"You wanted an audience with me Commander Bowen? " Azkadellia asked, sitting down to the correspondence she had just received.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I have come to ask permission to court."
Az's hand froze mid writing and then quickly resumed it again.
"No."
"Really?" asked the Commander, eyebrows raising.
Az tried to push down the tightness in her chest and schooled her face into a mask of indifference.
"I'm doing you a favor."
She heard a chair scrape the floor as the Commander seated himself.
"Please explain," he replied.
Of all the impertinent...
"Commander, surely the General and my sister's relationship has not escaped your notice?"
The Commander's brow furrowed.
"And?"
Az's pen slammed to the table.
"We're talking about Wyatt Cain, here."
A sudden look of understanding flashed across the Commander's face and it split into a wide grin.
"Oh, you think I'm asking to court Princess Dorthea? Ozma, no, I meant it when I said I fear the General far more than I fear you. I prefer myself with all of my teeth and as few bullet holes as possible as a general rule. Besides, I have no romantic affection for your sister. I came here to ask the Queen-" he paused gesturing to Az,"for permission to court the Queen," and again gestured towards her.
Az felt something akin to elated terror spark in her chest washing away the previous heaviness.
"But...but," she sputtered,"you don't even like me!"
She watched, surprised to see his face fall, a look of disappointment overtaking his features. "I am sorry I gave you that impression. Please do not mistake my honesty for disapproval."
Bowen stood and walked to the window before speaking again. "Before I met you, I knew only one of two things could be true about the feared crown princess. Either she was actually still evil and this was all a ruse to lure her subjects into a false sense of security...OR the stories were true and she was just as much a victim as the rest of us. Upon meeting you I immediately knew the first possibility to be false."
He paused and turned toward her, leaning a shoulder on the window frame.
"So that only left the second possibility. And for that little girl to emerge from that ordeal as a sane and kind woman is quite remarkable. That would be a woman worth admiring. So, Your Highness," he paused, nodding his head towards her, "Will you allow me to court you?"
"I can't... not just yet," she blurted, a little stunned by his speech, "I granted permission to the son of a lord from the Winkylands."
"Do you have any real interest in him?" asked Bowen, seeming unfazed.
"Ozma, no," exclaimed Az, "I don't even know him and he's terrified of me. He's just doing this to appease his father and I'm allowing it... trying to show I'm a normal Queen and all."
"So no affection for him then?"
Az made a face and shook her head, "No. He sweats profusely and anytime he is around me he can barely stutter a word out. The last time we spoke, he screamed 'don't hex me!' and hid behind his bodyguard. I don't anticipate it to last very long."
She wasn't sure, but she swore she heard him utter "good" underneath his breath.
"So after?" he asked.
Azkadellia grimaced. "Lord Winterun has asked for an audience as well..."
The Commander raised eyebrow in question.
"And then Duke Cunningham," she continued with a wince.
Bowen stepped toward her, perching himself on the edge of her desk close enough to make Azkadellia have to lift her face to look him in the eye.
"Any of them serious prospects?"
"Winterun fancies himself the savy diplomat and is just going through the motions of political maneuvering. I do think Cunningham wants to marry me but only for power and position."
With a nod, Bowen removed himself from the desk and headed towards the door, stopping to bow at the threshold.
"Then I'll leave you to it, my Lady. I, too, have some business to attend to."
He was nearly out the door when Az stood, the sudden movement catching his eye and he waited to see what she wanted.
"When we met... what made you so sure I wasn't the Sorceress?"
A brilliant, genuine smile lit up the Commander's face.
"An evil Sorceress wouldn't blush when a man holds her hand to help her down a step."
And then he pulled the door shut behind him.