Dipping her quill, Alyssa turned her attention back to her task at hand, hoping that it would allow the males to refocus on what was surely important business that Rowan had set aside to spend the morning with her. The only sound in the room for several moments was the quiet scratch of her quill before Rowan finally commanded quietly, "Report, Kiran."
She didn't look up as a rustle indicated that Kiran had handed over the papers he'd brought to Rowan. She'd gotten just the barest of glimpses, but it had appeared to be quite the thick sheaf of papers. "I've found nothing conclusive yet, whoever was behind this plot was very careful. However, there are a few possible leads. This plan appears to have been put into place hastily when it was learned who your mate was. Still, although it wasn't fully premeditated, the fact that they thought that they could make a move on a newly mated pair makes their actions treason of the highest sort. The assassin is currently being interrogated, but has not yet broken his silence."
It was a well-known fact that trying to interfere with a mating bond was punishable by death, a law that had remained cast in stone after the original horrible incident centuries past. She wondered idly what fool thought that they were above centuries of iron-clad tradition as well as the throne. It was their deadly folly, but it took a particular kind of brash conceitedness to take such suicidal risks.
Rowan's voice interrupted her musings, "And the other matter?"
There was a long moment of silence before Kiran spoke, "I have the scribes searching through the archives for any and all information about attacks on newly mated pairs and the resulting punishments. However, there has been nothing in the past two hundred years, so the scribes are having to go deep into the archives."
Alyssa could hear the exhaustion in the aide's voice, had he gotten any rest the night before? Or had he spent the entire night chasing after elusive leads on the assassin? Rowan apparently heard the fatigue as well because his voice was calmer when he responded, "Go and get something to eat, then get some rest. Things are calm for the moment and since they showed their hand so early, they won't be able to get within a mile of my mate from this point on. I appreciate all that you've done so far, but I'll want you by my side when we catch up with these honorless dogs."
Kiran started to protest but abruptly closed his mouth, lines of exhaustion around his mouth and eyes. He bowed first to Rowan and then to her before quickly excusing himself from the room.
Rowan ignored the guard and turned his attention to the report, so she turned her attention fully to her report as well. She had just finished the section about the known trade routes of the Sanduin when Rowan spoke, startling her, his voice icy. "How was an assassin able to enter the palace and enter my mate's quarters undetected?"
Eric, who had been fidgeting absently while waiting for Rowan's attention, stilled when Rowan spoke. He grimaced and sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Still haven't figured out how the crafty bastard..."
Rowan growled, "Watch your language in front of my mate."
Alyssa watched through her lashes as the guard turned red and hastily apologized, "I'm sorry, Lady Alyssa. I am more accustomed to the presence of soldiers than lovely ladies such as yourself."
Making sure that her amusement was hidden, did Rowan think that she hadn't heard a curse word as mild as bastard before, she raised her gaze and smiled at them. Taking the opportunity to redip her quill to keep her hands busy, she said sweetly, "That is a pity, you seem to be quite the courageous and honorable guard, the noblewomen of the palace must be blind to ignore you. And I must admit, he was a rather crafty opponent, although that vanished once I got the first hit in. But please, continue your report."
And Claude would hurt himself laughing at how she was behaving at that moment and her words. Still, best not to lay all her cards at the table until she knew the players in the game. Giving them another smile, she turned her attention back to the parchment.
Eric waited until she resumed writing to speak again, "As I was saying, we haven't yet figured out exactly where he gained entry to the palace, but it's only a matter of time. Most likely he came in one of the trade entrances, as we've had many merchants in and out to deal with the hunt. However, someone was clearly working with..." He caught himself just in time, clearly substituting the word he was about to say for something that wouldn't get thrashed later by Rowan out of her sight. "The guest currently occupying the dungeons. I'm afraid to say that we have a traitor in our midst. The princess's quarters were deliberately placed in that wing, because it is both the most defensible wing and also because if you haven't been a long-time resident of the palace, the hallways are difficult to navigate, ensuring that she had at least a modicum of privacy. There's no way that an outsider could've found her suite. And the assassin was not a plant, not a single of the servants or permanent residents of the palace recognize him, one of my men would've been able to tell if they'd been lying on that matter, I promise you."
Rowan muttered under his breath so quietly that Alyssa couldn't hear, although she figured that they would've probably turned the air blue if they'd been just a little bit louder. She watched as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration before asking quietly, "Are you sure that the inside man isn't one of the guards?"
Eric's expression turned cold, steel lining his words, "If it was, they will regret the day that they were born. I'm going through everyone with a fine-tooth comb at the moment. If there is anything even the least bit suspicious, I will find it. I give you my word."
Rowan sighed, his expression easing. "Very well, I shall leave this matter in your hands. But if you discover anything, I want to be informed immediately." He glanced at the clock before sighing again. "You may go as well, my next appointment will be here any moment now, Lord Caldwell has always been punctual. However, don't forget to take some rest and grab something to eat. You need to be at the top of your game for this matter."
Eric saluted him before turning and bowing deeply to her. Then with a cheerful wave, he was off, leaving just her and Rowan in the office. As soon as the door shut behind him, Alyssa felt Rowan's gaze on her. She took her time finishing up the sentence she was working on before setting aside her quill and looking up. His expression was a mixture of curiosity, happiness, and deep concern. Knowing that there was only a couple of minutes until Rowan's next meeting, not nearly enough time to deal with heavy matters in any meaningful way, Alyssa decided to lighten the atmosphere instead. "Is the palace always this intriguing?"
He blinked at that, her words clearly not what he was expecting, "Intriguing?"
She nodded, ticking off on her fingers, "In the last twenty-four hours, there's been a mate hunt, a ball and banquet, an assassination attempt, followed by breakfast with royalty, negotiations, and meetings. And that's not even counting the people. A bodyguard turned maid, a cheerful monarch, an irritable prince, a cheeky guard, and a serious aide. And don't forget to include the unknown as of yet villain behind the scenes and the somewhat moral assassin lingering in the dungeon as an involuntary guest. So, is the palace always this lively and interesting?"
He floundered for several moments before his shoulders relaxed and he smiled reluctantly. "Well, when you put it like that, I suppose that things have been rather lively. But if you're worried about your safety, steps have been taken..."
She waved his words aside, "They struck thinking that they would succeed because no one would ever dare something like that, so they had the advantage of surprise on their side. They'll lay low and try to recoup, get rid of any evidence tying themselves to the assassin. There is nothing to worry about unless they're totally deranged and everyone knows that the palace guards are second to none. I'm not worried." She had years of warrior training on her side, after all, she was no soft court lady or untutored country bumpkin. But still, she wasn't willing to give away her ace card quite yet.
Before Rowan could speak, there was a knock on the door. He sighed, "That will be Lord Caldwell, the minister of finance. I'm sorry for the interruptions, I will make it up to you. Maybe dinner together this evening?"
She had to acknowledge that he was at least trying, even if things were currently less than ideal. She would bet that he hadn't truly believed in the mate hunt, since while the earlier meetings had dealt with the assassination attempt, the minister of finance had nothing to do with that. She couldn't decide whether she was irritated that he had cared so little about the mate hunt as to plan his life as if nothing had changed or sad that he'd decided even before it started that he wouldn't find his mate, so why bother changing anything.
Suddenly realizing that she'd been silent, she smiled and nodded, "Dinner would be nice."
Confusion over her behavior crossed briefly over his face, but he accepted her answer easily enough before calling for Lord Caldwell to enter. Alyssa immediately turned her focus to her paper, not wanting to appear as if she were prying into royal affairs on her first day in the palace. Yes, the news about the attempt on her life had undoubtedly already spread throughout the entire palace and probably even the streets beyond. So she would do her best to appear like she was the prince to be coddled and sheltered rather than some gold digger wanting to get her claws into the palace and the people working there.
Only listening with a tiny portion of her attention to what was being discussed, Alyssa turned her attention to recalling every possible thing that she could about the Sanduin.
X
It took her another hour to write down all the points that she believed would be relevant for Rowan's negotiations. Having long before lost the thread of the meetings, she strongly suspected that she was missing vital information necessary for her full understanding, she decided to excuse herself.
After straightening her papers, she neatly capped the inkwell and stood. This caused Rowan to stop mid-sentence, his attention focusing completely on her in an instant. "Milady? Is there something that you need?"
Alyssa smiled apologetically at the minister of commerce and turned her attention to Rowan who had stood just moments after she had. "I'm fine, thank you. I can see that you have important business to attend to and since I have compiled all the information that you might need, I wish to return to my chambers."
A flash of frustration crossed his face, there and gone again so quickly that if she hadn't been studying his expression, she would've missed it entirely. However, he merely nodded, looking down for the count of three before meeting her eyes again. "Very well, I can understand how this would be taxing, especially after the past several days of travel and excitement."
He turned to the minister, "Please excuse me for just one moment."
The Commerce Minister was a rather jovial-looking fellow and just smiled kindly at them, "No rush, Your Highness. I remember when I first met my lovely mate, it was quite difficult to be apart from her for any length of time."
Rowan merely nodded his thanks and walked her over to the door. Stepping out of the office, she was surprised to find Risa and a couple of guards waiting discreetly in an alcove nearby. Rowan motioned them over, his tone curt, "Lady Alyssa wishes to return to her chambers. Risa and Antoine, you are to watch over her until either Eric or I come to relieve you, understood?"
Without waiting for them to reply, he turned back to Alyssa and picked up her hand, bringing it to his lips and brushing a kiss over her knuckles. He murmured, "I'll see you this evening, Lyssa. Please, take care."
She felt her heart skip a beat and she just knew that she was blushing. She smiled up at him, "I look forward to it."
Pulling her hand away, she turned and walked away before she decided to go back into his office and spend the rest of the day bored out of her mind. Still, as she rounded the corner, she glanced over her shoulder and realized that he was still hovering in the doorway of his office, watching her. She gave him a half-smile and a little wave then walked around the corner before she saw whether or not he waved back.
It was crazy, they'd known of the mate bond for less than twenty-four hours at this point, but the pull between them was undeniable. She absently flexed her fingers a few times, wishing for her sword and for Claude, so that she could just spar until her thoughts untangled themselves and her brain was calm again. Glancing at her escorts, however, she knew that it was a futile wish. Until the person was caught or until they left the palace, she would undoubtedly be kept under lock and key for her safety.
Maybe once they returned to her chambers, Risa would help her clear an area where she could at least do her exercises without it being remarked upon. Better to keep her reflexes sharp and her mind aware. She'd always thought of the court as an ornamental lily pond, shallow, beautiful, and filled with mud that the flowers thrived in. However, she was quickly coming to realize that danger lurked viciously under the seemingly serene surface.
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