Aery gritted her teeth. "Your Majesty, Finn Griffith, assistant Chancellor of Mages of Adarlan. Master Griffith, Her Majesty Aelin Ashryver, Queen of Terrasen." Then she shook her head, dropping it onto her arms which were folded across the desk. "Oh, why did I say that. I'm sorry. I've only gotten like three hours of sleep in the last week." Because I wake up every night screaming from nightmares and can't go back to sleep because of the darkness. But she didn't say it.
"Master Griffith, if you will kindly excuse me. I need to go to sleep before I say anything else that I will regret." She stood, curtsied to Celaena, and walked quickly from the room, to find her own bed.
And then she was greeted by a surprise. Her room was a disaster; Ame and Silly and the boys were playing tag and tickle-war.
"Wyrd save me, what's gotten into you?"
Instantly they stopped, turned to face her, and the girls curtsied and the boys bowed. "Sorry, mum, your majesty." Alek said.
"Mama, can we sleep with you tonight? We gots scared because we didn't know where we was." Aiden said.
Aery sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She really needed to go to bed. But maybe having the boys there would keep her calmer.
"Alright. But why were you all playing around? And why on earth did YOU join in, Ame?"
Ame blushed. "I've never had the chance to play with kids my age. They were teaching me how to play tag and things."
Aery's mouth quivered. She fell on the floor, laughing and crying in equal measure.
The kids, amused by this dramatic turn of events, took one look at her and fell in a puppy pile all around her.