“How was your day my king.” A sweet voice flutters through the room like a bird’s song and I turn to meet her level gaze with a smile.

“It is much better now that you are here with me.” I answer automatically, forgetting myself for a moment and she tenses up at the comment. “I mean of course, that to be able to have such a stimulating conversation is far better than discussing the politics of border security.” I hasten to recover and she seems to visibly relax.

“Indeed.” She says soft and slow like she is counting down the minutes until we are allowed to leave. However there is no more tension in her shoulders and I smile at her before bringing my tea cup to my lips. Glad to find that the tension has lessened, if only slightly.

The fact that it has at all is a down right miracle. For all the time we are forced to spend together, Lady Diana and mine’s relationship has not improved and we have never quite managed the comfort that couples in our position should have. Not that I can really blame her, I know I wasn’t her first choice. I wasn’t even a choice until recently.

I can only imagine the way she must be feeling right now, having been promised to someone since childhood only to watch him pass away before his time. Then to be thrust into another engagement without being offered the proper time to grieve his passing.

I put the tea cup down so that I can reach out and take her hand in mine. She flinches at the contact, but doesn’t pull away. I let her hand drop regardless, it's never polite to force unwanted contact onto another regardless of your position. Instead I choose to meet her now glassy eyes with a soft look.

“You are allowed to talk about him you know.” I tell her softly and she swallows hard before reaching for her own cup. She doesn’t bring it to her lips though, instead she just holds it between her hands, taking in its warmth.

“Forgive me, but I do not wish to talk about him at this time.” She says softly, her voice wobbly and I drop the conversation with a soft sigh of relief. I didn’t want to talk about it either, not really. It’s hard enough to think of my brother’s death without having to talk about it with his ex-fiance and my current betrothed.

“How was your day my lady?” I ask for lack of anything better, doing my best to continue the conversation.

“It was fine.” She says softly, but doesn’t elaborate further.

The room falls silent and I search my mind for something more to talk about, but come blank. The silence engulfs us and I once again reach for my tea cup and, finding it empty, reach for the pot to refill it.

Once done I bring the glass to my lips and take a sip. The liquid burns down my throat and I immediately want to spit it out, but that would be unbecoming of the king. So instead I force myself to swallow the scalding tea before placing my cup back down on its saucer.

The silence still hangs thick over us and I open my mouth a few times only to close it a second later. At last I reach for a muffin and bring it to my plate, unwrapping it slowly just to make myself look busy.

I am just bringing the tasty treat to my mouth when the door flies open and I almost leap for joy at the interruption.

“Sir! You are needed urgently in the command center.” The guard who came to get me says quickly and I move to stand, before remembering my manners.

“Can it not wait? Can’t you see that I am in the middle of tea with the lovely Lady Diana at this time.” I scold him, not meaning a word of what I am saying and desperately praying that something truly terrible has happened.

“I’m terribly sorry, but it can’t. Admiral Ali has stormed his way into the command center and is demanding the release of his nephew. He has brought a fleet of senior officers with him. The whole council is in an uproar.” The guard says urgently and I leap to my feet.

“Please excuse my rudeness my Lady, but I am needed elsewhere.” I tell Lady Diana as I rush forward. 

“No it is perfectly alright.” She says standing just as quickly. She looks even more relieved than I do at the turn of events. “Please don’t let me keep you a moment longer.” She finishes and I bow lowly to her before practically bolting down the hall, my long coat sweeping the floor behind me.