Keiro had graciously shown up in the open doorway of Attia's turned upside down room after he'd changed and pulled his hair back more cleanly. She was seated on the edge of her bed, one leg resting over the other. Finn stood off to the side, accompanied by two Royal Guardsmen while the others thoroughly searched the room. Across the room from the King, Kingston and Scotts looked far too smug as their eyes followed the men ransacking the room.
"Find anything interesting?" Keiro asked and Attia's eyes slowly turned to meet his gaze.
"They certainly found all my dirty secrets, but nothing they're looking for," she answered him. She wasn't smiling, but still the heavy gaze was enough to make him wonder exactly what she was thinking of.
"What kind of secrets?" he asked, taking only a few seconds to turn first to Finn. He looked like he was out of place among Keiro and Attia, but he did his best to hide it. In light of Attia's comments that nothing had yet been found, Kingston and Scotts looked much less smug.
"The best kind."
"Well, now I'm interested," he quipped but Attia said nothing in response. Only moments later, the man digging endlessly through Attia's dresser groaned and sat back on the floor as he rotated his head to stretch his neck. Another man emerged from her closet, picking articles of clothing off of his arms and tossing it back behind him.
"There's nothing, Your Grace," he said as he turned to Finn, who only nodded then turned to the man seated by the dresser.
"Put everything back," Finn said but Attia scoffed as she sat up.
"How about you send your maid hands so they'll stop touching all my stuff with their dirty hands," Attia commented and Finn turned to look at her.
"Fine," he told her, confused as to why she sounded so upset. He would've done anything she'd wanted after he'd been forced to have her room thoroughly searched. "Kingston, Scotts," he called as he turned to the two Lords on the other side of the room. "Council will convene later today on your accusations, but considering no evidence exists, it's safe to say your charges will be over ridden and removed from Attia's record."
"Was that worth getting beaten in a room full of people?" Keiro asked as he turned to Kingston, his own smug look taking over.
"Keiro," Finn sighed as he started towards the door, the Royal Guard following behind him. "Leave it alone," he said as Keiro stepped further into the room to let Finn exit. "Clear the room, Kingston, Scotts," Finn called back after he'd already left the doorway.
"Bye," Attia told him in a high pitched tone in a mocking manner as she waved them out of the room. Keiro waited for the two to leave the room before he turned and met her gaze. "Look at what they did to my room," she said strongly, obviously far more upset than she had let on when the Northern Lords and Finn were still within her room.
"It's not that bad," Keiro replied as he glanced around. "You just need to reorganize."
"Everything," she added and he laughed as he shrugged and pulled open one of the drawers of her dresser. She could see from his facial expression that all of her things had been tossed around and nothing was in its place.
"So it's a little messy," Keiro agreed as he pushed the drawer shut and turned back to Attia.
"It's a lot messy."
"You'll get it back to normal soon," he promised with a slight shrug. "Or you can just leave it and stay in my room for a change."
Attia only rolled her eyes at the comment as she gathered her black coat, which had been laid out on her bed. As she slipped her arms through the sleeves, she walked across the room towards Keiro. "You are planning on attending the Council meeting, right?"
"I guess I can," he answered, obviously uninterested in his duties as a member of Council. "It's not like they're going to have some ground breaking discovery." He followed behind her a few steps, and pulled her bedroom door shut after he'd passed through the doorframe.
"They definitely will," Attia responded and Keiro narrowed his eyes at the back of her head. Though she couldn't actually see his facial expression, she could guess how he was responding.
"You can't be serious." He'd picked up on what she meant, but in response to his comment, she only laughed. It was that cold, almost evil, laugh that mocked an innocent giggle. It was the one Keiro liked all too much except under the current circumstances. "They could charge us, and Claudia, with any number of things."
"Since when did you care about charges?" she questioned without even looking back at him.
"I guess you could just pick the locks," he answered, and she could hear the smug smirk his lips had turned up to form.
"I'll pick mine."
Keiro scoffed at her boldness in insinuating she would just leave him behind in prison. He desperately hoped she'd forgotten the many times he'd threatened to leave her behind in Incarceron. Leaving her behind definitely would've made his trip easier and less of a pain, and yet in hindsight he was fairly certain it would've been incredibly boring. The fastest way the make to a potential war zone interesting was to toss Attia in the middle armed with a few good knives, he'd discovered over their time together, romantically or otherwise.
When the two had strode into Council room, the only other person left to arrive was Casper, not that anybody particularly missed the entitled Prince. Or even valued his political opinion. So as Keiro took his seat on the left side of Finn, Attia pulled a chair to the table and sat on the other side of Claudia, who had taken Casper's seat to the right of Finn.
"In light of Kingston and Scotts' accusations," Vega started the Council meeting without much small talk.
"You ransacked my room. We got that part," Attia stopped him, but he didn't seem as irritated about her interjection as most thought he should be. Instead he looked rather pleased and even entertained. Keiro narrowed his eyes at Vega, but nobody was paying him any attention.
"And nothing was found."
"Obviously," Attia replied bitterly.
"So we'll take a vote as to whether or not the charges against you will be allowed to move forward."
"Can we just skip this?" Keiro asked with a heavy sigh as he leaned back in his seat. Finn shut his eyes as she drew in a deep breath, doing his best to accommodate the men of Council, who preferred customs and traditional ways of resolving problems, but also to respect Attia and Keiro, mostly Keiro, who saw the time consuming customary ways of going about things as an annoyance. But of course, Keiro was right in that specific occurrence. It was painfully clear nothing would come from Kingston and Scotts' accusations against Attia.
"Fine," Finn agreed. "I think it's unnecessary anyway. Everything will be removed from your record," he said a she turned to Attia, but she was far less interested in the clearing of her name than what had been expected by the Councilmen.
"Great," she said as she nodded. "Then we can move on. Keiro," she said as she looked up at him, but he held her gaze. He didn't want to go along with what she had wanted to do, but she was as stubborn as he. "Now, Keiro."
"We can do that some other time," he replied and Attia's eyes narrowed, her lips pressed together tightly.
"Now, would be best. You know, before Kingston and Scotts leave Court."
"Fine," Keiro groaned as he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket to retrieve a stack of folded letters. He tossed them into the center of the table and as they landed on the hard wood, the scattered across the table top.
"What are these?" Vega asked, looking up at Keiro, then at Attia.
"Letters," Keiro answered simply.
"Between Kingston and the King of the Northern Kingdom," Attia clarified, but was met with cold silence.
"Maybe you should tell them how you got them," Keiro suggested but was met by Attia's cold stare.
"Are you kidding?" Vega was the first to speak, while the other men started to open and read the letters. "He said you went through his room."
"Funny that he never mentioned his traitorous letters were stolen," Attia replied in a mockingly chipper voice.
"How did you acquire them?"
"Roughly…" Attia trailed off as she shrugged and let out a little laugh.
"Basically the same way he said she did," Keiro answered and Attia rolled her eyes. "You know, the alcohol and the pretty dress and the batted eyelashes," he added as he turned his attention to Attia.
"Don't forget my charming smile."
"Well, aren't you proud," Keiro commented as he rolled his eyes and turned to Finn. "Let's take them hostage and bargain with the King for something."
"You knew about this?" Vega asked as he turned to Finn, who hadn't at all been surprised when the letters were revealed. "You knew what she was doing?"
"It wasn't just me, but you are welcome for exposing a traitor," Attia commented. Keiro was definitely amused by the comment, and Finn appeared like he had been as well though he did his best to cover it.
"You knew?" Vega repeated, sounding as though he felt betrayed that his King would organize a half-baked idea with his former prison-mates.
"I didn't know as much as you think I did," Finn answered truthfully. "I didn't actually know anything except the most basic part of the plan."
"You could be overthrown if word were to ever get out," Vega warned, his tone sounding all too much like one a lecture would be given in. Finn only stared at him, but he didn't quite half the facial expression Keiro did.
"Yeah, because everyone here would prefer Casper on the throne," Keiro said as he rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Moving on, yes?"
The men of Council were none too pleased with what had gone on without their permission or even knowledge. But Keiro and Attia had a way of pointing out that was done was done and nobody could change it now. Both also noted how Claudia, who had been Attia's alibi, had not been criticized at all.
"Have you read these?" Vega finally asked as he looked at Attia. She only shook her head as she turned her gaze to him.
"Didn't exactly have the time," she said and he nodded once before he shifted his eyes downward.
"Well, it'll take time to go over all the information in the letters and to verify that Kingston actually wrote them. In the meantime, we will call a complete shutdown of the floor to make sure nobody can listen in on our meeting," Vega explained as he looked from Attia, then to Claudia. From Claudia his eyes settled onto Finn, lingering on the King longer than either of the two women, before he finally met Keiro's gaze. "Though any of you are welcome to stay, I have a feeling some of you would prefer to leave."
Silence followed as Keiro turned his gaze from Vega and settled on Attia. They glanced at each other for only a moment before they turned to Finn almost at the same moment. Finn shrugged as though he were answering a question that had never been spoken. He turned to Claudia and she held a sweet smile across her lips as she stared back at him. The four were only vaguely aware Vega, as well as a few of the other Councilmen, stared at them with bewilderment. They were perfectly capable of carrying on what appeared to be an in-depth conversation without even speaking a word. Eventually, it seemed a decision had been made and Keiro and Attia rose from their seats.
"We'll see you in a few hours, then," Keiro commented as he turned back to Vega.
"Your Majesty," Vega had effectively ignored Keiro and held Finn's attention. "We will need a known sample of Kingston's handwriting. Perhaps before Lady Attia and His Grace leave us, you could send them with a written request for a sampling of Kingston's writing."
"Fine," Keiro said, obviously not too concerned with the task. Finn had agreed with a nod, and the Councilmen seated closest to him provided him with paper and a pen. After he'd finished writing out the request, he handed it to Keiro, who folded the paper and placed it within his inner pocket.
"Send for us when you're done," Attia said as she started to walk down the length of the table, her eyes casted over her shoulder in Finn and Claudia's direction.
"We will," Claudia promised with a nod just before Keiro pulled open the door and Attia exited the room after ducking under his arm. After they'd passed the doorway and the door had shut behind them, they were out of Finn's line of sight.
"They weren't too happy with that," Keiro commented and Attia let out a dry laugh at his understatement. He had turned to the left, the direction which led to the guest rooms, and Attia walked beside him casually. He'd known he had become much more comfortable around her since the beginning of whatever was between them, but it hadn't really been brought to his attention until Finn had mentioned his behavior. Attia's comment late in the night about his promise that nothing would change had reinforced that idea, and though he hadn't actually responded directly to the topic, she hadn't seemed to expect a response.
"I don't think they like being left in the dark," she replied calmly and Keiro scoffed.
"Yeah, it's all different when it's turned around, isn't it?"
"I don't think they were as unfair to us as you would like to think, Keiro."
"What do you mean? They basically hated us," he said as he turned and looked down at her. She met his gaze with equal conviction, and they had stopped walking down the hallway.
"I think you're just having trouble adjusting," she told him with a slight shrug of her shoulders. Her tone was soft and based on the way she spoke the words, he knew she was telling the truth and meant only to help him. It wasn't something he was accustomed to from her.
"Adjusting to what, exactly?" He narrowed his eyes at her and she only smiled, seemingly unaffected by his antics.
"Not having everybody against you. Trying to kill you. Looking to backstab you. Right now, as it stands, Council is the best shot Finn has. And everything we have is based on Finn. If he falls we fall with him."
"How do you know they even want Finn?" he replied. "They might've pitched all that crap about Claudia being Queen to just make him give it up on marrying her."
"And have Casper on the throne? I doubt it. There isn't anybody else. Nobody that wouldn't be questioned as a legitimate King. Anybody they picked other than Casper would have all the same problems they had with Finn."
"Except us," Keiro replied. He didn't wait for her response, and instead he started walking again.
"Give them a chance, Keiro. It's been a year, and we might not have gotten along very well until recently, but that doesn't mean they're against us," she told him as she caught up to him and continued walking at his side.
"Why don't we get rid of Kingston and Scotts first, then see how Council sits," Keiro suggested, but Attia said nothing. He could see out of the corner of his eye that a smile had formed across her lips. When they reached the hallway where Kingston's room was located, Keiro and Attia could hear yells echoing off the walls. As they neared Kingston's specific room, it was clear the yelling was originating from within.
Keiro and Attia shared a look before Keiro knocked loudly on the door several times, though it came as no surprise that no answer came. When Kingston's voice lowered, Scotts' picked up the yelling, but it lasted only a few moments, stopping when Keiro opened the door and let himself into the room.
"King's requesting a sample of your handwriting, Kingston," Keiro declared simply before either angry man could start yelling at him. He knew it was relatively unavoidable, but he still clung to hope that maybe the two traitors would leave his good mood alone.
Immediately, Kingston broke into a tirade, but Keiro had almost no idea what the man was saying. Attia, standing beside him only sighed as she stared at Kingston. Both were just waiting it out, neither one bothering to argue back. They knew they had Kingston labeled a traitor, and it was only a matter of time before Scotts followed.
"And you!" Kingston suddenly turned to Attia. "You bitch! You drugged me! You went through my room, and don't deny it. You took something, didn't you!"
Keiro had half a mind to let the man yell, even when directing his anger at Attia, but when he'd reached out to grab her, Keiro had immediately stepped in between. Truly, there was no denying things had definitely changed between them.
"Pick up a pen, and start writing," Keiro said strongly as he place his hands on Kingston's chest and shoved him back, away from himself and Attia. "And if you so much as even look at her again you might be treated for a broken bone." His voice was low, and it pulled Attia back to the night before when Keiro could've killed the man.
"Keiro," she called as she reached out and touched his lower back. "Just get the sample, and leave it be."
"Trying," he replied, obviously annoyed at the interruption. Once he focused his eyes on Kingston again, the cold stare took shape on his face once more. "Pen. Write. Now."
"You think you can frame me?" Kingston's words sounded all too much like a threat as he glared at Keiro. "You think your King can destroy me? I've been here longer than he's even been on the throne!"
"That why you're trying to start a war?" Keiro asked as he rose an eyebrow. "Or are you just aligning yourself with the North because you think they're going to win?"
"The Realm is already destroyed!" Kingston yelled back as he shoved Keiro back. He'd knocked into Attia, but she'd been able to catch her balance. Before she could stop Keiro, he'd lunged forward at Kingston, and his superior athletic properties lead to Kingston quickly at Keiro's mercy.
"Keiro!" Attia's voice rose louder and at a higher pitch than usual, and so Keiro had paused to turn in her direction. He didn't know how it'd happened, but Scotts, who had been sitting quietly in the background throughout the entire exchange, had a knife to Attia's neck. His right arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her in place against his body, his left hand grasped the knife handle tightly.
Though he kept his eyes on Attia, Keiro kept a hold on Kingston, unsure of what he should or shouldn't do. No matter what happened, he was certain both Northern Lords would be spending the night in a locked cell. Not even a miracle could bring them back from their current predicament.
"Stop moving!" Scotts demanded when Attia had wiggled slightly as she tested how much room she had around her. He tightened his grip around her shoulders, and Keiro heard a gasp from her lips when the knife touched against her skin harder. No blood had been produced yet.
When Kingston had started to move, Keiro had turned his eyes from Attia and landed one last hard punch across his face. Kingston had fallen to the ground unconscious before Keiro turned back to Scotts.
"Now what are you going to do, Scotts?" Keiro asked as he rotated his wrists to relieve the pain of striking Kingston. He'd started to step towards him but Attia let out a half yell when the knife started to press into her skin. Keiro immediately took the step back. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't focus. All he saw was Attia watching him, trusting him to save her neck quite literally, even though he hadn't the slightest idea what to do. They didn't actually have incriminating evidence against Scotts, mostly because Kingston had annoyed Attia the most, and so she had wanted to focus on him.
"What do you want?" Keiro decided to ask with a sigh. "Your friend is out cold, and there's nothing we can do about it. If you're lucky, the Royal Guard didn't hear her yell and maybe they aren't on their way here already."
Scotts, who had yet to say a word, started looking around the room, obviously panicking. Keiro wasn't sure if that was optimal or not. "I need to get out of here!" he declared, and though Keiro silently agreed, Keiro was set on sending Scotts away in a body bag.
"Then let her go, and you can walk out of the door," Keiro told him as he motioned to the door. "You leave with her, everyone will know you're with Kingston. He's done, Scotts. We've got his letters, but I'm sure he's told you that much. You won't get out the front gate with her."
"You have to help me," Scotts replied and Keiro scoffed.
"You already cut her, Scotts. You're damn lucky I don't have a knife. I'd have already killed you," Keiro told him through gritted teeth. The threat was real and spoken harshly, and was far more than enough to send a shiver down both Attia and Scotts' spines. Though she knew it was because of her, Attia was still disturbed by the idea of Keiro murdering another person. She wasn't oblivious to the things he'd done Inside, but she could never have brought herself to kill anybody, while Keiro was perfectly capable of it.
"You can't alert the Guards," Scotts said as he started to step backwards, away from Keiro, dragging Attia with him. When she stumbled on something on the floor, he'd accidently nicked her neck again, that time deeper than the first. Out of shock, he'd released her, and dropped the knife, as he stared wide eyed down at Attia, who quickly reached to grasp her neck in an attempt to stop the blood loss. Keiro quickly moved forward, stepping over Attia as he reached for the knife.
"I didn't mean to!" Scotts yelled, but it had done nothing to stop Keiro.
"Guards!" Attia's scream was definitely loud enough to attract attention, but she doubted they would arrive before Keiro made Scotts into his personal cutting board.
Scotts had continued to declare he hadn't actually meant to injure her, but Keiro had silenced him by pressing the knife to his throat. Scotts had frozen immediately at the feel of the cold steel against the most delicate skin on his body.
"What? Not so talkative when you're on the other end?" Keiro asked as he pressed the knife into his neck slowly.
"Keiro, don't!" Attia yelled, and Keiro had withdrawn the knife at her request. He had wanted to ignore her and continue, but before he had the chance, three Royal Guardsmen stormed into the room.