Rhaast's head rolled against his left shoulder, deep red strands of hair falling as a curtain in front of his features before being flattened back against his head. Golden eyes still heavy with not enough slumber hovering from one obscured corner of the bedroom to the closed window in a slow movement while a buzzing headache hit the insides of his skull relentlessly ; it was another of those nights where sleep decided itself merciless and restlessness taunted him in the worst of ways and although he was irritated every single times it became a natural occurrence, something to be expected many times a week. When was the last time he had a full and restful slumber? When was the last time he had not felt blinded by the sun when the day came? Exhaust and insomnia were two devils perched on both of the emperor's shoulders albeit he hid this inner turmoil fairly well.

Normally he always hid it fairly well.

"Are you feeling unwell? You do look like you are."

The queen's voice breached through Rhaast's numb reverie and his gaze shifted from the manuscript held between his hands to her mismatched eyes. He took a moment to wonder if he had only just noticed that her eyes were sky blue and lilac or if he had forgotten at some point. The emperor settled the paper back upon the glass table and took a moment to rub his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"I do?" A quiet sigh was underlying his words. "I'm alright. It isn't the first time it happens." His gaze hovered on the tightly spaced written lines from the discarded papers holding the forms of their previously voiced arrangement ; he barely paid them any mind nor did he intend to although it was an attempt to cut the conversation short.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Luxanna had turned to questions rather than silence.

"How long has it been going on? Maybe I can find a solution-"

With a hissed breath between his teeth, the emperor's normally unmoved features suddenly broke into an irritated grimace ; obviously, had he not been in such a foul mood already he would have simply dismissed it and any other suggestion the demacian monarch would have come up with.

"I don't need your help nor your pity." A pause, the anger sat. "Your Highness."

Somehow his annoyance begat hers and Luxanna found herself equally irritated at his words, so much that she casted the manuscript she was holding to the side with a frown. She had only wanted to help and to see her polite suggestions being disregarded with such hostility rubbed her the wrong way.

"I was just trying to help!" Her voice rose without meaning to. "Why are you being like this? This has nothing to do with pity."

"Why? Why does it even matter to you? It has been happening, it will happen again. There is no reason to discuss matters rooted in the past which do not concern you."

Lux held two fingers to the bridge of her nose and sighed. This was foolish a quarrel which would only escalate further if she didn't regain her composure.

"I have no intentions to pry into your personal past if this isn't what you wish for, it just was concern. Really, I just wanted to help."

Rhaast leaned back against the cushioned couch almost too tired to add anything else for the moment, the lack of rest mercilessly hitting him harder after the outburst. His head slumped against the seat and he let his eyes mindlessly fixated themselves on the pristine chandelier hanging from the painted ceiling. A headache was drilling itself bit by bit into his skull as seconds went on.

"There is no need. Let's return to what we were doing, yes?"

Luxanna's mouth opened for a moment and the words hung at the tip of her tongue but she assumed that if she urged him to rest he would feel as if she was pitying him once more and the monarch had no wish for another useless conflict. Nonetheless some questions kept bothering her thoughts albeit she didn't voice them.

"Of course."

By the time they were finished with sealing the subject of their arrangement the emperor's eyes were struggling to stay open and his mind was merely following the queen's sentences ; his once tied up hair now loosely cascading against his back, he stifled a yawn. He looked as if he was drifting away with the way he scarcely reacted to Luxanna calling his name. She decided to leave it at and allow him this rightful rest. Leisurely, Lux leaned forward in her seat in order to throw the slumbering emperor a curious gaze ; the difference between how he looked when asleep and awake was nearly stark. She would describe him as peaceful looking when his eyes weren't open and veiled with this sort of malice that made him seem mocking at all times. The monarch wondered if he was dreaming at all or if it was one of those hollow slumbers she knew so well ; it was most likely the latter though.

"Why are you looking at me…?"

Rhaast's voice was hoarse and heavy with sleep, a hand coming to flatten stray locks of hair against the back of his head as he stretched his sore neck ; the bright hue of his eyes deepening to an amber tone. Luxanna had a little laugh to herself, mismatched gaze peeling itself from the emperor's features to the pile of papers still between her hands.

"I wasn't." Obviously that was a lie. "I just happened to settle my eyes on something as I was thinking and you happened to be it." The queen gathered her belongings before standing up yet when she halted in her tracks before leaving the room ; the question that weighed on her mind still too present to ignore. Therefore why she risked asking.

"I know it's not my place to ask and of course you owe me no answer but…" Her flow of words stopped for a moment just to think if she should really inquire. "Do you truly despise speaking about the past?"

Ah, so that was what it was about. The emperor let out a quiet chortle that somehow sounded genuinely amused for once ; how endearing of her.

"I simply see no use to it ; the past is something left behind me therefore why should I bother myself with something that is gone? Be it trauma or euphoria, it is over and should be left as over."

Lux frowned.

"That's a terrible way to see it. Do you not have fond memories? Things that bring you joy? Although I can understand not wishing to bring up souvenirs that hurt you, why would you get rid of the good ones?"

Rhaast smiled. It was like the previous ones, sharp and undescribable.

"I have no need for any of them."