The bluebirds on the wallpaper looked kinder in the morning light. I simply laid there for upwards of half an hour, gazing at the soft watercolour faces.

A knock on the door startled me, I sat up quickly to see a timid footman stepping in.

"Pardon me, your majesty, sir," He spoke quickly, eyes turned to the sheepskin rug. "The master said I was to dress you, your majesty, seeing as there's a tailor here to see you."

I forced on a smile to try and assuage his nerves. "Of course. That's very good of you to wait on me." Getting up and into a pair of old slippers, I let the footman place his pile of clothes down on the bed. "A tailor you say?"

"Yes, your majesty, Mr Locke said seeing as you've no clothes of your own, the master will be having some made for you." The footman informed me, his eyes still glued to sorting out the shirt.

I smiled a little at his shyness. Even though he must've been at least two years older than me, status had almost completely reversed our age gap.

"You needn't call me your majesty." I tried not to beg him, stretching my back. The boy didn't need to know that I didn't have that title anymore. "Just sir will do, or whatever you call the master."

"Very well, sir." The footman helped me on with the shirt, then went back to the clothes on the bed as I started buttoning it. As much as I felt uncomfortable with the Captain's charity, I looked forward to wearing clothes which actually fit me.

"And what do I call you?" The footman looked at me in horror for a split second, as though I was offering for him to be shot. Then it was gone, replaced with the placid expression of servitude.

"Kennan, sir." The footman replied, turning respectfully as I pulled on ill fitting trousers.

Taking the jacket from the bed myself, I turned to him again. "Thank you, Kennan. Now would you show me to the family?"

Kennan nodded, his eyes still to the floor. "Very good, sir. If you'd follow me."

The room I had been given was rather central in the house, but there were still winding stairs to tackle before I reached the ground floor.

When Evie turned to greet me my world came back to life. "Good morning." She smiled. "Sorry it's so early, Mr Rimmer is only in town for a few days so we thought we'd set him to make you a few things as early as possible." She came over, catalogue still in hand, and kissed me on the cheek.

"Your family truly is too kind. I think I have money in my old -"

"Save it for my dowry." Evie grinned quietly, letting her hand slip out from behind my back. "Anyways," She continued as she went back to the high table, which had coffee things set out on it, "you'll need the very best clothes if you're to save the country from certain doom."

There was another knock on the door and Locke opened it, two men with bolts of cloth and measuring tapes behind him. "The tailors." Locke announced them, before the pair strode in.

"Shall we say four full outfits please?" Evie bypassed my opinion, sinking back into the sofa with her catalogue.

The shorter of the tailors helped me off with my jacket and began explaining incohesive nonsense to me as he measured out my height and shoulders. The second tailor was at the high table, sipping coffee and barking instructions to his colleague.

"Evie." I turned back to her as much as I was able. "You know it's not as simple as just riding into Baracosia and throwing down a white flag?"

"Yes yes I know." She drawled, leafing through the book. "But I've been drawing up plans for when you're out of mourning. I'll show you them later."

Yet another knock on the door sealed my lips before I could tell her the truth.

"Miss Bence." It was Kennan at the door this time. "Your father requests your presence in his study."

"Oh." Evie stood, turning to the footman. "Why?"

Oh my god was he going to tell her? No I needed to tell her first. She had to hear it from me.

"Evie I need to tell -" I blurred, before she held a hand up to hush me.

"I won't be two minutes." She smiled. "You'll live on."

I groaned, turning as instructed by the tailor. Neither of them seemed to recognise me, thank God.

"If sir would state his preference between these?" The tailor drinking coffee asked, gesturing to the six bolts of fabric. I half-heartedly picked a few of them, my heart thundering in anticipation of Evangeline's return.

"So you're...what a captain? General?" The shorter tailor asked, stepping back from me, the measuring tape around my neck. "When do you go back to the front?"

Swallowing hard, I looked back up at him. "A couple of weeks I expect, if they'll have me."

"Hm?" The one by the table asked.

"I, er... I overstepped by jurisdiction." I supplied, which wasn't far from the truth. The tailor by the table was about to respond again when the doors slammed open.

"Ganechka you have a problem with lies which sorely needs rectifying." Evie snapped, walking with whirlwinds at her feet. "Leave us, gentlemen. Now." Her words cracked like a whip and the tailors swiftly departed. Then she turned to me, the fire in her eyes rooted my feet to the spot. "You." Her enunciation opened a pit of dread in my stomach. "You are an absolute idiot. You are a fucking liar. Your stupid actions put us all at risk. I wish I didn't love you so much as I do."

My mind had barely processed that last sentence before my lips were enslaved to hers and her hands were in my hair and my hands were on her waist.

"It was all for you." I murmured. "Every bit of it."