My walk with Annabelle was cut short when we came around the corner to encounter one of the older footmen.

"May I be of assistance?" I asked, a little irritated to have been interrupted - Annabelle had turned out to be quite a charming young thing.

The footman straightened his back and raised his head. "Your father has requested your immediate presence in his study, your Highness."

I sighed and nodded. "Of course, would you escort Lady Crawley back to her suite? My most sincere apologies, my lady, it has been a wonderful diversion to speak with you this afternoon." I bowed and turned back in the direction of the secret door.

I pushed the door open and jogged the familiar route back to father's rooms, knocking on the adjoined study.

"Come in." Father called. I did just that, and sat down next to Fana on the hard brown sofa, always hesitant to relax in this room, even though he let me in here almost without protest now.

Father sat across from us on his huge armchair, that one which had swallowed me whole countless times whilst I explored the vacant room, dancing to ball music wafting down the corridors.

"I want to sit both of you down first, and I want to tell you how much I love both of you." The old man started with so much emotion that I'd never heard before. "There were two times last night I genuinely thought I'd lost you both, and they aged me infinitely. Secondly I've spoken with the council and they agree with your suggestion of an audience with the people of the villages." He kept his eyes focused on me, as though willing me to let go of all my irritation.

I didn't.

"Maybe if someone had listened to me all of this week they would've had it sooner and your people wouldn't have died." I snapped, knowing that I ought to try to be gentle, but ignoring that instinct.

Fana had recoiled in slight horror at the mention of death.

"Gavrila no one died as a result of the bombs." Father snapped back, his eyes also on my brother. "The only fatalities were from commotion on the stairway or, as I believe was done by your hand, the extraction of a terrorist."

Afanasy stared at me, saying nothing, his mouth open. "Yes of course I've killed people, Fana. The girl was about to throw another bomb." I sneered, surprised he couldn't accept that.

My brother stared straight at me, his expression made me want to punch him, so instead I turned to the fire. "So you're always on about how important equality is with the people but then you have no problem in bumping them off?" He scowled at me eventually.

I whirled round on him, pointing. "You're no soldier! If I rightly remember then you were unconscious after your little freak act when I took out a terrorist. If you think I'm alright with "bumping off" one of my future subjects then you're sorely mistaken." I came very close to shouting. "The problem is not the people in the villages, it's the war. I have played along ever since you let me help make decisions, father, but there is not actually any point in this war at all! It's an unnecessary and wasteful ploy for reputation and that's clear enough for any of even the Debutantes to see!" I flung myself down on a stool and glared at the fire, seeing as I was unable to decide which of the two people present deserved my glare more.

"You're no politician." Fana huffed. "You don't even know what's going on here." My brother deemed himself worthy of my glare then, and I shot him it with all my power.

"Why on earth do you think we still need to have a battle once every two weeks? Why conscript every non essential worker to sit around all day in a redundant battalion, when we so desperately need more people on food production and earning money to support their children?" I got up again, stalking over to father, who was still sat, his posture fatigued, in his chair.

He ran a hand across his forehead then let it drop down to his lap. "There's more to this war than you know, Ganechka. Like your brother said, you're not a politician, but I do need your military aid. We need to have the upper hand in our fight against Baracosia."

He wasn't answering my question.

"We could beat Baracosia once and for all, under my instruction, if we were to properly utilise my men. Why don't you let me do it?" I stared the king in the eye, he was not going to avoid my question this time.

The king sighed. "Because I need you here to choose a bride. That is where your attention should be at the moment, not the war."

Wheeling around, I focused my attention on Afanasy, who was playing with the bandage at the back of his head. "You know about whatever he's not telling me don't you?" My brothers face remained impassive and I bent down to him, ready to spew something I oughtn't lay on him. "I'm leaving." I said instead, straightening my back and looking back to father, ready for him to cave and take me out of the dark.

Father sat forward to collect an abandoned tumbler of whiskey. "There's going to be a ball tomorrow night. And your mother is taking the ladies out riding in the morning, you will accompany them."

I just flew to the door. I couldn't refute his wishes again and say no, but there was no way in hell I would willingly bow down and agree to put more time than necessary into the prize hens when my people died for nothing. I just needed to finish getting Evangeline's attention and then propose, marry her, and then my parents couldn't make me focus on that anymore.

I wished we didn't have footmen at every door so I could slam one once in a while. Instead I set to stomping down the marble corridor, my footsteps ringing off the pillars.

If I wanted to get married, with my choice of woman, I had to make her agreeable to my parents quickly. So tomorrow's ball may hold greater significance than I'd first anticipated.