Queen's Adviser

Chapter 20

*Elizabeth's P.O.V*

I walk swiftly down the hall, heading quickly to my study. I walk quickly to avoid either my mother or Zelene trying to follow me and speak to me. It's not that I don't enjoy speaking with Zelene, I just don't want to speak with her at the moment. I needed a moment to collect myself and so I took it by detouring to stop on a balcony that was near my study.

I close the door behind me, looking around before grabbing a hidden pack of cigarettes from by the windowsill. I open it, going to take one out before remembering that I don't have a lighter to light it. What was the point of having cigarettes if one did not have a lighter! I throw my hands up in the air out of frustration as I put the pack back in its hidden spot.

I would just have to find another thing to take the nerves off, I would have to have a glass of wine after Lady Larenhale left. I take a few deep breaths before going back inside, pausing when I nearly run into Zelene.

"My apologies, your majesty, I hadn't expected you to be on the balcony," Zelene says as she smiles softly.

"It is fine, it's my little place to get away from everyone and everything," I say as I walk past Zelene, heading to my study. Zelene follows after me and I open the door, leaving it open as I walk over to my desk and sit down.

"Should your study not be the place that you use to get away from everyone and everything?" Zelene asks and I shake my head with a small frown.

"You would think but I have far too many people that just barge into my study for me to ever get away from everyone or everything," I say after a moment, shaking my head. I have to bite back a laugh when my door is opened and I see that there is my head guard.

"What brings you here Sebastian?" I ask as I lean forward to rest my head on my hands. He chuckles when he sees the amusement on my face and offers a fake bow that very much is overexaggerated.

"I have to talk to you about some of the new recruits we have," he states and I roll my eyes.

"Every time you do that, I end up with a splitting headache and needing a glass of wine," I state after a moment as I gesture for him to come in.

"I went ahead and brought the wine," Sebastian says as he moves a hand out from behind his back and shows me a bottle of wine. I hum in appreciation as I hold out my hands to take it, letting out a noise of protest when Zelene grabs it before I can.

"I'll just hold onto this," Zelene says, ignoring the look of annoyance that I directed at her. I couldn't believe that she would take away the bottle of wine that my head guard was giving me. I let out a small noise of complaint but choose not to say anything. I would just have to reprimand her later so she didn't do it again.

"So....let me tell you about my new recruits," Sebastian says as he sits down on a chair that was just across from mine. I lean forward, crossing one leg over another but do it in such a way that I can be subtle about it.

"I think you mean my new recruits seeing as I'm the one paying for them," I correct simply, making him roll his eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at your queen. Don't you know that is rude," I say after a moment, giving him my best offended look.

"Yes, well if her majesty would like to be out in the field training the recruits, then she may call them hers. Seeing as I'm the one training them, they are my recruits," Sebastian states after a moment, making me roll my eyes. I couldn't believe that he would say that. Actually I could but I could still pretend that it was an absolutely outrageous thing for him to say. I mean how else would I get to have my fun.

"That is no way to speak to a superior Sebastian and you know that," I say as I cross my arms over my chest, earning a soft smile from him.

"Well your majesty, I would love to see what you could do on my training field if you are so superior to me," Sebastian states.

"No thank you, I do not have the time to run around and get all sweaty," I state as I smooth my dress out while leaning back in my seat.

"Of course you don't," he sighs as he shakes his head. I pause when I notice that he still has one hand behind his back.

"Why is your hand behind your back?" I ask with narrowed eyes, a feeling of dread bubbling up in my chest.

" I think you already know the answer," Sebastian informs me before pulling his hand out from behind his back with a smile, setting the stack of papers down on my desk.

"I hate you," I groan as I reach over and slide them to rest in front of me, looking at the top paper. It was just a review of the recruits and how well they were doing in different things. Most of them were managing to hold their own just fine. A few didn't quite meet the standards and I knew they would have to go.

"I know this is just your way to confess your undying love for me, hoping it will be reciprocated," Sebastian says with a small smile on his lips, looking very much amused by my words of how much I hated him. Perhaps I would just have to show him how much I hated him by giving him extra work to do. Yes, that would work.

"Have I told you that I need you to work back to back for the next week? Like with no sleep or rest?" I ask with a smile as I rest my head on my hands, earning a raised eyebrow from him.

"Yeah, of course you would say that," Sebastian rolls his eyes. "Except you already approved the guards schedule for these coming weeks and I would know if there was a reason to change them." He continues with a confident grin, making me huff my annoyance.

"All of my notes are on their respective files. I have opinions on who has potential and who we should cut in said notes. However, as always, the choice is up to you, your majesty," Sebastian does another bow before leaving without waiting to be dismissed. How rude of him to do! I groan as I rest my head down on my desk, already dreading the day. In fact, I was already dreading the week and I can't wait for it to be over.