Lucy Wickshire

Amie arrived the palace a while later and was told the King was with guest, so was served tea as she waited. A few minutes later, figure walked in, "Mind if I sit?" the person said and Amie looked up at Lord Morge who took a seat before she could answer.

"My Lord.." she was startled slightly. She had not seen him in a while. Even on King Adrian's coronation, he was not present.

"No need for formalities, Miss Krain. It seems we are both here to see the always busy king." he said, his face forever stern.

"Do both of you feel an obligation to answer my queries?" she asked him after a moment of hesitation.

"Queries?"

"Or have you been ordered by Lady Wickshire to not bother with the likes of me?" she continued.

"Ah.." he seemed to realize her point, "You now know who we work for. Well, it was more or less an open secret."' he commented.

"I ask, will you answer?" she asked him and he frowned.

"He will not. Lord Morge is the stiffer of us two. He could not be bothered by little things." They both looked up at King Adrian who was strolling in. Like always, he was wearing his famous side smile. The two stood and bowed as he approached.

"Sit." King Adrian said. "I must have done wrong today; I just dismissed a worried father, now I must a worried sister."

"I do not care to be dismissed, Your Majesty." Amie answered as they all sat. To this, King Adrian looked at her deeply.

"You know of Lady Wickshire." he commented.

"Does my brother work for her, same as you do?" she asked.

"Same? No. But he does work for her. He is considered high up on the food chain. He is her right hand, is what people say. He is her general, is the most correct description." King Adrian answered. Her brother as a general; that picture could not take shape in her mind no matter how much she tried.

"I will ask one more question. You must answer me sincerely." she demanded and he smiled in response.

"Where is my brother and when is he coming back?" she asked.

"That's two questions." he said.

"King Adrian, I demand an answer."

"He is not on Thriergor. He may never come back." King Adrian answered honestly. He had held out as long as possible. But he agreed that she needed to know. He was not sure why they had not told her before, just that they did not think it was their place to. To this, Amie was silent a while. They watched a myriad of emotions flash past her face silently.

"Where?" she asked.

"We are not privy to such information. Her Ladyship took him when she left Thriergor to other worlds. But the realms are two vast. We cannot begin to guess where." Lord Morge answered.

"Did he hesitate?" she asked and they paused.

"Did he for once hesitate?" she asked again and they frowned.

"No. I don't think he did. We did not see your brother before he left with her. But knowing him, I dare to swear that he did not." King Adrian answered. Amie stood up and curtsied to him, before making to leave.

"Is that it?" he asked her leaving back and she paused.

"For a moment I was tempted to answer all your questions about him." he said and she looked back.

"I will no more ask about him." she said and walked away with a straight back.

(more chapters available on patrëon http://www.patreøn.com/lucywickshire PS ø = o. Deliberate typo)