The Tyrant's Queen

49: for everyone's happiness

Last day of the monarchs' stay

Dazedly, Lucien stared at the letter in his hands. Cream white parchment paper, black ink.

'I wish you good health, Lucien. -Thalia'

The words were neatly written in Thalia's handwriting. But she'd never called him by his name, ever.

He fumbled around for his glasses amongst the piles of paper on the table, put them on, and examined the letter up close again. There must be some detail he missed.

"It must be forged," he muttered, taking another inhale from his cigar. "Someone...someone took her."

"If you fail to uproot Yhun from the palace once and for all, he will come back with a sharper sword, Your Majesty," Ikan was saying. "You do not have the luxury of wasting time."

When had Ikan come into his room? What time was it? It was already night.

"Is there no word of the search yet? There must be a trail somewhere. How can someone just disappear like...like smoke?" Lucien mumbled, re-reading the letter.

"Official Winhita is a cunning man. If he sees that you have fallen, he will return to be Yhun's man. He does not take chances."

"I- I give you full authority, General. Do whatever it takes to- to do whatever you need to, want to, to- who was it- yes, Yhun. I will not interfere."

Taking up another cigar in his mouth, Lucien stood, and started pacing the room.

"She wouldn't have just left. She... Someone must have taken her. Yhun has as many enemies as he does allies. Someone with grudge against him could've taken her. I must- I must go and see Yhun immediately-"

A rap came on the door. Without waiting for an announcement on who it was, Lucien strode across the room and opened the door, his pulse racing painfully.

It was Estel, accompanied by a handful of guards and maids.

Wordlessly, Ikan inclined his head. Tucking her auburn hair behind her ears, Estel smiled cheerily. "Honor to see you here, General. If I might have a word privately with Lucien?"

Or did Thalia leave him? Did she leave on her own accord? If she did, when did she decide to leave him?

When she discovered how he'd planned to use her, as Yhun's daughter? Or long time ago when he'd treated her as abominably as Yhun himself? At which point?

But if she had left by herself, how could she have disappeared so quickly, so perfectly? Had someone helped her?

Karlieus? No, Karlieus was the one who had run into Lucien's room ashen, the morning of the day he was supposed to accompany her on a trip.

"So many thoughts running through your pretty head, Lucien?"

Lucien then realized Ikan had left. He was sitting across Estel.

How strangely time was passing, with little lapses of time with no recollection.

"I thought you'd never be able to love a woman. After me." Her delicate pale fingers weaved into each other like tentacles of an octopus.

Who else could've helped Thalia? Was that person Thalia's ally? Was Thalia safe? If she wasn't safe, then she-

He wanted to throw up. Then she-

Estel's two cold hands cupped Lucien's face and lifted it, so that he was looking at her.

"You have the leisure of thinking about another woman with me in front of you? I'm a jealous woman, Lucien. And I know where Thalia is."