Rue led me into a room a door down from the examination office. A single bed sat in the middle of the room. The far wall had a window high up on the wall to prevent attacks, I guess. One glance at the ivory inlay in the frame told me this was undoubtedly the royal suite. Or at least what passed for one at one point in time.

The bed looked lumpy, and the sleeping furs were in desperate need of a wash. Whichever of Rue's aides were in charge of cleaning this room needs to be ousted from their position.

Talk about nasty. But it's sadly not the worst place I've ever slept.

I dropped onto the bed. It was lumpier than I thought. "You've been chewing on your lip since you looked me over, Rue. What's your issue?"

Considering she's having me stay in bed several days, I'm pretty sure I can get away with talking however I want. So that's what I'm doing.

She shook her head, which did absolutely nothing to remove the questions from my mind but forcing the issue would hardly engender her to me.

Rue folded her hands behind her and started toward the door. "I'll send Samira in when she arrives." 

She was mostly out the door when she stopped. Then, craning her neck to look at me, she spoke. "Highness, have you ever thought you might be the right person for the throne?"

I begin to hack and cough so hard my chest aches. What is Rue talking about? Usurping Tolwren's position wasn't possible. It had never been. Not even in the beginning when these people had some idea as to what and who they were. 

The closest thing that had happened was twice before the heir died before succession took effect. 

There were no disputes over succession. They didn't happen.

Well, technically, there was one, just one. A legend I wrote up to add to the reference materials. Their Goddess, the mother, had chosen the second son. One thing led to another; the second son vied for the throne, and the oldest ended up dead.

But there was no way I was 'chosen' by a non-existent goddess, especially when she was fake in the story as well.

"Sleep on it, Highness, please."

I nodded. What else could I do? 

Saying yes wasn't an option; screw all the effort it takes to be a king. As the fourth son, all I had to do was show up. Add that to knowing what was likely to happen, and boom! The perfect makings for an easy life spent in high regard. 

She stepped from the room.

You as King? Her time may be up, yet, it seems she's lost her mind.

You're not wrong, especially if the King or Piety heard what she said.

My course is clear, wait for morning and give her a big fat N.O. as an answer.

If his Majesty hears of it, will you protect her? This woman who would have you be King?

That threw me for a loop. Would I? It's not like there was anything to gain from it. In fact, it'd likely end with me being killed myself. That said, if they tried to off her right in front of me… I don't think I could let them go through with it.

Course, I'm not going to tell Endurance that. So let the pain in the ass suffer!

Who knows.

I hear his snort as I make myself comfortable in the bed. There's no chance I'm rising to the bait he threw out. However, his disdain is the least of my concerns. 

So many things weren't going how I wrote them, and I know that Vandel* dying was a catalyst to some of it, but it shouldn't have stopped significant events. Hell, I even wrote backup plans just in case it didn't happen the way I wanted in the first draft! 

Yet, Tolwren didn't nearly die, which meant he didn't stomp away from the King for sacrificing one of the guards to save him.

What else has changed, and was that change done by some unseen force or simple cause and effect?

Would testing on the smaller facets be enough?

Within the week, a family of Tuviat basically ferrets the size of a medium-sized dog with a hankering for baby flesh would be burrowing under the wall. Capturing them would have to be my first order of business. I could do so many things with them, even if I'd prefer to have one of the others.

Dammit. I should have used the Kirusk! That would have been awesome.

I was in the middle of berating myself when I must have fallen asleep because when my eyes opened, Samira was right beside me. Like a few inches or less away.

"Son of a bitch!" I tried to scramble backward but found myself stuck in the furs.

"Highness? Are you awake? Please return to your slumber confident that I will be watching over you."

She was watching me sleep. 

The way she announced it did not fill me with confidence either, not in the slightest. All it did accomplish was sending shivers running through me. She's a complete creeper.

I jabbed my finger toward the door. 

"Get out."

She dropped to one knee, her fists pressed against the stone. "I refuse! A guard cannot leave her post under any circumstance!"

I bury my face into the furs with a groan and regret it instantly. The smell burns my nose. I shove Samira away and throw myself to my feet. Then, taking the skins, I sling them at my guard. "Get that washed." 

As soon as she's gone out of the room, I'm making a run for it. I'd rather find a quiet corner to lay in than deal with her staring.

She dragged the furs across the floor, threw the door open, and belted out a whistle that brought an aid running. "See to it; you scrub this clean."

She destroyed my plan just like that.

I frown as she turns to face me. I'm not going to be getting any sleep.

***

I was right. Samira didn't take her eyes off me for more than a few moments at a time. Did the King tell her that she wasn't to take her eyes off me? It sounds like something he'd say that she'd take literally.

An odd thing considering I didn't write her to be an idiot. Slightly compliant maybe, but clever, again and again proving she could outthink her enemy. So what was this? Did I mess up a line in her profile or something?

It quickly got to the point that I just needed to get rid of her. That's fine. If I can't catch a break, I'll make myself one.

As soon as I could see the barest hint of light through the window, I made my move.

"Samira, I'd really appreciate it if you'd go and get my breakfast."

Very devious.

I can hear the sarcasm in his tone, but I say nothing; there'll be time to respond later.

Samira eyes me for a moment, no doubt questioning why I'm sending her for food when it would be delivered to me before long, but she lets it go and strides out the door. I waited for five beats after she left to throw the blankets off. Another two moments and I'm out the door myself.

Getting out of the Healer's turned out to be far easier than I expected. The aides were all in various states of unconsciousness, one of which consisted of staring blankly at an empty vial like it was something important.

It had me convinced enough to check. It wasn't. Still just an empty vial, not even corked.

Rue must've been off attending to something, likely far beneath her, but as it allowed me to walk out the front of the building, I find I don't much care. I stopped only once to pull Rue's spare white cloak from the rack.

After getting out, it was as easy as putting on the stolen cloak, and no one gave me a second look. It's sad that a white cloak offers one free-range, even if I'm pleased to take advantage of it.

I'm going to have to rectify that or get someone to.

Moving through the village, I'm grateful that I made a colossal map detailing the city's layout down to any halfway important characters' home so I could use them for any exciting incident I thought up if I got half a mind to. But it makes finding the orphanage easy.

On the village's Eastside, the largest building outside the guardhouses with a training yard attached. The military arts might have been a requirement, but most children learned the basics from parental figures or on duty hence why the orphanage got the little something extra.

Nourish any talent, no matter where they might come from.

Moving along the perimeter, I search for any sign that the Tuviat might have begun its hunt. Not that there are many of those. Mostly cracks and chips in the stone.

I started to make another pass when the orange fluff ball strutted right up to me and meowed. 

"You know, I wasn't trying to crush you, right?" Reaching out, I go to pat it only for my hand to pass through the cat's head. Scrambling back, I narrow my eyes at it.

"Why are you haunting me?"

The cat meowed again, then wandered over to the wall and laid down.

"Fine, don't help me. I wonder if I ever jotted anything about exorcisms into the story?"

If it was worried about my grumblings, it didn't show the slightest outward sign.

Leaning my back against the building, I slid down. If the tuviat were coming, they'd be using the wall closest to their targets. A wall that just so happens to be right in front of me.

"Did you really think you'd gotten away?" 

I jerk forward and look around for the person who'd spoken. There was no one there. Could it have been said to one of the kids inside? Turning slightly, I strained to hear whatever was being said.

I saw her shadow sweep by before I saw her. Aster, she'd just dropped from somewhere to land in front of me.

"You did, didn't you?" She laughed. "You used to make this difficult, at least. That head wound must really be slowing you down."

Your skills do pale in comparison to my Prince's. But, of course, I believe you know how worthless you are.

How did he put up with you again? Why the hell didn't I add a mute option to you?

Oh, right, I wanted to annoy him.

"Aster." I spare her a nod and focus my attention back on the sand.

"Is this really how you want to spend your day? Yesterday morning, you talked about Ryver's Twanlad and how you wanted to see them.

The Twanlad. A dog-like animal with two forward bodies and one back. It has two heads, four eyes and ears, and seven legs. Originally it was a dingo. It also happened to be created in the same places as the Tuviat.

I don't remember any of them in the original book either. Ryver is the city's stable master and one of the few male characters outside the royal family. I only ever briefly mentioned and only concerning the seven girls and one boy he produced. 

Gods, I wish I'd access to Vandels* memories. It'd make my life so much easier.

She waits for your answer.

Dammit, be quiet!

I pity the pain that annoys me next. A number of ways to torment Endurance had already entered my head. My favorite happened to be singing show tunes when I was awake and making him listen to them. Sadly, as much as it amuses me, doing it to an opponent that doesn't sleep wouldn't count as the best move on my part.

Taking to my feet, I gesture her to lead the way.

She doesn't. Instead, she peers at me like I've grown a foot in a matter of moments. "Why did you come to the orphanage anyways? It's got pretty high foot traffic."

I stopped. There is no doubt that the Tuviat family would show up and go after the kids when I left. The very thought of the weasel finding its way to them disgusts me. Off the warriors, I don't care, such as the nature of war. But not kids.

Did that matter when they aren't actual people? Can I count them as real people? The idea of the children being their meal does turn my stomach.