Loveday is carrying a load of laundry back down to the washing rooms when several people run by and knock her over.

Roughhousing pups or careless instances in the narrow halls are rather common, but since Loveday’s been here, not once, even in the beginning when she was still receiving scathing looks, did a single Calleigh not stop and turn to apologize.

That is why, when the three or four elder-gentleman continue to hurry along, Loveday feels instantly that something is very, very wrong…

She had learned much about the Calleigh, and yet, perhaps most evident; their enduring kindness. Loveday felt she owed them enormous thanks, so it didn’t take much thought for her to begin to follow the elder wolves, worried and curious about what could possibly be going on.

She eventually notices that they are in a part of the palace that she rarely goes to. Truly, what reason does she of all people have to wander into the ward where the King resides?! Preposterous.

But, because she is concerned, Loveday hides somewhat behind the sheets she is carrying, and not-so-subtly listens to the four elders discuss in hushed whispers but animated tones, with a woman on the other side of an ornate door.

Loveday isn’t trying to eavesdrop… or maybe she is, it’s hard to say. What she is certain of though, is that the Calleigh have amazing senses. Smell and hearing, most of all, so she is most certainly aware that they are definitely aware of her.

Her suspicion is confirmed as truth when the rapid whispering stops and Loveday is spoken to quite directly-

“You! Held girl, what’s your name again?!”

Loveday’s heart picks up and she awkwardly steps around the corner and lowers the washing in her arms. Peeking out over the top, she hopes to look at least a tad apologetic as she smiles nervously and replies.

“H-Hello. Um, my name is Loveday…”

The older men give her intense once-overs while the middle-aged woman who Loveday knows she’s seen once or twice narrows her eyes and frowns.

Loveday isn’t sure why it feels like she’s being appraised for something. The chilling notion that the Calleigh have finally decided she’s more trouble than she’s worth and kick her out enters her mind, but before she can stammer out an apology and plead her case, the woman is stepping out and beckoning her closer with a hand.

“Come here, child. I have a few questions to ask you.”

Loveday blinks. “Oh… okay.”

After approaching, Loveday nervously adjusts the laundry in her arms and waits for the woman to explain what’s going on. The elders are still watching her with intense scrutiny, and Loveday feels herself beginning to sweat.

“Before you came here, where did you work? What was your job?”

Loveday is momentarily speechless.

What was this?! Was she finally having an impromptu job interview?? Now?!

In hindsight, she couldn’t have been more correct…

Swallowing, Loveday steadies herself and nods.

“Oh, I mean, I’ve done a lot of stuff over the years, but before I came to Ruhundy Keep I was working as a secretary for The Held Liaisons Office.”

That gets a distinct reaction from everyone, but Loveday bites her tongue to keep from saying more.

What the heck is going on??

The woman turns back to her with a quirked eyebrow-

“That’s what Gayle said… tell me, what sort of things did you handle for the Held Ambassador? Did you sit in on any meetings? Conflict resolution? Do you have any practice mediating for opposing factions?”

Loveday blinks. What to say…?

“Um, well. I did handle note-taking for official inquiries. I wrote some press releases and speeches, and… oh! I did take care of several, er- personal disputes while working in that office.”

There. That should be enough so that they won’t get rid of her!

“This is a bad idea.” One of the elders says, still staring directly at her.

The woman in front of Loveday just sighs and rubs her forehead.

“I know. But we don’t have a choice. Send her in.”

Then Loveday is having the linens ripped out of her hands, as she’s more or less shoved through the open door and into an immaculate sitting room. As the door slams shut behind her, Loveday blinks in shock, first at the glamor of the old-castle aesthetic that really didn’t carry through much of the rest of the palace, and then next at the stranger standing by a bookcase in the corner, leaning against the wall and staring her down with an expression of intense dislike.

“So…” the man drawls, eyeing her like she’s prey.

“You’re the little diplomat?”

Loveday blinks again.

“E-Excuse me?”

The man rolls his eyes, pushing away from the wall to come closer to her, and Loveday can see from his gait that he’s either completely toasted, or he’s sleep-deprived. The dark circles under his even darker eyes make that quite apparent…

The man doesn’t stop until he’s right up in her face, and Loveday feels almost proud of herself that she doesn’t immediately go weak at the knees, not only from how he’s staring her down, but from how objectively attractive the man is.

This is the King, her heart says, a notion that is backed up almost immediately when the man extends a trembling hand and mutters thickly-

“Dimitri Veil. And you are?”

Loveday shakes his hand but winces when she finds it fever-hot and slightly damp.

“L-Loveday D’Aboville.”

As soon as the King releases her, he smiles widely, no humor or welcome, only sharp fangs and bitterness in his eyes as he grins and chuckles wryly-

“Have you ever met a Noxier before, Loveday?”

Why is he… oh, no please… please please-

“No. Why?”

Dimitri Veil smirks, and then calmly strolls away to take a seat on one of the many ornate sofas. He truly fits the description of callous young ruler as he waves a hand in her direction and then rolls his eyes lazily.

“Try not to fuck this up.”

Oh, great. Thanks very much, your Lordship.

Loveday holds her breath as the door to the sitting room opens with a loud creek, and then the Noxier make their grand entrance.

The large room is suddenly buzzing with tension, and Loveday is disheartened to note that most of it is radiating from the wolf King still lounging casually behind her, letting Loveday take the brunt of the newcomers’ attention.

It takes a painfully long few seconds for Loveday to settle her nerves and compartmentalize her fear over the sight of these strange, ghost-like beings, who immediately single her out as the only Held in the room.

The first to step inside is quite obviously their leader, a strangely beautiful but thin man at the head of their party, who gives her a crooked grin and extends both hands. Spindly, bone-thin fingers with sharp claws grasp her offered hand, and as the man bends in an elegant dip to plant a kiss on the back of her hand, his smile sharpens and glints with blue-white fangs.

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As unsettling as he is; gleaming white eyes and a thin face that speaks of some kind of malnutrition, Loveday can’t help but instinctively feel he is both beautiful, and the most dangerous predator she has ever had the misfortune of being in the same room with…

“My lady,” the Noxier purrs, and Loveday notices how the dark black bun on top of his head is contrasted so distinctly with the locks of silver-white that flow around his shoulders and down his back. She doesn’t know if it’s a sign of age or just a fashion choice, but either way, it speaks to the man’s personality.

Loveday buries her anxiety and gives the strange willowy man a demure smile, bowing her head slightly.

“My lord…”

The man gives a bell-like chuckle and clasps her hand, the clammy, cold skin making her want to pull away, but she doesn’t. It feels different than the wolf King’s handshake. She doesn’t know how, but one felt like shaking hands with a man halfway asleep, and the other, like shaking hands with a coiled snake.

Dimitri Veil’s presence is oppressive in the extreme, and the tension is only ramping the longer he continues to glare daggers at the Noxier leader. Loveday begins to mentally reflect on every diplomatic meeting she’s ever been witness to…

It’s a short list. But she can improvise. She doesn’t have a choice.

Start with hospitality-

“It must have been a long journey,” she says. “Would you and your party care for any refreshments before we begin?”

Begin what exactly, she doesn’t know, and Loveday can feel Dimitri Veil glaring at the back of her head, but she ignores him. The Noxier leader simply smiles at her and shakes his head.

“Not necessary, my dear. I am sure your King is as anxious as we are to get this situation resolved as quickly as possible.”

It’d be super helpful if I knew what that situation was-

Loveday is, apparently, here to defuse a situation. She’ll just have to make do…

Fine then, introductions.

“Of course, my lord. It is an honor to receive you and your people. My name is Loveday D’Aboville, and this…” she glances aside at Dimitri Veil who is- yep, he’s still glaring at her. “This is our King, Dimitri Veil.”

The Noxier’s yellowy eyes swivel unnervingly toward Dimitri. They size each other up as Loveday finally retrieves her hand from the tall man’s grasp.

“Charmed, I’m sure.” He smirks, and Loveday doesn’t miss the way Dimitri glowers.

“My name is Davorin Ingram,” the Noxier leader says smoothly. “Regent for the past three generations. My second in command-“ he gestures to the man standing directly behind him.

He was just as tall and again, ghostly pale. Unlike the Noxier King, he had shorter black hair sticking up in funny angles. He also looked incredibly young, maybe early twenties. Loveday might have also been thinking that due to his outrageous style; vintage eye glasses and a red leather halter over black silk. It was very dramatic.

The younger Noxier was all smiles as he inclined his head toward her…

“Aubrey Asema,” he drawled, voice high and light. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Loveday said, gesturing to the seating in the foyer. “If you please?”

Dimitri Veil, the tense bastard, tossed his head back and spread his legs, effectively claiming the entire sofa for himself. Loveday cringed internally at his apparent lack of social skills and thought; oh hell, I really have my work cut out for me, don’t I?

That… was an understatement.

There were semi-normal pleasantries exchanged between Loveday and the Noxier King, before the man got down to business.

“As stated in our communications, we are eager to discuss the current border dispute and settle it under agreeable circumstances.”

Loveday heard Dimitri Veil snort, his arms crossing over his broad chest as he all but rolled his eyes. Not a very good start.

“What border dispute?” He finally spoke, “If you’re talking about the land grabs you’ve been attempting on our border outskirts, I’d be happy to settle that right away.”

His tone and body language made it very clear how the wolf King would like the disputes to be settled…

Davorin Ingram’s glowing eyes sharpened, but he smiled with a grin even sharper.

“Come now, it is a well known fact that these lands you speak of have been abandoned. Ownership is only one tenth of the law, afterall. My clan is merely taking an underdeveloped resource out of your hands.”

Dimitri seemed two seconds away from legitimately growling at the Noxier, so Loveday took the initiative and stepped in. In her mind she was running through everything she knew about foreign land laws, but truly, as long as she postponed the Noxier’s claims, she’d consider that a raving success.

“There is much to consider,” she nodded dutifully. “Are the properties of both clans determined in any documentation available?”

Loveday felt a bit silly as both the Noxier and the wolf King seemed to huff at her suggestion. When Dimitri Veil spoke, it was a tad softer, but no less impatient.

“Since the dawn of our people, land has been fought over and killed for. Borders expand and shrink, though not without considerable loss of life on both sides. Documentation is impossible to determine, as the Calleigh have been defending our borders since before words had been carved into stone.”

The Noxier King seemed thrilled by Dimitri’s vocal addition, and he smiled eagerly before beginning his pitch-

“It is no secret that since the fall of your former King, the Calleigh have been without… ample leadership. With your limited resources and dwindling numbers, can you really deny my blossoming kingdom the land we claim?”

“That land has been Calleigh territory since the beginning! There are no negotiations to be had-”

Loveday swallowed. She was either about to save a sinking ship, or crash it into the rocks…

“My Lords, forgive me for the interruption, but perhaps we can continue this discussion under more appropriate circumstances?” Loveday mentally crossed her fingers as she readied herself.

“Between you and me, my lord-” she smiled at Davorin Ingram and lowered her lashes coquettishly. “It is my first day on the job. I haven’t had time to assemble the necessary information for a border dispute of this scale. My King is obviously just as anxious to settle these disagreements as your clan seems to be, so I propose we meet again, along with a mediator of your choice present, so we can be sure we fully understand the situation, and all parties are being heard. How does tomorrow evening sound? I will be sure to arrange a meal to your liking, if you would stay until our talks?”

I’m going to have to pull an all-nighter for sure-

Loveday could feel Dimitri glaring at her again but once again she ignored it. Her attention was focused on the Noxier King, who seemed amused by her, but in a way that made her feel a bit like a bird being played with by a big cat.

“Of course my dear,” he purred smoothly. “Please, take all the time you require. I am most eager for a decision to be reached about these disputed assets. My second will attend as mediator, at a meeting one week from today, but I’m afraid I will have to decline the offer to dine with your ladyship, as our constitutions could certainly not stand the Calleigh’s diet.”

With a flicker of something hauntingly familiar and immensely terrifying, Davorin Ingram stood with a flourish, floated over to her, and seized her by the chin, tilting her face with horrendously pointed claws. Loveday’s brain whited-out for a moment as she stared into those depthless, gleaming eyes, caught and steady on her.

“I await our further discussion, Miss D’Aboville. I know you will fully prepare for it…”

And like that, he was gone, sweeping out of the room with his handful of attendants and his second on his heels.

Loveday finally released her breath as the doors closed with a resounding thud, and then the shivers started working their way through her body. She had never experienced such fear… being right in the hands of such a creature. It was heart wrenching, but she also believed that it would not be the last time she felt such a thing. She simply resolved herself to get used to it.

The mood of the room was still tense for several moments even after the Noxier party left, then Loveday risked a glance at the wolf King and saw that he was standing, leaning on the desk in the corner of the room, one hand clenched tightly, his extended claws digging into the wood. Before she could even begin to say anything, the man was grunting something under his breath that sounded a lot like-

“Good job not fucking up-“

And then he collapsed on the floor.

Loveday was feeling several emotions but most of them were drowned out by panic as she tried to move to help the man up. Before she even reached him, the doors flew open and half a dozen Calleigh rushed inside, several checking on the King while the rest of them accosted her.

“What happened?!”

“What did you do?! What was said?”

Loveday swallowed but stood her ground, leveling her voice once more as she squared her shoulders.

“The Noxier have several more things they wish to discuss with the King, but I have managed to postpone it until he is… feeling better. Without more information, I did the best I could.”

Several of the harsher stares flickered away toward the man in question, who was now conscious, clumsily batting away the hands of his attendants as he struggled to sit up.

From where she stood, Loveday was having a difficult time seeing any sort of leader.

The man that stared up at her from the floor, blinking mostly cross-eyed, just looked young, and visibly weak. Tired in a bone-deep way that made her feel suddenly, horribly exposed. She recognized that sort of tiredness. And no amount of rest nor postponing the inevitable was going to do the King any good.

Realizing she was way out of her depth here and probably way in over her head, Loveday was somehow still able to ask the question that had been on her mind throughout that entire thing.

“Is Davorin Ingram the one that set the explosives two years ago?”

“Get rid of her.”

The room went painfully silent as the King’s scratchy voice echoed. Some folks gave her pitying looks but others obviously couldn’t care less. To her great surprise, they didn’t immediately follow their King’s order.

“Sir…” she heard one of the women say, “She helped us get rid of them for a while. Shouldn’t we-”

“Did you not hear me?” The King was starting to turn green, “I said get. Rid of-“

Several folks panicked or shouted to get the doctor as the King heaved a few times, vomiting on the floor as his shoulders shook. Loveday just stood very still, like she could somehow pretend she hadn’t heard him call for her immediate removal.

“They’ve seen her now,” an older woman says to the King. “We can’t go back. And there’s no use in pretending… we need help, my lord.”

Everyone is silent as they hear her very obvious unspoken meaning; you need help.

Loveday has no idea what she’s just gotten herself into. And by the look in Dimitri Veil’s eyes, it is not going to be very pleasant.