Koreena snuggled into her pillow with a sigh. She was somewhere in between sleep and barely conscious. With protest she peeled her eyes open she stifled a yawn, wanting nothing more then to snuggle back into the pillow and sleep for days. She blinked a few times willing the sleepiness away.

She sat up slowly, the stiffness in her back was bearable as she stretched her joints. Her eyes took in the room, she yelped in surprise when she saw Selena in the same spot as before. “You know it’s almost disturbing that I wake up to you watching me sleep, again.” The demi succubi teased the lady of the court.

Selena barely smiled. “Your request for an audience has been granted. When you are ready he will see you.” She sat, her hands neatly folded on her lap.

Kora’s face twisted with surprise at her friend’s formality but composed herself quickly. “Thank you, Lady Star.”

Quickly she scrambled out of bed, exhaustion still trying to greedily claim her. She sighed before rushing to the bathroom, rinsing her face with cool water. She dabbed her face carefully before heading back towards Selena.

“Lead the way please.” Her arm sweeping towards the door.

Selena inclined her head, before rising, her eyes briefly looking over the simple dress Kora had on. She smoothed down her own pristine gown before taking the lead and showing Kora out of the hall. They went quickly, Selena speaking little, aside from a spare, polite “excuse me” as they passed a courtier or maid. She seemed withdrawn, passive, as they walked through the long corridor of the guest rooms, down through the apartments belonging to herself, Charon's sisters and others, then down a set of stairs before they came to the throne room itself.

Selena looked back to make sure Kora was still there before she moved, striding into the large open space, with the doors flung open to the glorious summer sky. The throne sat on its dias, though it was smaller than what Kora remembered. The hall was empty, and barren, and they strode straight through the middle towards a door opposite. It was the same door that Morningstar had dragged Charon through on Kora’s first visit here. The door was ajar, showing a huge round table at the centre of it. High-backed chairs surrounded it, a dark wood against the pale walls. In two of the chairs figures sat; one was Morningstar, looking thoughtful, the other was a woman with horns and long black hair to her waist.

Koreena reaches up giving the large door three good knocks, she took in, one, two, three deep breaths while waiting to be granted access to come in.

“Lord Morningstar …” Selena said gently.

He looked up, his chocolate brown curls swinging slightly. Pausing, he pursed his lips before he saw Kora behind her. “Right. Yes. Kora, this is my sister Nyx. You met briefly before.” He waved to the black haired woman who inclined her head.

“Pleasure.”

“Loving seeing you again Lady Nyx,” the demi succubus murmured softly.

She stepped into the large room taking a deep breath, the scent of nostalgia of past meetings that had occurred here. Her dark blue orbs swept over the room before landing on his lordship. A small, pleasant smile on her face. “Thank you for granting me this audience, Lord Morningstar.”

Morningstar leant back in his chair, breathing slowly. He nodded.

“I would like to discuss a few things with you if possible..” Her tone soft but filled the empty room.

He gestured to a chair. “Take a seat.” Nyx looked on inquisitively. Then he looked up, “Selena, if you can close the door and leave us,” he said.

Selena nodded, curtseyed shallowly before she moved out of the room, the door clicking shut as she did.

Koreena took one seat away from Nyx, she adjusted herself so her bandage back wasn’t pressed against the back of the chair. She set her shoulders back and her hands folded neatly in her lap, ankles crossed.

“Lord Morningstar, I went and visited your master healer and he said to see him back in two days to address my wounds some more, though I told him I would have to speak to you of course, if your lordship wishes for me to stay that long. We haven’t spoken since the stairs and so I wasn’t sure…..” The woman that sat one seat away from her raised and amused eyebrow.

“Sorry … I tend to ramble sometimes,” She sighed.

Morningstar paused. “This is what you requested an audience with me for?” He frowned, tapping a finger on the table. “Maybe I should have made you wait.” Nyx said nothing, only watched.

“No, Lord Morningstar. I know your time is valuable, I wish to mostly speak about what was said on the stairs.” She glanced uneasily at his sister, the rare beauty she was. Still unsure if he had confided in her about Koreena wishing to pledge fealty to him and even taking Selena’s place if Morté calls her home.

He nodded slowly, “then please, go ahead.” He blinked at her, tilting his head to the side. “Speak, openly. Nyx is one of my small council, she is honoured with the highest regard and trust here.”

The demi succubi nodded before her gaze met Morningstar’s. “If you’ll have me, I still wish to pledge my loyalty for you. I understand that there will be no negotiations for Charon. I only ask that you think about not locking him in the cell.” She paused for a moment, “I also want to know if you had thought over the proposition I left you with…”

Nyx looked over to him, her lips pursed as he blinked, but aside from that remained unmoving. “Why?” he asked. “Do you actually want to be in my service? Bare in mind it would be for your whole life, and Charon does not wish to. I need you to answer fully, truthfully.” He observed her with a stern eye. “Or is this just for him?”

Koreena blinked a few times as she thought before she spoke. “I do wish to be a part of something that matters, I have always been alone. I won’t lie when I say I have never been good with authority but I would like to work on it.” She sighed pursing her lips for a moment, should she be honest and give him such powers about knowing her true feelings. “When Prince Asaph, the one that poisoned me, gave me the lashings. He wanted to collect me to his hoard of dances, ones he rapes, uses and tosses out when done with.. I feel the sense of owing not only Selena and Charon but you as well Lord Morningstar. I could potentially be falling in love with your brother and maybe it isn’t what he wants, but what if it’s what I need, to be apart of your Court?” Her voice thick with emotions.

Morningstar looked at her throughtfully. Then he nodded, “that is not a firm answer. You state it is what you perhaps need? Perhaps? You have spent two days here, at most, and seen very little.” He leant towards her, eyes intent. “You want to be part of something that matters? There are other opportunities in the mortal world, why here? Why me? Clearly, you dislike what you see here. I will not accept the oath of someone who in fact does not care for it, and is doing it not out of devotion to me, but to my bride and my rogue brother. A lack of enthusiasm leads to disloyalty.” He narrowed his eyes. “That, or you are offering me this to betray me later.”

Koreena sighed trying to get him to see what she felt. “Because you are loyal! You look after your court, you may not want to show it but you care deeply for each member of it. If you feel like I would betray you then let me stay here for a trial run, Lord Morningstar. Yes we got off on the wrong foot because of me and I do apologize.. just let me show you - prove to you..” her eyes never leaving his intense gaze.