As he continued to eat his breakfast, Crow fought the urge to yawn. It seemed like he was getting more tired with each passing day lately. As long as his nightmare continued to plague him every night, he doubted he could go many more days without passing out from exhaustion. After all, the same thing had happened to him the first time he’d dealt with the incessant dreams. It had been the only restful sleep he’d gotten during the difficult season. He shook his head at the thought. Back then, it had been risky enough for him to fall asleep in the middle of the day, but there was even more at stake while he was living in the castle. He couldn’t let himself give in.

[i]I just have to make it until father lets me have a break,[/i] he thought, trying to reassure himself. Surely he could manage that much. Whenever Albin decided to give him a day off from lessons, he could nap to his heart’s content and hopefully be well rested enough to last another while.

Crow lightly bit his tongue, stifling another yawn. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. It wasn’t even afternoon, yet he could already feel his exhaustion creeping over him from so many poor nights of sleep in a row. He hoped his lethargy wouldn’t impact his lesson with his tutor—whomever that tutor might be—once he finished his breakfast. If he started “slacking off” again, he would pretty much guarantee that his father wouldn’t let him take a break; and if he couldn’t take a break, he was just going to be more tired still. It was a vicious cycle he wanted to avoid if he could.

The viceroy nearly thought he’d succeeded in reigning in his weariness when Penelope suddenly yawned beside him. The contagiousness of it drew out the yawn he’d been trying so hard to suppress, and he brought a hand to his mouth in a vain attempt to hide it, mentally chiding himself for slipping. “See you later,” he murmured, glancing up briefly to meet her gaze before turning away again as he sipped somberly at his drink.

Just as he was about to return his focus to his meal, Cedric spoke up, making him stiffen involuntarily. He fought the impulse to glare at the other man as he announced that he wanted to walk Penelope to the door. Assuming the knight was just trying to squeeze in some time alone with her, he was nearly tempted to force his presence on them too. However, he knew quite well how possessive he would come off if he tried, so he restrained himself, merely dipping his head in an even tempered fashion as the two walked off together.

Of course, he didn’t bother to contain a hostile expression once Cedric turned his back to him though.

Alone at the table, Crow finished off the rest of his plate—though his appetite had come back, he still had to eat slower than usual to keep from upsetting his sensitive stomach—and got up to head back to his bed chamber. Regardless of who his tutor was going to be that day, no one had shown up to the Great Hall to fetch him, so he assumed they expected to meet with him in his room.

[i]So that rules out John,[/i] he decided, admittedly relieved that he wouldn’t have to spar with Penelope’s father again so soon. The ache of his bruises was still fresh, so he wanted some more time to recover from their last round before he attempted to face the older knight a second time.

With that thought in mind, the viceroy made his way to the corridor that led to the stairs, apprehensive to find out if he was going to be taught by Udolf or Albin that afternoon.