Once Crimson was fully out of view, “Bitch.” I muttered beneath my breath. I turned and listened to my own shoes stomp against the marbled floor, all the way up the marbled staircase and into my office.

I slammed the office door behind me shaking the portrait that hung on the wall. “Damn Bitch.” I muttered again as I slouched down in my chair and snapped the lights on.

Calm Maria.

I groaned loudly through the bond. How did he expect me to be calm?

Maria!

Théoden shouted loudly through the bond.

That was uncalled for!

Whatever. I groaned. Can I see what you are up to?

If that means no more groaning loudly through the bond then yes.

~Théoden Point of View~

I was sitting in his rather large leather chair. My feet for once were propped up on the desk as he looked more relaxed than he has in awhile.

That is until a pounding knock echoed through his office. I sat straight up and fixed his armor. “Come in!” I shouted. I had to stop my mouth from dropping, “Marcel?”

He was quick to close the door behind him and stepped in further. “I hope you don’t mind me stopping by your office but I feel we have a bit to discuss.”

“It’s not a problem at all.”

“Good. May I have a seat?” Marcel asked as he motioned towards the chair.

“Of course, the chairs are not off limits.”

“I’m just going to get straight to the point. My sources made me aware that you have created a lair?”

Marcel’s eyebrow arched as he said the word lair. I personally felt like he was playing dumb. I knew he knew what I had done while he was gone. So, I had no idea why this conversation was even happening.

“What about it?”

“So, this is how it is going to go? Not being out front honest?” Marcel questioned me.

“You have not been out front honest with us.” I retorted as he has yet to come clean about himself.

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Marcel’s body tensed, his eyes narrowed, as he leaned forward in his chair, “What are you implying, Silver?” Marcel growled as he spoke. He just admitted he knew what I was.

“What are you implying, Marcel?”

I growled back at him. My tone matches his. My body language matches his.

He sighed loudly, “Do I have to say it?”

“Yes.” I leaned back in my chair and waited for him to utter the words.

“Whatever.”

Marcel got up and walked towards the door. He turned back and faced me one more time before he left, “I hope you enjoy two rats in your lair, dragon.”

As he slammed my office door shut, I slammed my fist against the desk. I knew the risks of putting up my lair. But I knew deep down it was the right call.

I rested against my chair before a familiar knock echoed through my chambers. “Quinn?” I questioned. “Come in!”

She opened the door and let it close behind her. “Captain, was that Marcel leaving your office?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I groaned.

“Okay, I will drop it.”

“Is there something that you needed?”

“Ready for our round, sir?”

Shit. With Maria’s talk with Crimson and now Marcel coming into my office, I had completely forgotten about my round with Quinn. “Of course.” I said as I got up from my chair and grabbed my equipment “Oh and after this, I need you to talk with Maria.”

She looked at me with questionable eyes, “Talk to me about what captain?”

“That you will have to ask her about. She will be in her office, so go there after we are done.”

“Noted.”

With that we both left my office and began our round. Starting in the outer rings, running through the darkened allies and working our way inward. The only things that caught my attention were a few odds and ins that were still being affected by the creation of the lair. The temperature for one. It was a steady sixty-seventy degrees when it normally would be eighty-ninety degrees. Our citizens seemed to have adjusted by now.

Animals have finally adapted, for the most part. Those that pray on the weak didn’t travel within the kingdom. The harmless ones like dogs, birds, cats, and other smaller creatures seemed to have relaxed and appear to enjoy the safety net that is around them.

There was still minor talk about the sudden change in temperature. Most worried about the winter months and how our crops would do. I knew though, Maria was coming up with a plan for all of that.

“The kingdom has adapted nicely hasn’t it?” Quinn piped up.

“I’m honestly a bit relieved that it has.”

That was the truth. Part of me worried that the kingdom would never adapt. However, I was thrilled when over the course of the last week, the kingdom adapted nicely.

At this point we were back at the front entrance of my office, “I need to go see Maria right?” Quinn asked me again before she headed in the direction of the castle.

“Yes and one thing before you go, try not to be mad at her.”

Quinn arched her eyebrow in curiosity but didn’t question it further. She waved goodbye and headed to the castle. Allowing me to escape into my office once more.

Be ready Maria. She’s coming for you.

Yeah. I saw that. Thanks for not explaining anything to her. I groaned as I pulled out of his vision.

~Maria’s Point of View~

Quinn better not yell at me for this. She hates Marcel almost as much as I hate him.