Sera paced nervously around the gardens, half-hoping that Stayne would fail to show up. She had sworn to the Queen not to let anything happen, but… God, just the man's voice made her knees weak.

She perched stiffly on a stone bench, staring down at the grass.

He's just a man. Show some self-control!

"You came." His voice was soft as he approached her. She looked up at him, glaring.

"Yes."

He approached cautiously, holding out a hand.

"Will you walk with me?"

"No."

He frowned slightly.

"Have I upset you?"

"Yes."

A tiny smirk came to his lips.

"Can you say more than one word at a time?"

In reply, she slammed her foot into his shin before getting to her feet and starting to walk away. He hobbled after her, laughing.

"Come now, Sera, just listen to what I have to say, hmm?" He grabbed her arm, pulling her to him. "Come now, sweet girl."

"Get away from me." Sera tried to pull away from him, but he tightened his grip.

"I named you!" he hissed, his eyes flashing.

"The Queen named me!"

"But I gave you the name! What would you have come up with had I not spoken, hmm?" He yanked her closer. "What would you have called yourself? Sera's so fitting for you, and you never would've come up with it on your own!" His lips brushed gently against hers. "I'm the reason you're so happy, Sera. Don't you forget that. I'm the reason you have an identity."

He kissed her fiercely. Her belly swooped, and she started to lean into his kiss. However, the Queen's face flashed in her mind.

Sera immediately bit down hard on Stayne's lower lip. He let out a shout, immediately striking her with the back of his hand. She stumbled, but caught herself and bolted away.

"Sera, wait!" Stayne called, but she was gone.

The lord with the many chins emerged from his hiding spot in the shrubs to report to the Queen.

Later that evening, Stayne joined the Queen in her quarters for a cup of tea. She was just as warm and flirtatious as ever and, despite his preference for… literally any other woman, he felt his body responding to her tone.

However, when he bent to kiss her, she stopped him.

"What on Earth happened here, Stayne?" she asked softly, tracing her finger along the bitemark Sera had left him. "It's almost as if you've been bitten…"

"Oh, that? Er…" Stayne stumbled for an explanation. So caught off guard was he that he didn't see the Queen's cheeks going red. The smack of her palm against his cheek filled the room around them.

Wide-eyed, he stared at the Queen. His heart pounded.

He was caught.

He was done for.

"Please, your Majesty… she threw herself at me!" he said weakly, clutching his cheek. "I tried to tell her no, but she wouldn't-"

"Shut up!" The Queen shrieked, slapping him again. "Shut up! Don't lie to me!"

Stayne stumbled backwards when she struck him, landing hard on his arse.

"Your Majesty!" he gasped. "Please!"

"Where is she?" The Queen loomed over him, that bulbous head eclipsing the light. "What did you do with her?"

"D-do with her?"

"Sera! Where is she?" Her face was scarlet. "She bit you, you hit her, and she ran! I can only assume you chased her down!"

"N-no, your Majesty! I didn't! I stayed where I was, and then I went down to see to the new recruits! You… you can ask any of the guards…"

The Queen's lips trembled, her anger fading.

"Then where did she go?" she whispered. "Where is my Sera, Stayne? I've called out for her so many times over the last few hours, and she's not shown. She has never not come when I've called…"

Her tone had gone from enraged to… pitiful. Stayne saw the tears brimming in her eyes and quickly scrambled to his feet.

"Have… have you tried her bedroom?" He gently touched the Queen's shoulder. "Perhaps she's locked herself in there…"

"I had the room searched. She's not under the bed, nor in the wardrobe…" The Queen sniffled slightly. "The guards are searching the grounds, but… oh, Stayne, if they don't find her…"

"She'll… she'll turn up, your Majesty…" He rested his hand on the small of her back. "She was probably just… frightened and went to hide somewhere…"

"Why would you do this, Stayne? You know how important she's become to me!"

Stayne lowered his eyes, feeling a tug of guilt at his navel. It was true. In all his years, he'd never seen the Queen so enthralled by a member of her court, so protective, so devoted… She was so different when she was with the girl; she was so… happy. Even on his kindest days, Stayne had never made her eyes light up the way they did when she spoke to Sera. And Sera's utter devotion to the Queen…

He sighed heavily, kissing the top of the Queen's head.

"I am sorry, Majesty." He murmured. "I lost control. She is just so… intoxicating. Her very presence…"

"I know, I know." She rested her head against him. "I…I sometimes regret accepting her here… She's taken me over, Stayne. She's… she's all that I want."

He stroked her back with a surprisingly gentle hand.

"We could… share her." he suggested softly. "If she'd be willing to let us both…"

"Stayne! You dog!" The Queen chuckled quietly, but she didn't smile. "She's so devoted to me… to add you to the mix would just confuse the poor girl."

"Have… have the two of you…"

"Oh, please. I'd have told you." The Queen pouted slightly. "Every time I consider… propositioning her, I lose my nerve. I don't want to scare her."

"You know she would do anything you asked of her."

"Yes, but… I want her to want it." The Queen lowered her eyes. "I've never been with a woman before, and I know that she has. We've… talked a little about our past, er, partners." She gave a delicate cough. "She'd be so… bored with me, as inexperienced as I am. If she is only with me out of a sense of duty… both of us will lose our patience before long." She gave a morose sigh. "Perhaps it's for the best… I'm sure I'm but a wet blanket compared to the women she's been with."

"Majesty!" Stayne chuckled, sitting down in his normal chair and pulling her onto his lap. "You are a tigress." He kissed her neck. "The things you make me feel…"

She giggled, pulling away from him and stepping back,

"Yes, but everyone makes you feel like that. Sera is…. She's special." She sighed. "And anyway… this whole conversation is pointless if she's not found!" Stayne rose, nodding.

"She will be found, Majesty. I swear it." He rose. "I will search the entirety of Underland myself if I must."