Melior of Milana

Three

The ball is finally over, and I am escorted to my meeting room by my minister. It is normally unacceptable for me to go anywhere by myself. Single Queens have reputations more fragile than even the finest crystal. We can be shattered and destroyed in mere moments. It is because of this fact that I always practice an abundance of caution and make certain that I am never alone while on duty. My elderly court members wholeheartedly agree with this decision of mine. This is why I am surprised when my minister gets ready to leave me alone in the meeting room with the messenger from Phillip. Before I can question him on why he's leaving me to discuss something so crucial with this man alone, he smiles, bows, and closes the door after exiting the room. I realize he intends to throw me to the wolves and let me fend for myself alone. He is probably well on his way to running to his friends to tell them about the mess he has left me in.

I know I have only a few moments to compose myself before the messenger arrives. I give myself a moment to think of the elderly men visiting from King Phillip's kingdom and sift through each man's demeanor and decide on how to manipulate him into giving me what I want. There is a brief knock on the door, and then my nemesis enters the room.

I stand up from my chair so that I can stand toe to toe with the man. It will not do to have me seated looking up to him. I place a confident smile on my lips and look up to greet my visitor. To my shock though, it's not one of the many elderly men from Phillip's kingdom. It's him! I had been so mesmerized by his splendor in the receiving room that I didn't even remember his name. I can see that he has noticed my surprise at his entering the meeting room, and once again instead of looking nervous as he should, he seems amused by my reaction. This irks me even more.

I was not prepared to be in his presence so soon after making a fool of myself over his devastating beauty only a short while ago. Quickly running through my options, and realizing that I have no choice but to power through with this meeting, I incline my head graciously to one side to acknowledge his bow and gestured for him to be seated across from me. The meeting room is made for small impersonal meetings between myself and my courtiers before conducting public ones. It is definitely not designed for this tall overpowering man. Although his body is too big for the delicate wooden chair, he lounges on it casually and because of his height has to lean back in it to look at me. I straighten my spine to look taller and less vulnerable in front of him. I steel my nerves as I prepare to negotiate with this man. Rather than looking angry and impulsive as he had in the receiving room, he now looks languid. He looks like he is out on a social event rather than sitting in front of a Royal on a mission from another one. I take a deep breath and decide that if I am to come out of this meeting the victor, I will have to initiate the conversation myself.

***

Tristan had completed the basic part of his investigation just in time to make it for his meeting with the Queen. So far, he had concluded that there was no illicit faery magic being either produced or used in the castle. He had been directed here by the blades. They had been certain that someone in this castle was using it. He was well aware of the rumors that the Queen herself was half faery, and therefore the Blades' and his suspicions had not been completely unfounded. However, his thorough search of most of the castle had yielded him no clues. He had been surprised by how open and simple everything was in this castle. He had only the Queen's private living quarters left now. But first, he sighed in exasperation as he remembered. He had to meet the woman herself and propose on Phillip's behalf. He walked briskly behind the elderly Duke of Milana as he walked him to the queen's meeting room. Tristan ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He was going to do his best to keep this meeting brisk.

A footman opened the door for him. As was courtesy, Tristan waited for the duke to enter the chambers before him. To his surprise though, the older man merely smiled at him and left the corridor. Tristan shrugged and entered the room. As soon as his eyes met hers he felt his breath freeze. Why did she have this effect on him? Seriously, of all the women he had met, why did this particular one make him freeze every time his eyes met hers? He forced the thought aside and bowed. She gestured for him to have a seat, and then sat back in her own seat gracefully. Tristan waited for her to initiate the conversation, and if he was honest with himself, he was grateful for it. He was feeling a little bit tongue-tied at the sight of the vastly appealing woman seated across from him.