This is unexpected. Instead of the dungeons where he should be, he's tucked, neatly on a bed, in a room bigger than his cottage back in Liurnia. His wounds are clean and dressed, not a speck of dust from the battle.

He decides not to conjure a healing incantation. The pain is bearable.

Vaughn gets up, the floor ice cold with only his bare feet.

"You should not move as much." Queen Marika is seated just a few feet away, watching him, "A battle drunk knight stabbed you while unconscious."

He kneels, nonetheless.

"Stubborn." She gives him a rueful smile, "I was expecting to be usurped with the way you fought my guards."

"Staying in the Lands Between. Is that really your wish?" He can smell fresh Erdleaf flowers as she comes closer. The scent citrusy.

"Yes."

"I should not let you." She whispers. Vaughn doesn't know if she meant for him to hear that. She was pacing, in thought, "The banishment is already a reprieve."

"Tell me, why do you want to stay?"

"I promised to reunite with someone." He replies. "I'd like to keep it."

He can see the genuine surprise in her eyes, then pity. "A parent? Family? Friend?"

Vaughn says nothing. Not that he does not want to answer but he does not know the answer.

"A lover, perhaps?" Her tone becomes sultry.

"I would never dream of it."

"Then you confuse me." Marika says, her grin looking catty, "Who in their right mind would battle my finest guards and best them? Not to mention, Maliketh."

"He was holding back. If he was not, then I'd have been cleaved in half."

"As were you." She clicks her tongue, "False modesty does not befit you. Your ilk is vocal on their prowess."

He bites his tongue and kept his head down.

Marika sighs, loudly, "I should have you executed. Publicly, for the stunt you pulled."

"I deserve every bit of ire from you, Queen Marika."

Marika grits her teeth. The audacity of this man. Not even a single fight left in him, like Godfrey. Simply accepting his fate without quarrel of its unfairness.

"If your lover can see you now then they'd be a fool for even considering such feeble man." She regarded him with a cold and unforgiving gaze, "I'm disappointed."

The last part. He didn't know if it was meant for him or someone else.

"I'd rather they be safe than be involved with my mistake."

A sigh. A frustrated one, "I will let you stay."

"Be a dear and look your best." Marika had told him. "We have important guests attending. I would not have my entourage looking stiff and…" She eyes his disheveled hair and growing beard, "Uncouth."

"I had thought that my helm would stay on." He answers back with no real bite,

"And scare the guests with that hideous thing." She scoffs, she hands her crown to one of the servants, "I would not have you embarrass me with your slovenly manner of living. Brush your hair and trim that scruff."

He suppresses a groan.

Letting him stay apparently meant working until the damages to the throne room has been paid and doing whatever the Queen wishes.

Patrolling from the ramparts to the bailey, overseeing the civil unrest within Leyndell's walls, and accompanying Marika along with Maliketh when she so pleases. He had only seen Radagon and Marika together when they eat, their exchanges were brief and often about the Golden Order. When one of them was in a particular mood, Vaughn could feel the venom behind their thickly veiled semantics. He supposes that this is one of the trials and tribulations of marriage.

Sometimes when he accompanies Marika,without her half- brother, she leads him to the shunning grounds. No words were exchanged as the Queen stares blankly at the gates further in. Before they depart, two pairs of golden eyes would look back at them from the dark, Marika only fixes her hood then enters the hoist to go back to the surface. He follows her after making sure that they won't be tailed.

It is taking him quite a while to garner approval for his planned visit to Liurnia. Festivities within the Golden City doesn't cease as if everyday is a celebration. The merry making can be seen in the streets with the citizens dancing and drinking mead in their pints to remove what's left of their dignity.

He bows, "As you say, My Queen."

His shift patrolling the ramparts overlapped with the party. He had to apologize to several guards for leaving earlier

One of his colleagues even quipped on seeing his countenance, prim and somewhat proper, "Have fun with them wealthy snobs."

It was awfully bright per usual inside the castle halls more so in the ballroom. The smell of the expensive fruity wines and strong perfumes made him nauseous. Three more hours of royalty and nobles posturing.

Godwyn acts like the perfect prince as expected of him. He converses to a group, then excuses himself to talk to another, clockwork. Though he is not his usual lively self, Vaughn thinks that he must be missing Fortissax. It is no secret within the Queen's guards where Godwyn runs off to and it was no business of his what happens between Godwyn and his companion behind closed doors.

He surveys his surroundings again. Surprisingly not one brave soul is drunk yet despite the merriment. He does not want to be one of the lucky bastards who escorts a guest to their room and get hurled on by a mix of wine and dinner.

Marika beckons him to her. He stands by the side of her throne, Maliketh stays behind her, ever vigilant on his watch. Radagon sits stiffly, back ramrod straight, if Vaughn didn't know any better, he's nervous.

"You cleaned up nicely." She says, and gestures for him.

He leans closer to her. Her breath tickling his skin. "The scar on your cheek is quite a giveaway that you used a dagger in shaving."

She touches the his cheek, tracing the scar with her finger.

"You know,"

He felt a chill. Familiar.

"I think I've never told you about Radagon's side of the family."

He could hear several steps coming from the main door. The usher coughs into his hand, "Introducing, Lunar Princess Ranni of the Carian Royal Family."

The hand on his cheek stiffens, but he could not care less. His attention focuses on the princess. He wonders if she had gotten more beautiful than the last time he saw her. Angrier too, if the icy glare she sends him was anything to go by.