ROYAL ⥇ N. ROMANOFF

1.7

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

"Mourned, rioted... The same to many Konstantinians."

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

The next morning wasn't any easier than the past twenty-four hours had been. Barely able to rest on the too-soft mattress that Stark had provided, Eloise had opted for the floor in a poor attempt to get even a wink of sleep that night.

When the sun woke her up just after the crack of dawn, she decided to get up and do something productive within the confines of her room. She still wasn't sure where she stood with the team so after a few stretches and getting ready for the day, Eloise set out to find the only person in the entire building that could stand her.

Peter was in the kitchen, fresh from the showers as he made himself a post-workout meal. When he noticed her enter the room, he was quick to drop what he was doing to bow at her in greeting. If the others reacted, she didn't pay attention, only motioning for Peter to continue as he was.

The gestures of royalty came easy to her as if ingrained into her brain. Eloise barely hesitated before reaching out a hand, prompting Peter to hand her one of the fruits from the basket so that she could have even a small meal to start her day.

"You know," she spoke, peeling the orange he had handed her, "though I do not miss the palace, I do miss Genevive."

Genevive was her personal assistant, personal maid if anything. She tended to Eloise's every need and when she wasn't by her side, she was carrying out a request or attending to her mother, who was by far the most high-maintenance woman Eloise had ever met.

"I heard she was released from duty," Peter responded gruffly, though there was no malice behind his words. "Since the Crown no longer required fifteen personal maids for the princesses, Genevive was granted an honorable discharge from the palace and now lives with her husband with enough money to last them both to the end of their lives."

"I'm glad one of us got something good out of this," Eloise grumbled, shoving one of the orange slices into her mouth. At least no one could reprimand her on her unladylike eating habits now. She'd save that for her own conscience to be guilty over.

The Captain and Barton strolled by, stopping at the doorway of the kitchen.

"We've got something," the Captain stated, looking more in Peter's direction than her own. Thor, who had been sitting at the opposite end of the room enjoying what seemed to be a PopTart, shoved the rest of it in his mouth before getting up. Eloise felt rude to not have said hello when she walked in but with one look from the god, she knew she was forgiven.

He held his hand out in front of him. "After you, my Lady."

She smiled, dropping her peels into the bin at the end of the counter. She walked behind the Captain and Barton while Peter lagged behind with Thor. Together, the five of them made their way to the lab where the rest of the team waited.

Eloise made her way to the edge of the room, Peter following suit. She observed as Steve flipped his tablet over to show them the screen. The reflected image could be seen in the glass opposite where she stood and she felt herself growing sick as her eyes trailed from the words on the wall to the limp and lifeless body of her tormentor.

Despite the fact that he was a horrible person, Eloise could only feel pity for the guy. He probably died alone, and from the looks of it, painfully as well.