“So … the whole court is alive with the news.”

I lifted up my eyes from the book I had been reading for the last four hours, and saw her angelic face in the grill. 'Queen’ her name meant, and though her position as a laundry and kitchen assistant did not equate her to that level at all, she both held her opinion and held herself in that way. For a moment I tried resisting, but then a small smile flickered onto my lips.

It did not take me long to realise what she spoke of. Between Morningstar leaving me and my reading there had been some hours. A new accord had been struck between us - one that sung of a new arrangement. Even though it was still favourable to him, I had gained new ground in succeeding to having him agreeing to my gaining back more of my power. That, after all, was one of the parts to my plan of freedom; my magical power, and gaining him to the heights of legend.

“We have some more of an understanding of where we are situated, yes,” I nodded, slowly closing the book.

Regina paused, before she raised her eyebrow. “And he spoke to me alone, saying that he encourages whatever this becomes.”

She did not gesture or look in a meaningful way, but I knew what she was referring to. This. Us. A woman I could look in the eye and give her as much respect as she gave me, yet still have a wealth of subjects in which to disagree and debate upon.

“Well it depends if you are coming in or staying there,” I replied, tilting my head, watching her.

Did I really want a relationship with this woman? Indeed, I liked her. Massively, despite our differences in opinion. She was smart, funny, bright and bold. But she also worked for the man who wanted to have a hold over my life. A man who was also desiring Regina and I to be connected beyond anything. This was just another hook that he would have in me.

But then who else, seriously, would I have? And this had barely even begun. As I mused the door opened quickly, and Regina stepped in, her long black hair swaying with her short and sharp movements. She shut the door as fast as she could, peering through the grill before the orc Fallon came. The guard grunted, and slid the locks home, sealing me within, alongside her.

Then he closed the grill, this time without a second’s hesitancy.

My answer was there before me as this time she walked straight over, a shimmer in her eyes. “He has said you are here for four days.”

“That means five,” I replied, watching her as she came to stand directly in front of me at the edge of the bed.

“That suits me fine,” she shrugged. “You?”

I blinked for a moment, before I leant back against the bedstead. “What would your parents think of you, dating me?”

“They would be delighted, for it is within Lord Morningstar's pleasure,” she answered almost directly. “And mine. What would your parents say?”

My lips curled into a smile. “I have but a single parent, and that is Khaos, the void or creation and destruction. From it I stepped as a being of Order, along with all my siblings.” I paused. “I am older than Morningstar by the way. Technically he's my younger brother.”

“Then I am honoured to be offered this opportunity to … date you,” she said, and I inhale a quick breath at the word. So she was designating it already in something more than just sex. “Even though you are a barbarian, deserving of every punishment.”

“Easy on the compliments,” I said, as I reached for the book. “Can you …” I gestured to the desk behind her. Pausing a moment Regina curled her fingers around the book. Her eyes remained on mine, breaking only briefly to lean back and shift the book from the bed to elsewhere.

Now leaving the bed free. She spun back, and smiled pleasantly.

“What do you say?” she asked.

I paused, “what are you asking?”

“To 'us’?”

I had not had a relationship since the Queen of Death. Sephora was the one woman in my life whom I had fully invested in a race with, placing in my heart and my physical well-being. She could have told her husband about us at any moment, and we only ended it when she got pregnant.

Truly, I still did not know the father of that darling princess. But I had left that to time. She was better, after all, being raised in a world where everyone supposed she was a pure blood royal, through the King as her father. I was but the Ferryman, a servant.

And here I was the enemy. But wanted. And there would be no way of easily escaping Morningstar's clutches over the foreseeable future. First, I would need to gain my power back, and secondly, I would need to make him the hero he had always dreamed of being.

I shrugged, looking right at her. “Whyever not.”