"You're still here. Good."

Eirik jolted. The last half hour had been torture. Agonizing over the risks, fighting between what made sense and what he wanted. In the end it'd been easier to stay than to act.

"Fiona's not here. She's safe with her uncle. Well, I came uninvited so it's only fair you ask the first question."

Eirik stayed quiet for a moment and then leaned back, face hard and impassive. "I don't know how you found her but you'd better know that you've sealed your country's fate."

"Woah, slow down. No one's found your daughter. I was there when your wife handed her over to her uncle, a friend of mine. We're still in the valley. I suppose I'll have to prove that to you somehow..."

"I will believe nothing you say."

"Hmm." Matius tried to keep the panic down. He may have just made the war worse. "How about I ask some questions and you can judge me off those? I would be lying if I said I reached out only to let Fiona talk to you. However, whether you believe me or not, I want that girl to be happy. My first question is a bit, erm, well, what was the queen's relationship with Vai before he was sent here with the princess?"

Eirik jolted and Matius was surprised by the strong reaction. The king's face paled and then contorted through a myriad of emotions. He growled, "If you truly do have my daughter and this is no trick, then you have met Vai and there can be no doubting what he is."

"Well, yes....but he's a bit morose nowadays. Honesty, we don't know what to make of him and can't help but wonder why he of all people was sent as your daughter's companion."

"That should be obvious. He would never betray her," Eirik answered quickly.

He's lying. Matius could tell from his face. There was something else. Something he wanted to hide so badly he forgot his own determination not to answer.

"That is the obvious reason, but something doesn't add up and I'm really hoping you can help fill in the pieces. I'll be blunt, we are concerned about Vai as a threat not only to the innocent people in the valley but to Fiona as well."

"He wouldn't hurt her," Eirik said with quiet conviction.

"Are you sure? I'm sorry to drag you into this but we have to be certain. Vai doesn't seem to care for Fiona personally and with him behaving strangely, you can see why that would cause concern."

Eirik gave a long sigh that seemed to come from his very soul. "He wouldn't hurt her," he repeated.

"Even if he blamed her for being apart from his queen? Vai is clearly bitter with his situation," Matius pressed, trying to get Eirik to see the potential problem without angering him by suggesting any harm be an intentional order.

Again, Eirik's reaction surprised Matius. His face was pained and he mouthed something. Matius had an overwhelming sense of pity for the obviously broken man. He wanted to help the king who was clearly carrying more than he could maintain.

Matius was about to apologize and back off when the king whispered, "He wouldn't blame her."

"I'm sorry?"

Eirik flinched again and something changed. He seemed to reach some sort of decision, leaned back, and gave a mad laugh. "I said he wouldn't blame her. Vai was sent because he was the only one...the only person I could convince Lyra to send. It's my fault they are there. My failure."

Matius panicked, he'd clearly done more damage to the already damaged king and his mind raced trying to find out what he'd said and how to fix it.

Eirik had an empty look in his eye, completely barren of hope. Matius answered with the only thing he could think of.

"She really is doing well. Fiona, I mean. She misses you, but aside from that, she's happy. The valley is a safe and beautiful place and while I won't pretend I can fathom your position, as a father who often has to leave his own children, there is no place I'd rather they be. Fiona is a bright, kind, and good-hearted girl and she's already bringing joy to the people around her."

Tears ran down Eirik's cheeks and he shut his eyes. "If this is no trick. If she really is safe and with people who care about her, then I hope her mother forgets her. Even if it means I never see her again, I want her to be happy as she never could be here."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"If you'd like, we could arrange another time for you to speak with her?" Matius offered, hoping he'd take the extended olive branch.

"Can...would I be able to see her?" His voice was desperate and Matius groaned.

"I'm afraid the spell doesn't work that way. Perhaps if you had your own mage do the scrying—"

Eirik's eyes shot open and his hairs twisted in his hair. "What am I doing?! I can't—if she found out I was even speaking to you..."

He shuddered and let his hands fall. "I shouldn't be speaking to you."

Again Matius had to act fast to stop things from falling apart. "We can keep it a secret/ I really think it would do Fiona good to be able to talk to you from time to time. I think—" Matius prayed to the Makers he was right, "you care about your daughter more than you fear your wife. Give me the chance to let you show Fiona that."

The mage held his breath as Eirik struggled with the dilemma. Finally, tghe king slowly put his palms flat on the top of the desk and said, "Fine. This is probably a trick, but I would trade anything for the smallest chance of my daughter being happy. However, I have some questions of my own first. I warn you, I have been married to the Iron Queen for over a decade, I will not be easily deceived."

"Of course, ask your questions."

Matius breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow before it could fall into the silver basin he used for scrying. He only hoped his magic would hold out long enough to satisfy the king.

"Who are you exactly?"

Matius considered lying, well not lying, just maybe not telling the whole truth. However, Eirik looked into the empty space in front of him with such intensity in his blue eyes that Matius made a decision himself. This man was an ally, not an enemy.

"My name is Matius. I am the Arch Mage's Third Apprentice and husband to the leader of the valley that your daughter is staying in."

"I have heard of you—the yuji apprentice." For a moment, Matius was dumbfounded and at the pause, Eirik chuckled, "I may be second on my own throne, but I am still king and I am well aware of the political movements of En."

"Apologies, I honestly didn't think I was important enough to be of notice to Your Majesty."

"Know your enemies," Eirik said grimmly, "I am orchestrating a war against your people, remember."

"Ah, yes."

There was a brief awkward pause before Eirik rubbed his chin. "Still, your honesty is appreciated. Now tell me of the Wolf."

Matius winced, Fenrin's changes over the last decade wasn't something he cared to gossip about. So he answered more vaguely, hoping to touch on what Eirik would most care about.

"You may not believe it but Fenrin has changed. He's put his family and past behind him and is both a kind person and a dear friend."

Eirik scowled, rubbing the palm of one of his hands with his thumb. Nevertheless, the king forged on with his questions, "Did my wife say when Fiona would return to Valhym?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"You said Vai was acting strangely, what did you mean?" Eirik's face was unchanged but Matius saw his shoulders slump a bit, tickling his theory. Eagerly, Matius turned the conversation back to his own questions.

"Obviously I've just recently met the man, but from what I gather he is both on edge and depressed. It's obvious he is unhappy here and unclear why. We assume he doesn't wish to be away from the queen, but what we can't understand is why he does not worship Fiona the way he does her mother. Given his personality, it seems a discrepancy after all she is the queen's flesh and blood."

"And mine," Eirik said and his eyes grew dark with sorrow.

Matius didn't want to drag out the king's pain any longer and presented the next piece of the puzzle himself. "That's it then. Fiona is a reminder of you and that makes her unworthly in his eyes?"

Eirik's lips trembled. "Vai worships strength and I...I couldn't be that for him." He closed his eyes. "I tried to fool myself into believing he didn't hate me, pretended for my own selfishness. Vai was sent to punish me."

A change went over the heartbroken king, his jaw set and his next words were laced with hot bitterness. His eyes shot open and his hands curled into fists.

"She sent away the only two people I love to keep me in line. Until an heir is useful to have, she doesn't care about Fiona. Lyra sees other people as nothing more than tools to be used. My daughter and I are no exception, but don't underestimate our value to the queen. She could not run her empire if she didn't have me chained in its center and all her work will fall apart should she not have my replacement ready."

He spat those last words and Matius felt his hair raise at the sheer pent up hatred the man exuded. "Vai knows that as well as I do. Regardless of his feelings or whatever Lyra's other intentions, her goal is to see our daughter groomed to take my place and Vai would never jeopardize that part of her plans. He may hate me and her, but it would kill him to not do Lyra's bidding. He would not hurt my daughter for fear of removing a valuable pawn from the queen's game."

It all made sense now and Matius shook his head at the evil of it. Once again determination to help Eirik surged up.

"Then let's stop playing her game. Fiona is young and has a good heart, let me help you ensure she stays that way, far from her mother's schemes. Tell me about your court mage, not to flatter myself, but I am sure we can find a way around any mystical wards and you can be part of your daughter's life again."

Eirik tilted his head, a single tear running down his gaunt cheeks. "I'd like that."