I woke up to knocking on the door. Virtus’s arm slipped away from under my neck. He had held me in my sleep, and as he slipped away my back felt cold. I packed the covers tighter around me. He went to speak with someone at the door. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I could hear that it was something serious. The door closed. I turned around.

  “What was it darling?” I asked, my voice raspy from the sleep.

  “It’s my father, his illness is progressing.”

  His voice was strained.

  He got dressed and gave me a soft kiss on the forehead before he left the room. I y back down in bed for a while. Now there was only one thing left to do. I had to get the blood and then it would all be done. Finally done.

  I went back to my room to get dressed for the day. I thought that I really should move more of my things to Virtus’s room, since we were not pced that close to each other in the castle. Though of course soon the king would die, and then we would move to the king and queen’s chambers. No, when the king would die I would move away with Alvar, like I promised him. The thought stopped me in my tracks for a moment.

  He was waiting in front of my door.

  “Bad news,” I told him. “The king’s illness has progressed.”

  He nodded.

  I went to put on my daytime dress, and when I was done the guards had already changed. Now I had to find a way to go to the king and get his blood.

  ***

  “Please, I just want to support you.”

  “I don’t want you to see my father like this,” my husband sighed.

  “I’ve seen him a lot of ways, I just want to be by your side.”

  “Darling, I love you, but the st time you were by my side you dropped your ring on the king and then pulled his hair out.”

  Shit!

  Virtus was not letting me go see the king at all. It had already been hard enough to get his hair, now it would be impossible to get his blood. I scolded myself for not having had more tact then. I had enough time, I should have devised a more solid pn. I still only had three days to get the blood.

  “Anyway you hate my father. It would be best for all of us if you just stay with the things you like and let me take care of this.”

  “Hate is a strong word,” I muttered.

  “A strong and accurate word.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Getting closer to Virtus would be no help. I needed to figure something else out.

  ***

  The breeze from the ocean pyed on my face. It was fresh, and smelled like freedom. The harbour at dusk was no less lively than it was during the day. People bustled about, sang and called. Ships were still arriving to dock, and the merchants sold their wares. I watched them standing on a high turret in the castle. From a distance everyone’s life looks simple. These people’s lives seemed so simple to me, and surely mine must have looked very easy to them.

  Maybe we shouldn’t even kill the king at all. Maybe his illness and temporary madness would be punishment enough. If Virtus was cunning and vicious enough he would be able to turn it into a coup and take control of Medora. He would rule more fairly, the people would be safe. He would find another wife eventually, maybe his precious duchess.

  I would need to meet with Adora soon, and make pns for my escape. We needed to make it seem like I died. Maybe an illness, maybe a terrible accident. Probably it was best if we could make it seem like my body had disappeared. Falling into the ocean, perhaps. I also needed to start siphoning away valuables and coin to use for our trip, and setting up a life in the Midway Isles. I would need more money because I didn’t know how to keep a home like the common women do. I had never even started a fire.

  “Your Highness.”

  I turned around, it was Alvar. He stood behind me in his everyday clothes.

  “Sir Alvar, what are you doing here?”

  “I saw you from the courtyard and thought you might need a little company.”

  “But if you saw me then other people might.”

  “Don’t worry, I was alone.”

  His golden eyes shimmered in the red light of dusk. They looked like they were on fire. He stroked my arm lightly with the tips of his fingers, as if he was terrified to touch me.

  “I can’t stop thinking about you, Your Highness.”

  “Alvar,” I tilted my head down to look at him with wide eyes. “Do you think I would be a good wife to you?”

  “Your Highness,” his voice was breaking. “How could you ask such a thing? I’m still wondering what good I must have done to be worthy of you.”

  “I don’t know how to do anything,” I told him. “I don’t know how to cook or clean. My only skill is embroidery.”

  “I know how to cook and clean. It’s not complicated and you are very smart. I can teach you.”

  I smiled and grabbed his arm.

  “Anyway,” he said. “I always thought you would consider yourself above such things. I just thought I would work extra hard so that we could keep a maid in our home in the Midway Isles.”

  “Of course I want to do my part,” I smiled.

  “That’s good to hear, Your Highness.”

  “You know, when we’re alone you can call me Talia.”

  “Talia,” he whispered.

  His rough hand found pce on my waist, the sun was almost set. In the st light of the day I looked into Alvar’s face, grabbed him, and kissed him.

  He grabbed me too, I almost disappeared into his big arms. He bent down to kiss me, his lips pushed against mine. One of my arms circled around his neck, my hand buried in his hair, the other one snaked around his torso, pushing his strong back toward me. We couldn't get close enough.

  “Sister! Hello!”

  Plinius waved excitedly from the courtyard.