In spite of Crea's testimony before the council, the discussion dragged on following her dismissal. While a true betrothal was now solidly an option, some of the council saw it for what it was: a distraction and a temporary patch to an ever-growing problem. Regis was inclined to oppose it for reasons of freedom. He had been free to choose his marriage when he had reached that point in his life, and he had intended that his children should be able to do the same. But there was an inevitability about it that he was forced to accept.

Nevertheless, he did agree that it was merely a patch and not a solution. If their solution included invading Tenebrae in the future, would it not be better to forego the betrothal and strike now?

By the time the council at last adjourned, it was well into the afternoon—verging on evening—and no decision had been made. They chased each other in circles. Regis was no better off; he seemed to flip-flop from one side of the argument to the other without any clear notion of which approach would be best for not just his people but his family and Ravus' family.

He ascended to the upper levels with the beginnings of a headache. When the doors opened on the royal lounge, Crea was standing directly before them, waiting for him. The expression on her face was grim and regretful.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I would have stopped him if I'd been here."

Behind her, Ravus stood in the lounge with Reina. She beamed. He stared at Regis, his heterochromatic gaze defiant. One glance at them and Crea was enough to fit the pieces together.

He had told her. He had told her they were to be betrothed and now if Regis wished to reverse the decision, he would have to explain why they weren't. It wasn't inescapable. But it was a nuisance.

"Do you believe this will save your family?" Regis asked.

"I believe it will do more than you are willing to," Ravus snapped.

The smile on Reina's face faded. "Father, what's going on?"

What could he tell her? That Ravus wished to marry her not for her own sake, but to protect his family? That he held doubts that Ravus felt anything for her that he did not feel for his own little sister and that, indeed, if he had, Regis would have thought considerably less of him?

Damn him. Damn him for creating this situation and forcing Regis to walk unprepared into the center of it. Reina was looking between the two of them with growing alarm.

"There is a situation in Tenebrae that we have concerns for, my dear. For now that is all I shall share." Regis forced a smile. "I take it you are well pleased with this arrangement?"

The smile blossomed once more. "I am." She laughed. "I told you I would marry him."

And so she had. It seemed years ago, in a different life. A life that had been halfway under his control, at least. Now it was spiraling into uncertainty and he had lost hold of the reins. He needed time to think but there was none.

"There are many considerations yet to take into account." Perhaps he could buy himself some time. Perhaps not. Regardless, he smiled because she did, and he had never been able to feel morose while his children were joyous. "For now, I must speak with Ravus. I believe I hear your brother downstairs. Run along and share your news with him."

She was only too eager to do so. And once the hurried sounds of her footsteps had faded away and Regis was left standing in the lounge with only Ravus and Crea, he spoke.

"What do you anticipate accomplishing with this?"

"You know full well the answer to that question," Ravus said.

"To force my hand on matters of this engagement? Do you believe that, had discussion in the council not gone in a direction favorable to your interests, I would not deny her this even after you had waved it before her? I may dote on my children, but I will not hesitate to protect them—even when that causes temporary distress."

What color Ravus' skin held drained, but in fury rather than shock. " You would dash this away, even after seeing how pleased she would be to be engaged to me?"

"If I believed that was the best way to protect her, yes. But, regardless of your fumbling about here, that is not the conclusion we have come to. To mitigate matters in Tenebrae—though we like it very little—we will comply with the demands of Niflheim."

"You like it very little because it changes nothing for you! Because you don't care about my family and have been reluctant to do anything for them ever since I have arrived here! Why doesn't Lucis take a hand in its own fate?!"

Regis regarded him levelly. Most often, he behaved as was fitting for a young man of royal blood and Regis managed to forget how young he truly was. But occasionally the child hiding behind the man stepped out.

"You are determined to fix the blame for this on someone," Regis said levelly. "In that I see reason; it is much easier to have a direction for your anger than risk it growing self-destructive. But instead of assigning it to the obvious target, you assign it to your allies. Have a care where you throw accusations, young prince. Or those who stand beside you will fail to appear one day."

Rather than give him time to compose another, equally furious and juvenile response, Regis turned and walked away from the conversation while Ravus was still fuming in his direction.

"Crea," he called without turning back. "I would like a word."

He was halfway down the hall with Crea's footsteps trailing after when he realized he had no place to hold a conversation with her. He dared not speak with her privately in his room. He hardly dared set foot in hers, but they had already passed the library and the lounge was occupied by Ravus. It seemed a waste to go downstairs just to discuss matters with her.

She caught up with him outside her room and opened the door. "Is this word going to be long enough for a cup of tea?"

If only he dared to accept.

He dodged the question instead, standing solidly outside her room and rooting his feet to the floor to prevent them from running away. "I only wished to check in with you following the council meeting. I apologize for the lack of warning."

"Oh. It's fine. I doubt you had time to give one, though I admit it was a little nerve wracking at first to stand in front of them like I was about to be judged."

And judged she had been. Unless he was very much mistaken, no one had found her wanting.

"I would imagine so. But then?"

"Oh, I don't know. They started talking about Reina and demanding I give them an answer just so they could check a box: 'asked for expert opinion'. I find myself wondering if they had any intention of listening to me at all."

"I believe you made yourself heard all the same."

"Maybe I did."

"You did very well. I hope it was not too uncomfortable for you."

"It was alright. Next time you need someone to shake a fist and get them to line up for you, just give me a call." She smiled, mischief on her face.

He found himself smiling in return. And thinking thoughts that were better left alone.

"Did you want to come in for tea?" She asked.

In spite of those thoughts, he managed the answer he knew he needed to give.

"I dare not. Not after the reminder you left me with last night, and your display in council today, which has left me thinking how very queenly you behave when the situation calls for it."

A flush rose to her cheeks. It was just as beautiful as the smile and he tortured himself for several seconds with how perfect her lips looked, parted in surprise. He dragged his gaze away from her and glanced down the hall. They tortured themselves and each other over this. Would neither ever learn to let it lie?

Regis cast about for a change of subject and found one. "Look after Ravus for me. He makes a solid show of being prepared to take over Tenebrae, but I suspect it is merely that. That boy has been sorely neglected in his own home. I dare not do the same to him here. For his own sake, if not mine."

"I will," she said. Her voice sounded unnaturally high and strangled. She cleared her throat. "He's a good kid. Even if he doesn't always show it."

He nodded, for there was nothing else to say, and took a stiff step backward. "I'll leave you to deal with the aftermath of his announcement then."

It should have earned a wry grin from her. But instead, when he stole a glance at her face, it was to see a lingering of dazed surprise as she nodded, almost absent-mindedly, to his comment. He turned away before she could say anything else. Or he could.

By the time Regis rejoined his family for dinner, the news was running rampant among the Citadel children—though some of them were hardly children. Iris was so excited that every time she spoke of the pending engagement, her voice rose an octave higher with every few words until she was eventually speaking in inaudible squeaks and squeals, punctuated by mooning expressions. Cindy was more reserved with her judgement, but when Regis joined them in the lounge, she and Reina were crowded over Reina's phone, scrolling through pictures of dresses. White dresses.

Gods forbid it come to that so soon.

Noctis attempted to maintain a haughty indifference, though every so often his sister's infectious joy would provoke a smile and a shake of his head. Gladiolus was watching his own sister and Reina with a sort of bemused interest.

"I don't get it," he murmured to Noctis. "It's just a dress."

To which Noctis had merely shrugged.

Ignis was more reserved. He put on a smile whenever drawn into it, but when he believed no one was watching, he looked rather forlorn. Ravus, for the moment, was absent. Hopefully he was in his rooms, thinking hard about Regis' words. In any case, his absence allowed Reina and her friends to talk—and giggle—loudly about him.

It was a joyful and chaotic mess to break up simply to have dinner. It almost wasn't worth the hassle. In the end the matter was settled simply by having a non-traditional dinner served in the lounge where it could be shared with everyone. So they shared a meal that was more like tea than dinner, with little sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres in place of dinner. Someone in the kitchens even made a last minute decision to place more emphasis on the impromptu celebration by making a series of little cakes and sending those up as well.

It was rather much, so soon after the twins' birthday. But they were enjoying themselves—even Noctis, usually so reserved, was entertaining himself and his friends by doing impressions of his sister swooning over Ravus. Who was Regis to object?

With all the excitement buzzing around the royal levels, it was a challenge to convince anyone to go to bed that night. In the end it was Reina herself who begged off her evening lessons, claiming she was too excited to focus on Dreaming. In spite of that, it took Regis just as long to convince both twins to lay down and go to sleep as it would have to hold Reina's lessons on a normal evening. But their excitement was infectious and, in spite of Regis' misgivings, he managed to stave off any feelings of reticence regarding sharing Ravus' actions with the council the following morning.

Needless to say, they were less pleased than Reina had been.

"He should be punished for his insolence! He is a guest in these halls; let him not forget who shelters him from the empire."

"If he thinks to force our hand, we should stand strong against his wishes."

"And go against our own plans simply to make a mockery of him? Let's not be childish."

"Masters." Clarus broke through the outraged babble that had broken out at the council table. "Going against his wishes is now all but out of the question. A decision was made yesterday. His Majesty has ruled that the leaning of the council—which so happened to align with Prince Ravus' actions—shall be upheld. Princess Reina shall be betrothed to Prince Ravus."

Hearing the words spoken out loud and so matter-of-factly sent a sting of regret through Regis' chest. A part of him was still inclined to insist that she was much too young. And Ravus was so much older than her. He set those thoughts aside. She was happy—ecstatic—to go through with these plans. If nothing else, they were friends and would likely remain so after so much time spent growing together. It was not much of a price to pay for lives saved in Tenebrae. Even if she never should have had to pay it in the first place.

It did, however, cause a lull of quiet to run through the council. Some looked well pleased with themselves while others merely appeared resigned. Some few had doubtless been holding on to a hope of furthering the war with Niflheim and breaking this pretense of peace. They were not alone. Only a fool would believe this armistice would last, but the time must be chosen well and carefully. Niflheim would expect an attack right after pressing Lucis. They would gauge Regis' reaction and find him compliant. With any luck, that would make them complacent.

And then, when Niflheim believed Lucis had fallen into its net, they would strike.