Short, not very sweet, but necessary. To all those freaking out, not to worry. This won't end quite so soon!
Ronas took a deep breath before ascending the steps that led to the private chambers within Cair Paravel. He came here often; Edmund's solar was his favorite place to while away the evenings. However, this time he walked right past it and made his way to the end of the hallway. Only one room was occupied at this time. The one guarded by Edmund's personal head of security.
He did not expect the king to tell him when he was in love, or keeping a mistress, or anything of the sort. He knew there were certain boundaries that could not be crossed. Truth be told, he had never expected Edmund to fall in love. His marriage would be one of convenience, one that would benefit the whole kingdom.
A relationship with Healer Liana would benefit no one.
He wasn't going to convince her to do anything. She was a smart woman, she knew her place and she knew his. He would merely explain the situation to her. Naturally, after being away from court for so long, her knowledge of hierarchy was rusty. Most importantly, he liked her, and the women at court would tear her to pieces if word got out that King Edmund was more than a little interested in her. He didn't want that to happen. He nodded to Lyra and knocked on the door sharply. The cheetah's eyes were cold as always, but she did not try to stop him.
The door clicked open and Liana's head peeked out. Her hair was down. "Oh, hello, Ronas," her smile was pleasant, though confused. "Can I help you?"
He cleared his throat. "I was hoping to have a quick word, Healer Liana, before your duties began."
"Oh," she blinked. "Well, I was just getting ready to go down…" she trailed off and exchanged a look with Lyra. The animal's eyes remained blank, but Liana obviously saw something Ronas could not, because she opened the door wider to allow him entrance. "Why don't you come inside and speak to me while I finish writing this letter?"
"Do you often write letters?" he asked as he entered. A quick glance showed that the room was still in pristine condition. Other than the slightly open wardrobe doors and the littered desk and dressing-table, Liana had not added any personal touches. Naturally, she was aware of the temporariness of her situation.
"Not often. Mostly to my brother. He likes to know how his children are getting on," she smiled and made her way to the desk. "Do sit down. I'm quite capable of listening as I write."
Ronas sat down on the divan near the window. "Where are his children? I assume not at the palace?"
Liana picked up her quill and unscrewed the cap off the ink bottle. "No, I engaged a nurse for them. She stays there during the day and on the nights I am unavailable my late sister's friend keeps them."
"And otherwise you are there?"
"Naturally. I actually spend very few nights in this room."
"Yet you live here."
"The circumstances were quite strange when the High King offered me his hospitality," he detected a hint of evasiveness in her tone. "You had something to ask me, Ronas?"
"Yes," he took a deep breath. "Healer Liana, at the ball last week…" he trailed off. Liana had frozen in her seat. "I noticed that you and King Edmund had put aside your differences."
"There were few differences to begin with," Liana's tone was crisp. "Far be it for me to hold something as trivial as a comment about my appearance against my king. I'm sure you are aware of the absurdity in that, Ronas."
"Of course," his eyes narrowed. She was clever. "But the nature of your relationship seems to have changed."
"Nothing has changed."
"Perhaps. But the common people would beg to differ."
"People will always talk, Ronas. I assumed you were aware of that fact."
"And I assumed you were aware of the fact that your flirtation with the king would not be allowed to go on forever!"
He began berating himself as soon as the sentence had been uttered. The conversation would get ugly now. Liana had dropped her quill; he saw the slight tremble of her hands as she pushed the chair away from her desk and stood up, turning to face him. Her face was perfectly smooth. "Get out."
Ronas blinked. He had not expected her to keep silent. "I beg your pardon?"
"Get out of here, Ronas, I can't imagine how you thought it would be alright to come in here-"
He stood up hurriedly. "I thought it was best to inform you-"
"I do not need information regarding my own actions from someone who has no right to comment on them!" her voice was getting louder now. "Whatever is between King Edmund and myself does not need to be discussed in such a manner between you and I, or rather between anyone else other than me and Edmund!"
Ronas blinked. "You-"
"I am well aware of what I have said," her eyes glinted ferociously. She strode to the door and yanked it open. "Good morning to you!"