The queen was more than happy to arrange a meeting with Warren, telling him to come by her quarters before dinner. He agreed, then spent the majority of the afternoon destroying the practice dummies that were still standing from his last practice session. After several hours, he quickly showered, changed into fresh clothes, and made his way to the queen’s quarters. He’d only been there a few times when he and Rei were much younger and would play together in the castle, but he remembered the way as if he had been there recently. He knocked, then bowed his head as he entered. The queen looked up from her book with a small smile. She stood and made her way over from the chair by the window to greet him.

“Thank you for agreeing to see me,” he said.

The queen shook her head. “Don’t worry. I’m actually quite glad to see you, Sir Warren, but I assume this has little to do with your quest?”

Warren nodded, somewhat amazed that she could figure him out so easily. “I overheard a conversation at breakfast between some of the other knights.” He paused. “They were talking about Rei.”

The queen eyed him quizzically. “I doubt they said anything that would need to be brought to my attention.”

Warren quickly shook his head. “N-no, I-I mean yes. Yes-, you do need to know about this. They-” he forced himself to remain calm. “They don’t think Rei matters. They think Faylinn will be fine with no heir. That’s ridiculous! Especially now, when all Edrys wants is to kill our royals!”

The queen said nothing. Warren suddenly felt all too aware of how loud he’d been shouting and how heavily he was breathing. He took a few deep breaths.

“Your Majesty, you knew Faylinn was in trouble. Is that why you want Rei back?”

She smiled sadly. “While I miss my son greatly, I would not have asked you to undertake something so dangerous if it was merely for my own personal benefit. Faylinn needs its prince should anything happen to its king and queen. Sadly, my husband refuses to acknowledge this.”

“Is that why you didn’t tell him about the quest? A-about something crazy risky and dangerous, even though he’s the king so he probably should know?”

The queen just looked at him sadly. “If you were in my place, Sir Warren, would you be able to convince my husband that he is wrong?”

Warren just shook his head.

“Exactly. That’s why he cannot know what we’re doing. He may forgive me in time, but he’ll likely throw you out of the castle if he learns.”

Warren shuddered. If he was kicked out he’d have nowhere to go. Castle Faylinn had pretty much always been his home. He placed his hand over his heart and bowed. “You have my word, Your Majesty. I won’t tell him a thing.”

The queen smiled. “Good. Now perhaps you would like the details of this incredibly risky mission?”

Warren chuckled. “Y-yeah. That’d be helpful, thank you.”

The queen smiled again, taking a seat on the large canopy bed in the center of the room. She motioned towards the chair by the window. Warren pulled it over and awkwardly sat down. The queen took a deep breath and asked, “Have you ever heard of people who have passed being brought back to life?”

Warren had to say no. It sounded ridiculous, really. “But…it’s possible. I mean, we wouldn’t be having this conversation if it wasn’t.”

The queen nodded. “I know of a woman living in the village between Faylinn and Edrys who possesses the ability to revive the dead. It’s far too dangerous for her to come here, but if you were willing-”

“What do I have to do?” Warren quickly asked, realizing a moment too late that he was probably being rude. Thankfully, the queen said nothing about his manners and instead chose to answer his question.

“This woman’s name is Lady Rosa, and in her letters she told me that she is descended from people of ancient magic.”

Warren’s yes lit up. “Like Rei.”

The queen smiled. “The royal family does possess a sort of magic used to combat Edrys, though Lady Rosa’s magic seems to differ greatly. She wrote to me about charms and potions, though she wouldn’t say more than that, likely fearing her letters would be intercepted.”

“Okay.” Warren was still lost, maybe even more so than before, but his mind was made up. “I’m gonna find this Lady Rosa and see what she can do to help us.”

The queen shot him a teasing look, the kind she gave him during his writing and speech lessons as a child.

“Er- I mean I’m going to travel to Lady Rosa’s village and speak with her about Rei.”

The queen nodded, visibly pleased. Warren would never understand why she still felt the need to correct him even at twenty years old, but she did the same for Rei.

In all fairness, Rei’s her son. I guess it’s a mother thing. Warren sighed. But then again, I wouldn’t know.

“Is something the matter, Sir Warren?”

Warren forced a smile, though he knew she wouldn’t be convinced. “N-no, Your Majesty. Thanks, I mean ‘thank you’, but I’m fine.”

As expected, the queen didn’t seem to believe him but surprisingly didn’t say anything.

“Very well. You may depart as early as tomorrow at dawn. I and my handmaiden will see you off. I shall have a few of the servants gather supplies for your journey tonight, so please don’t worry about what to pack, aside from your coat and your weapon. It will be cold in Edrys, and it’s impossible to say who or what you may face on your way there.”

Warren clasped his hands together to keep them from shaking. “G-got it. I’ll meet you at the gate at dawn.”

He headed for the door, eager to think about something else for a while.

“Sir Warren, before you go-”

“Yes…?”

“I know you won’t, but please don’t breathe a word of this to anyone else, not even the practice dummies.”

She said the last part with a smile, and Warren couldn’t help but grin.

“I won’t. I promise.”

Warren shut the door behind him, running all the way downstairs and outside to the barracks. He flopped face-first onto his bed and screamed into his pillow.