"There, all done!" Melinda smirked.

"Ah, I see humble Mel has graced us with an appearance," Joas teased.

"What are you implying Joas?"

"I didn't imply, my dear. I said it as flatly as possible," he stated.

Melinda poked him gently on his left ribcage, "sooo, are you done yet? I am positively famished."

Melinda and Joas were pouring over the reports from the mock war for the past three days. They were evaluating how best to restructure the platoons. It was vital that the reorganization of the members of each platoon be optimal. They needed to pair up the soldiers in each group not only by their combat skills, but also by their personality traits. The cloudsoldiers and magisters - new and old - had to be assigned to the correct platoon. The reports needed to be ready for the Queens review and approval.

Melinda leaned her head on the mahogany table, arms spread out in front of her.

Tap, tap, tap.

"Give me a minute. I only have two platoons to arrange," Joas whispered, not bothering to lift his head up from the stacks of paper in front of him.

Tap, tap, tap.

Joas placed his hand on hers, "perhaps you should go ahead and I'll meet you there in a few."

Melinda gave him a small smile, "do we have any news from the dungeons?"

"Are you asking for anyone in particular or is it just a general question?"

"U-um, well no, it was a general question," she said, as a tint of red started to cover her neck and travelled up her cheeks.

"Melinda?" Joas asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Fine," she puffed, "I was asking about him, Christopher."

"I have sent Lily to stir him up a bit," he glanced at the moon watch in the center of the room, "she should have been back by now."

"Then I'll wait with you."

Lily showed herself out of the dungeons and made a bee line for the prep room were Joas would most probably be. She needed to request audience with the Queen. Silyn was not fully prepared for what was to come. The Kalous King would want revenge.

Lily didn't bother knocking on the door. "Joas, we need to speak with the Queen."

"You managed to get something out of him?"

"Yes, but you are not going to like it," she warned.

"There's a lot of things I don't like. When did that ever stop you?"

"The man he killed, the one he was mumbling about when you found him," she said looking at Melinda, "he was Kalous."

"Kalous?" He repeated.

"Kalous," she said as she pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"As in Castle Gold allies?" Melinda asked.

Lily nodded, "the very same."

A chair crashed on the wall making Melinda and Lily jump a few centimeters in the air. They both watched, mouths agape as Joas left the room.

"Where is he going?" Melinda asked.

"Hopefully the Queen." She dragged Melinda by the blouse, "come on let's follow him."

◇◇◇

Joas reached the private chambers of Iris, he knocked on the door and waited. After a few moments the Queens' handmaid opened and let him in.

Iris studied him through half open eyes. "Joas, what are you doing here at this hour?"

"It's urgent, my Queen."

"Jane, leave us," she gestured at her handmaid.

As soon as the door was securely locked behind them Joas started to speak.

"We have a situation. The man Christopher claimed to kill is of the Kalous people."

Iris face stayed blank, not a single muscle twitched, she turned and stared through the balcony window.

"Iris, did you hear me?"

"I heard you," she replied flatly.

"And?"

"Christopher is becoming a nuance," she voiced.

"My Queen," Joas probed.

"He has put the Kingdom in great risk. We have avoided war for two hundred years. He has ascented a month ago and not only has he broken the rules of Silyn by contacting Earth but also gave Castle Gold a reason to break the treaty."

"He is young, my Queen, you shouldn't be too harsh on him," he said, and stepped towards her, "don't forget that IT has claimed him."

"It appears that IT has not chosen well," she said, clenching her fists by her sides.

IT has never been wrong, Joas thought, as he glided his hand through his hair.

"Keep him locked up in the dungeons. I will force some sense into him since apparently nobody else was able to," she commanded.

"Iris, you are treading a thin line with IT," he warned.

Joas watched in silence as she turned away from him and walked towards her night stand. She reached for her dagger and placed it in the hilt of her thigh high boot.

Why does she need her dagger, he thought.

_____
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