsley, I promise. I can make sure Zinfera forms a firm alliance with Daxaria for the war that doesn’t rely on my marriage.”

“Is it something you can muster in less than two weeks? Because if they sign the treaty and then discover that Nam is going to be denied one of the privileges he was expected to receive from the marriage, they could see it as underhanded dealings. They could grow very hostile towards us, and then we have an entire other nation we have to be wary of.”

“I just didn’t know about the bastard son… I would’ve been in the clear…” Annika muttered as she began rubbing her temples that were beginning to throb.

“You’re not being as careful as you usually are. You usually know everything before we tell you,” Ainsley observed gently. “Under different circumstances, I would be thrilled that you have fallen in love to the degree that you’re pulling away from your line of work. However… Annika, I will not gamble the safety of the entire country for you to marry a cook.”

“You mean the cook that saved hundreds of people, yourself, the King, and your children included?” The Viscountess’ voice had a hard edge that Ainsley had never heard from her friend.

“Yes, that cook. Annika, I know you resent me saying these things, but I have to be a Queen first. There are millions of people in this country, and I need to protect them. If I have to choose between the happiness of two people or the safety of every man, woman, and child under my reign, you know what I have to do.”

Annika knew her friend was right. Knew it was the right choice.

Even still… she wasn’t so easily defeated.

“Will three days be too much time to give me? I still think I can save this,” Annika asked, her mind straining against the confines of her skull.

Ainsley studied the Viscountess’ determined face, her desperation, and hopefulness were palpable.

“Fine. Three days. If you don’t find some miracle solution by then, you have to marry Lord Ryu. I am truly sorry.”

Annika nodded somberly.

Slowly standing back up, the Queen gripped onto one of the posters of the bed to right herself while waving off her friend’s hand. She was almost at the door when she turned around, her hands cradling her lower back.

“Even if you somehow pull it off, you know we still can’t sanction your marriage.” Ainsley remarked slowly.

At this, Annika smiled.

“Oh, you will. He’ll be ennobled and regardless of how poor he is, I’ll marry him. It might take a few years, but we’ll get there. I know it.”