It was fifteen minutes later, and she returned with the orc. Apparently there had been some celebration below stairs also, as he was heavy lidded and still carrying a bottle. He grunted as he appeared at the grill. I raised a hand in awkward greeting as I sat on the edge of the bed, poised, as I had been in that same position most of the time. The chair from my desk sat turned towards me, and had a cushion, waiting for her.

The key scraped in the lock, and Fallon drew back the bolt. A screech of hinges and the door swung open, revealing Selena still in her glorious black dress and small pumps for shoes. She clasped her hands before her nearly and stepped in, a soft smile on her face. Her eyes glanced to me, where I blinked back with uncertainty, then to the chair I had arranged. She bit her lip as she stepped forwards to descend into it, as the door slammed shut, and she was locked in with me.

Silence fell, and we both sat perfectly still. Straight backed I was prepared to be as formally as necessary, so long as she wanted to be. This was, after all, due to be a very difficult conversation. If it began at all.

She made no move to begin, and I saw the rose blossoming slowly to her cheeks.

“Your mother never said anything, then?” I murmured.

Blinking a few times, and not needing me to confirm what I was meaning, Selena gently shook her head. “No, not at all.”

Slowly I took in a breath, my eyes flickering away. “Right.”

“She always spoke of you fondly, but then she spoke of others fondly too …”

“So she told me,” I nodded, slowly. That very day, though I really should have always known. I did know.

Her eyes skimmed over me, running around my jawline, the build of my shoulders, my nose. They looked at my hair, my ears, and finally my horns, that were so similar to her own in shape and size.

“I never intruded into your life without inside interference,” I said in a low voice. “Primarily, it was that I wanted you to have a normal life. A good life. One without any uncertainty, as a royal, with the vague possibility you could be the daughter of the family's lowly boatman.”

“Well,” she smiled tightly, awkwardly, “on that-"

“We were dating for almost thirty years,” I explained. “And she did not get pregnant once in those years. She slept with your father - Morté - sparingly in that time, but more towards the end, so it's highly like that-"

“Please!” She quickly held up a hand. I paused, stopped by the gesture. Blinking fast, I frowned, but sat up, knowing it was right to let her speak.

When it was confirmed I would be silent, she nodded, once. “Please. I … Morningstar and I already discussed this. He … had a spell ready. Said it was my choice, and that I didn't have to go through with it.”

My lips parted. I frowned, confused. The bastard had a spell already prepared? For what? A paternity test - and he had not told me? Concern grew deep in me as anger rose. I threw my gaze to the door as my hand began to collapse into a fist and muttered.

“Bas-”

“I did!”

That was enough to bring me out of my anger. Jolting, I looked over, my expression one of alarm. “You … what?

She looked right into my eyes. “I did. As in I made the decision and went through with the spell.”

“You didn't think that it would be something that should be done … later. With myself in the room, or, your mother-”

“No,” she sighed dramatically, “because, like you, Morningstar apparently thought the likelihood of it being you was slim. But that's not the point because-”

“Oh he would influence your decision,” I remarked, sourly. “He's an absolute-”

“Oh for heaven's sake! No one everyone is exasperated with you! Will you just let me speak?!”

I shut up. And blinked. Everyone was exasperated with me? Or was that just Morningstar was, so they all now were?

She sighed, and nodded after a moment. “Good. Now,” she took in a deep breath. “It was positive.”

My lips parted in confusion. “Positive? Meaning …”

“Meaning our blood is …” she gestured between us.

“Is?”

“Connected. Similar. You are my biological father.”