[b]Dawn[/b]

Dawn didn’t really believe that Jan Leon would accept her offer to assist him. She had always thought that the man whose voice the dead and the undead heeded was a soulless man filled to the brim with pride. Why wouldn’t he when he almost single-handedly wiped out the opposing forces of Galorien? Getting back to his room, even when he’d had a few glasses of wine, shouldn’t be a problem. Then again, there he was with an arm around her shoulder, leaning ever so slightly against her for support. Dawn, on the other hand, placed her arm on his back for support. 

 “I have seen bigger men got drunk on cheaper wine. Not that I consider you small,” she answered, smiling. It was the opposite, actually. Prince Jan, though not as thoroughly built as some of the men she knew, was tall and lean. Dawn, wearing heels and all, stood only up to his chin. She guessed that if he was to completely slump against her, she would not be able to stand. “What I mean to say is that the wine served to the royals and their elite circle is supposed to be stronger than the wine one will find in a commoner’s tavern and inn.”

They were already out of the dining hall, away from the curious eyes of servants, and were walking the hallway to the side exit of the castle. She spotted Galorien servants side by side others from nations that Nicaea had invaded. Odd enough, there was no light-haired servant, which would suggest to being Nicaean. This was what the other nationalities were to the Nicaea – servants and slaves forced to labor for the comfort of the Imperial lords and ladies.

[i]It won’t be long,[/i] she thought. They were, most of them, were stealing glances at the prince and her. She didn’t need to get in their minds to know that rumors were about to circulate. Dawn had no plan to be a center of such rumor, she was merely planning to use Jan Leon to get closer to his brother, but she decided that rumors were inevitable.

“I find Nicaea beautiful,” she lied when he asked what she thought about his country. How could she see beauty in the tyrant’s land? “I would love to see more of it too, but my time here is short. Once Prince Sighart’s betrothal ball is over, the Duke and the Duchess will be heading back to Galorien, and I with them.” She chanced a look up his face. The expression was unreadable, but she was one who need not rely on facial expressions to know what was on someone else’s mind. Dawn was a mind mage, she needed to just gently reach out into his mind and find answers she needed. Then again, he was Jan Leon. There was never a mage who was like him in skill and power, perhaps he would feel her intrusion and execute her on the spot. Dawn couldn’t risk that, not when she was so close to fulfilling what she was trained to do. And yet she was very much tempted.

The rest of the way to his apartment was spent in a comfortable silence. “If I will be permitted, I would like to join tomorrow’s hunting trip,” she said with a sigh. Sighart would most likely be there, where accidents were not impossible to happen. “And you, your highness, should have known better than not to heed your father’s advice about drinking too much wine tonight. A hunting trip is not for someone who was sick from drinking too much wine.” They stopped in front of his door, where two guards were stationed. 

[b]Sighart[/b]

What was taking her so long? Hadn’t she left before the dinner was ended? He saw her mother call for her favorite servant, whispered something in Risey’s ear that sent the servant hurrying out the dining hall. Did she ask her to go to town at night for an urgent business? It was taking too long for her to come knocking at his door. Or was she perhaps shy?

Sighart was pacing around his sitting room. It was a spacious room with high ceiling and white walls with gold trimmings. Another door leading to his bedroom was at the wall opposite the fireplace. Tall windows, which would have invited the sunlight in during the morning, were then covered by cream colored curtains. It was not as spacious as Jan’s private apartment in terms of floor area, but it was styled to house a royal. 

A book that he was patiently reading a few moments ago was faced down on a side table, while a covered meal was placed on a dining table at one side of the room. He had yet to change from the clothes he wore to dinner, except for his jacket that he got rid of as soon as he was in his rooms. 

A knock on the door lit up his eyes with hope. The crown prince rushed to the door and yanked it open and he was not disappointed. “Risey,” he breathed a sigh of relief. “I was about to give up waiting. Had my mother asked for the impossible again? Shall I speak to her about it?” He stepped aside and gestured for her to come in.

“Please do sit. Oh, not in front of the fire, please,” he mentioned, gesturing to the table that had been set near the door to his bedroom. The candles on the table were half melted. He lifted the silver dome covering the food revealing a full course meal, same as the one served for dinner. He had asked of it from the kitchen before he went to his room, telling the kitchen staff that he hadn’t eaten well during the dinner. “I am assuming you have not yet had dinner. Please help yourself.” Sig poured wine for her, then for himself before allowing himself to sit opposite her.

“Consider this as my initial bribe, Risey, for that favor I would ask of you,” he smiled a little lopsided smile that made him look rougish as he raised his glass to her honor and drank to his little scheme. "My mother and brother trusts you enough. I hope that I am not mistaken for trusting you too. I need you to help me leave the palace grounds unnoticed. I am going into the city disguised as a commoner to personally inspect the level of security. Nobody knows this, not even Jan."