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  "She is but one of many, there are others suited to her role who could replace her if I so wished," Nathaniel huffed, but Sebastian shook his head, causing the King to bear a grimace.

  "So why does Shadekeep lack an army commander? It's because your ridiculous preferences prevent anyone from being suitable, although the one supposedly unsuitable serves as a leader in her own right, taking charge of our surrounding settlements."

  Amnur silently watched the argument from a distance, while not interrupting was certainly going to be to Nathaniel's ire, the information he was getting was interesting. Feigning ignorance was going to be best once spotted, else the King's mood was going to be fouled further.

  "You can't have your way and remove her due to the backlash it would create, is that not right?" Sebastian added in, still remaining blissfully ignorant of his father's anger. "So you tie her hands by shoving her with petty and useless tasks, knowing full well that she can't refuse as that would give you grounds for insubordination. Having a legitimate excuse for removing her would solve the backlash for a time until the truth came out."

  A sudden door slam behind Amnur signalled that the chamber guards had listened to this argument long enough, whether with disdain or some interest he was unsure. The attention of Sebastian and Nathaniel swiftly turned to the intrusion, the result of which caused Amnur to flinch; the King's expression had not softened as he turned.

  "How long have you been there?" Nathaniel hissed, decidedly taking a step away from his son.

  "I've just arrived, but am I interrupting something? I can come back later if you wish." Amnur laid on the charm, doubting that the King would try and call him out on a lie after what he had been privy to.

  "No, our conversation had just finished," the King spoke, earning a harsh glare from Sebastian. He took a deep breath and began pacing towards Amnur, trying to hide the obvious disdain on his face. Once he reached him, Nathaniel stretched an arm around Amnur's shoulders. "Come now friend, it's time for our feast."

  Amnur tried his hardest to keep himself calm with the close proximity, but Sebastian still picked up on his unease with the situation. "I take it you'd still expect me to attend," Sebastian spoke up, attracting Nathaniel's scorn once more.

  "Was that ever in question?" Nathaniel spat back, increasing Amnur's unease as the arm around his shoulders started to grip him stiffly.

  "Fine," he sighed, but he had seen what he wanted to; there was some problem there, aside from his father's foul temper. "I'll fetch Rin, then."

  Amnur became nervous as Sebastian began to walk off, but to his relief, he only went to a side door and knocked on it. Rin had already been waiting in the room prior to the argument, stashed away from the King's violent temper. The door opened, and Sebastian briefly whispered something to the occupant, far too quietly for Nathaniel to have any idea what was occurring. That didn't stop him from showing his displeasure by holding Amnur uncomfortably tight, however.

  As they watched, a woman stepped out of the room carrying a young demon, one Amnur quickly recognised as being Ciel. It was the first time he had seen Rin, and he had to admit, she was beautiful. She was shorter than Sebastian, standing about the same height as him if Amnur had to guess. Her hair was silky and smooth, flowing over her pointed horns and down her back. The one fact about it that came over unusual to him was the colour, it was a magnificent light silver; a rare colour for demons. As he admired her features, Nathaniel made a noise, but his attention was not directed at Amnur. If what he had overheard told him anything, it was that he despised strong females. Whether Rin fell into that category, he was unsure, but the distaste hinted that the answer to that was yes.

  "Shall we proceed to the table then?" Sebastian gestured to a door at the end of the chamber, positioned behind the throne. Nathaniel once again made a noise, this time not appreciating being ordered around. Amnur waited for the grip to relax before walking forward and away from the King, unsure whether to keep pace with Nathaniel or just to go forward and not appear to be pitying him. A brief glance back told him that the King had yet to move, so he carried on. Whatever was stalling Nathaniel, he did not wish to know.

  As he entered the room, Amnur's attention went to the table; six chairs were placed around it, two on either side, with one at each end. Given Nathaniel's attitude, Amnur expected him to take the seat at the head of the table which allowed him to keep some space, assuming it wasn't questioned. Sebastian opted to sit at the place nearest his father's and had Rin sit beside him, out of range.

  A quick check revealed that Nathaniel had yet to enter the side room, so Amnur took the opportunity to claim the seat he wanted, giving him the space he needed to keep himself calm. Sebastian raised an unnoticed eyebrow at the move; it told much, almost too much. He carefully signalled Rin, who placed Ciel down on the chair at the end of the table, near her and Amnur. It was a ruse to provide Amnur with a suitable reason to be seated where he was, and it gave him a cheerful little companion to interact with. Ciel cooed at the arrangement, distracting Amnur away from the inevitable arrival of Nathaniel.

  Amnur kept his attention on Ciel until the scrape of a chair told him that the King had taken his seat. With a silent sigh, he turned his attention upwards and was met with a stare from Nathaniel; he was none too amused at his choice of seating. Ciel chuckled as he played with Amnur's fingers, momentarily distracting the King away until Nathaniel decided to drop the point. He knew that uprooting Amnur would likely upset Ciel, a fact that would result in an argument as he had no legitimate reason for relocating Amnur, short of upsetting Sebastian. Or at least, that was what Amnur was playing on.

  Shortly after they sat down, the food was brought in by one of the kitchen staff. The meal was a welcome relief to the awkward silence; at least now they had something else to focus on. The plates in front of them were elegantly presented, using only the finest cuts of meat and the healthiest vegetables. It was a far cry from what Amnur had become used to on a daily basis; while they did not neglect the commoner's meals, they certainly did not put in the effort that was laid out before him.

  Nathaniel had his plate served first, as he would expect. From there, the others received theirs with Amnur being last, not that he minded. Ciel too had been given a serving; a small wooden bowl with diced meat and softened vegetables. Nathaniel wasted no time in starting his meal, while Amnur opted to observe Ciel a moment longer. The child was excitedly grabbing his food and chewing it, which resulted in Amnur cracking a slight smile. He then turned and started his meal, subtly trying to spy Nathaniel's expression.

  The King cleared his throat, aided by a firm hit to his chest. "An excellent meal is it not? Only the best is expected for royalty and our esteemed guests, of course," Nathaniel spoke, a hint of arrogance in his voice. Amnur swallowed hard, trying not to choke on his morsel after being startled by the sudden outburst. He regained his composure and faced Nathaniel, taking in a sip of breath.

  "Yes, it is, thank you for inviting me to this," Amnur replied calmly, though watching Sebastian pause made him doubt his ability to keep a neutral tone of voice. "The food reminds me of home if I had to say anything."

  Nathaniel appeared content with that extra line; considering Amnur's family's position, it was a good comparison. Hoping he had nothing else to say, Amnur returned to hiding himself in his food. "This could become a normality for you, I like to reward those loyal to me."

  "Since when?" Sebastian grumbled, too quietly for either party to pick up on his words. The interruption, however, was not unnoticed. Nathaniel directed his attention away from Amnur to his errant son.

  "Did you say something?" the King huffed, watching as Sebastian unenthusiastically returned the glare.

  "No, I was just clearing my throat. I wasn't aware it would cause a fuss, my apologies," Sebastian spoke plainly, which evidently irritated his father. He held the gaze for a few seconds before returning to his food, ignoring any continued efforts by Nathaniel.

  Unsure how to react to the
increasing agitation, Amnur grabbed a goblet that had been placed near him and sipped the liquid inside. It was a type of wine, but he was unsure of the vintage, the fruity undertones trying to soothe his nerves as he continued to drink. Nathaniel opted to do the same, but he downed his share with little more than a single gulp.

  The metal base of the goblet made a resounding noise as he slammed it down on the table, before reaching over to the opened bottle of wine and pouring himself another round.

  Amnur tensed at the display, taking a deep breath between sips. He placed his own goblet down and began to consume the rest of his meal, desperately hoping for this farce to finish soon. Ciel had started to cry at the sudden disturbance, something which distressed Rin. The whole meal was collapsing, but Nathaniel appeared unwilling to admit it and refused to release control of the situation.

  "Shhh, it's okay Ciel,” Amnur softly hushed him, turning away from his meal to calm the child. Rin flashed him a smile but stopped short of helping Amnur with him, just in case Nathaniel took the change of interest personally. She scraped her plate with her fork, silently pleading to Sebastian to do something to end the tension.

  He took the hint, briefly glancing at the empty state of the plates and the distracted Amnur. "We're all done with our meals, and I imagine our guest has other tasks he wishes to attend to," Sebastian announced; Amnur glanced up and nodded in reply, before turning away from any unwelcome glares from Nathaniel. "Ciel also appears to be becoming tired, and we need to settle him down to sleep."

  Nathaniel huffed, deciding whether to respond or not. He rapped his fingers on the table a couple of times, before scratching the edge of the table as he slid his hand away.

  "Fine," the King said, not shifting from his seat. Amnur rose from the table at the same time as Rin and offered a respectful bow, breathing a silent sigh of relief. "Amnur wait, a word if you will," Nathaniel interrupted, causing the mage to freeze. With a growing sense of dread, Amnur turned back around.

  "Not willing to continue our previous discussion? Typical," Sebastian mocked, shaking his head side to side. Nathaniel glared at the challenge, changing his attention away from Amnur entirely.

  Amnur took the hint and silently mouthed 'I'll come back later' as the volume in the room began to rise, slipping out of the chambers and taking a deep breath as he hurried back to his room. The cramped space came as a relief after that farce, anything was better than spending time around Nathaniel. He went to shut the door and found it stiff to move, surely the King had not followed him?

  Before he could turn around, a light touch directed him to enter the room further; it was certainly too soft for Nathaniel, so he did as instructed and moved. The door shut behind him and he cautiously spun around and ended up level with Rin, who was cradling Ciel in her arms.

  "That was an interesting performance," Rin stated with a neutral tone, watching as Amnur struggled to maintain composure. "Keeping calm isn't your strong suit, is it? More so when you're in the vicinity of one that scares you."

  "What are you saying?" Amnur responded hastily, trying to calm his breathing.

  Rin kept her gaze strong as she continued to evaluate him; despite being cornered, he didn't appear to be considering aggression just yet. "Perhaps it would be better to say it this way; you're not just some mage that follows Nathaniel without question, you know something about him, and it frightens you," she said, pausing for a moment, tilting her head' "would I be correct with that?"

  "Does it make a difference?"

  Rin smiled, Amnur's body told much about his opinions. "I can promise you that nothing you say here will reach the ears of Nathaniel, if there's something more rotten about that man than just his personality then I want to know."

  Amnur considered his position for a moment; if Rin was genuine then it gave him another ally in this, but if she were playing him then he would be significantly compromised. Still, the desire for comfort was overwhelming, gripping his very being tightly as the thoughts raced through his mind.

  "You might wish to take a seat," he replied, gesturing for her to sit on his bed. She complied, settling down comfortably on one end. Amnur pulled out his desk chair and sat down, leaning one arm on the back.

  "Don't feel you have to soften it for me, I'm far more than just Sebastian's wife, even if my actions aren't the most visible," Rin spoke before Amnur could start, causing him to sigh. He scratched the back of the chair with his fingers, debating how to tell her the details and questioning whether to bother at all. "This is painful for you, isn't it?"

  Amnur stopped the scratching, but soon found himself lightly tapping the chair instead. He took a deep breath and found himself slowly detailing the story of his arrival, parts of which he imagined she already knew. The story changed to Nathaniel and his initial friendliness, giving him his first order to deal with angels to which Amnur paused briefly to check for a response. After all, he had been tasked to provide them with a display of power or so it had been said.

  "It's a war, such things are expected, but it doesn't tarnish the individual; the angels are just as willing to do it to us after all," Rin responded to his moment of doubt, "but I gather there's more to this so, continue."

  Continue was exactly what Amnur did; the demon village, Nathaniel's response, everything, although he still found himself keeping the exact gory details quiet. Ciel was present, he didn't need to hear such things, even if he was too young to remember it. He also included the pretence of the feast and his supposed achievements, pulling away out of shame once he finished.

  Rin mulled over the information that had just been given to her, stroking Ciel's hair as he rested against her chest. There was a lot to take in, and it was far worse than she had expected, no wonder Amnur was frightened of Nathaniel. The information also explained the discrepancies that had been told to her by those that lived within the Umbral Forest; the original incident had not gone unnoticed, but the official explanation fell short of the evidence found. Simply put, the wounds found on the body were not created by any known angel blade, their weapons are well documented whenever one comes into the hands of a demon.

  "I'm not afraid or appalled by you, don't worry," Rin replied, noticing his hunched posture.

  "The fact you still tried to do the right thing even after Nathaniel's first punishment tells me your character is sound, not many would be willing to defy him twice and lie to his face about it."

  Amnur sat himself up, both surprised and relieved by her soothing words. "Thank you, for believing me, it means more than you think."

  "It's not hard to believe your words; what gain do you get out of lying about this? You're not from this continent, so you have no ties to bolster by slandering Nathaniel," Rin interrupted with a shrug, but it cheered Amnur up anyway.

  "How do we proceed from this? I doubt Nathaniel would go quietly, overwhelming evidence or not," he queried.

  "For any leadership disputes, Sebastian would be the one we would turn to since, despite his heritage, he has learnt politics and the essentials of ruling. He also has me, my background is intraracial politics which if he has to deal with the fallout from his father's reign, may prove useful."

  "Your tone at the end, it faltered; is there something you're not convinced about?"

  Rin sighed and forced a smile, once again stroking Ciel's head. "Sebastian isn't flawless, I don't know how he'd react to finding out the truth about you considering you've been so close to Ciel. He might unfairly take out his aggression on you for not being truthful earlier; I can set him straight afterwards, but that doesn't heal the pain of any words he may say. That also applies to anyone else caught up in this, he could make enemies fixing the very problem he intended to mend."

  The mage gripped his chair, Rin was willing to be brutally honest about her husband's flaws and the problems they could cause. Still, the prospect of Sebastian berating him was a much more pleasant thought than whatever Nathaniel had in mind. Keeping up a lie with the King was going to end badly. However he pl
ayed it. If he succeeded in maintaining the lie, his missions would be similarly bloody in nature, but if he was caught out, the punishment could mean his life or worse, without Nathaniel stopping in his crusade to control him.

  "I'm willing to take that; peace is better than some hurt feelings, however vile Sebastian's words may get."

  “Thank you, although this doesn’t solve the issue at the moment,” Rin sighed, still retaining her forced smile.

  “It’s not optimal, but for now I’d advise not bringing it up until we can solidify some details. The last thing I would want is Nathaniel to attack you in revenge for whatever we bring against him, all because we failed to ensure his end,” Amnur replied. While there was a wealth of evidence to pull on, Nathaniel’s strength could not be ignored. There was still the question of whether Sebastian could take down his father or if someone else would be willing to do the deed, without that the whole plan would fail. “I’d also suggest heading back now before Nathaniel questions your absence. You can always say you were calming Ciel down since he has calmed right down, hardly a lie there.”

  “Alright, just be careful Amnur, try and let someone know if Nathaniel demands anything of you.” Amnur stood up and gently shuffled past Rin before she could stand, allowing him to access to the door first. He placed his hand on the handle and paused for a moment, slipping in a deep breath. “You’re scared to even open the door, aren’t you?”

  He straightened up at the remark and turned the handle, creating a small, safe gap in the door. No one was obviously stood outside, so he widened the gap until he could fit his body in the space. A brief check either side revealed that they were alone, so he beckoned to Rin to come. She cradled the sleeping Ciel as she walked up to the door, briefly slipping one hand away to give Amnur a reassuring pat on the shoulder as she departed. He watched as she hurried down the corridor, closing the door as she disappeared from sight. Taking no chances, he locked the door and collapsed down on his bed, breathing in and out as he stared up at the rugged ceiling. Now the events of the day were over, Amnur found himself drifting to sleep.