In the Shadows~zayn au~Completed ✅EDITING

~Chapter 30: Stilted Discourse~

Heelllooooo! Here's a very long chapter to make up for not updating again the other day, and for the last chapter not being up to snuff. My bad my bad.

Second bone to pick, though.... How the hell am I getting 45 views on a chapter and NINE VOTES. That's a bit of a discrepancy if you ask me... See if you guys can fix that for me with this one.... much obliged. And for those of you consistently voting and being generally awesome: #stayexcellent. Love you guys to the moon and back. :)

Kalysta's POV

Boredom came on fast as there was nothing for her to do. There was no work, there were no people to interview, and no plans she could formulate. She didn't know enough to plan, and for the first time she began to wonder whether this hurried scheme of hers was achievable. Gaining the support of the other nations was more than necessary. It was a matter of Murdoch destroying Dalitrise under his rule if she didn't succeed. But all she knew of the rulers was what Elysium had managed to scrape up from their spies.

King Harry was known to be highly religious, a man who valued life and was more peaceful than any ruler in the past. Cheshire seemed to prosper under his rule, but his military was almost as poorly organized as that of Elysium's. However, they provided the other countries with needed crops, raw materials, and artisan goods that helped everyone survive. This provided them with some measure of safety, because uprooting the people of Cheshire would destroy trade routes and set back everyone for years. King Harry knew this, and it was obvious that he considered himself safe because of it. But he wouldn't be; not for long, not when Murdoch had the other nations in his fist.

Kalysta knew it would take a lot to persuade this king of the danger he faced, especially because the man felt so secure behind his walls of diplomacy and trade. Perhaps she could reach the part of him that valued life, in the hope that he valued more than just the lives of his own people.

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Her boredom and racing mind drove her to pace the deck. In her movements she found the hatch that ostensibly led to the crew's quarters and avoided it. As it was, the few men remaining on deck didn't bother her. When she walked past, they simply tipped their caps or bowed their heads briefly. They seemed courteous enough.

"You look well recovered," Louis said, approaching her. "Are you planning to stride a hole in the deck?"

"Perhaps if I walk enough it won't be such a drastic change for me when the ship begins moving again."

"That's the only reason you're pacing like the destiny of the whole of humanity rests in your hands?" Louis asked knowingly.

"Yes, I have a lot on my mind, as you can tell," she admitted. "There's nothing else to do on this dreadful ship but think."

"Don't let Zayn hear you deem his beloved as such."

"Is he that particularly attached to the Partheos?" she asked incredulously.

"She's the only girl I've ever known him to love, so I'd say yes," Louis replied, shrugging.

Kalysta shook her head in exasperation, but her mind raced,

"Would you like something to pass the time, Princess?" he offered, changing the subject.

"And what would that be?"

"You carry knives, correct?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to learn how to throw them properly? All for scholarly sake, of course. I'm sure you won't have an occasion to use it."