The Paladin (The King Eternal Monarch AU)

A Flower in the Wild

The raps on Elizabeth's apartment door were uncharacteristically rapid. She glanced at the digital clock on her desk. It was also uncharacteristically late.

"Enter," she said as calmly as she could.

Keith walked in looking entirely grim.

"Your Majesty," he bowed his head.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"There's been a fire in the North Residence."

"And?" Elizabeth continued calmly. She could see from the ashen look on Keith's face that James was involved.

"The fire department has been sent in. It seems that there was an explosion of some sort."

"And?"

"Over twenty five men are dead. Most of them are Northern lords. We still don't have the full number yet. There's also some confusion over the identity of the bodies."

The implication of identifying the faces of burnt victims was not lost on her.

"Have you tried to contact North?"

"Yes, but -" Keith's voice trailed.

"I see," Elizabeth nodded her head. A peculiar sense of calm settled over her. "Is there anything we can do?"

"We've sent our best personnel."

Elizabeth knew that 'we' meant the other Paladins.

"I see," Elizabeth repeated. That seemed to be the only thing she could say.

"Keep me posted, East," she said the only other thing she could add.

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Tomorrow's schedule will continue as usual. Tell David that if he can slot in a visit to the North, I'll take it kindly."

"Yes, your Majesty," Keith bowed his head and left.

At the door, he turned back and looked at Elizabeth worriedly.

"Your Majesty. Will you be alright?"

She did not know how to reply to that. So she remained silent.

Keith actually walked over to where she stood and patted her shoulder before he finally bowed and left.

The next morning, Elizabeth's schedule went on like clockwork. Between meetings with the business leaders, lunch with Alexis and her fiancé and a call to congratulate the Crown Prince of Bhutan upon his ascendance to the throne, she was kept updated on the events unfolding in the North.

Eugene Kang, the chaebol Elizabeth was closest to realised that the Queen seemed a little distant during the meetings that morning. Although he tried to ask her about it, she did not elaborate.

Alexis, who was nervous about having lunch with both the Queen and Walter, her supposed fiancé, noted that the Queen was a little preoccupied with little missives from East.

Alexis had been worried about pulling off believable PDAs with Walter in front of Elizabeth. For a man who wanted the world to believe that he was her fiancé, Walter was incredibly standoffish.

Still, she tried to hold his hand occasionally during the lunch meeting with the Queen even though he stiffened on one occasion. She had a feeling that he would berate her endlessly about her disappointing act when he called later at night.

Keith, as the escorting Paladin during the Queen's luncheon with the Crown Princess and her fiancé, was not impressed by Walter Lee. He was an unknown, and Keith did not like having someone unknown right under his nose and with access to the East Wing of the Palace.