The Art Of War (TV Series 'Reign') #4

The Phoenix

Sitting in the corner of the room, I continued to read as the maids had been rearranging the furniture around the room.

"You are up early?" James asked as I entered the room with his hand behind his back.

"I wanted to be the first person to know about the mystery man we found a few days ago."

"So, you didn't bother getting some beauty sleep."

"Now, you are just full of jokes today, aren't you?"

"What can I say, our father was a jokester." He whispered as he took the seat in front of me.

"And a King? Who knew better than to judge a woman's beauty."

Taking the tea set from beside the table, he takes a sip before glancing around the room.

"What do you want, James?"

"Can't I have a pleasant conversation with my lovely sister?"

"You mean, your sleepless-beautyless Queen, don't you?"

"I didn't mean it that way, Eliana. I just wanted to spend time with you, you've been with Mary for the past few days. I hardly see you around the castle?"

"I'm having weekly meetings with Mary's friend. He spies for Elizabeth, and I think-"

"Do you really want to go down this path?" James blurted out.

"She killed Lola, James. A dear friend to Mary and I, she deserves to pay, and I need to know before I accuse her of something."

"...What if, Elizabeth wasn't doing this because you cared for your dear friend. Maybe she did it to warn you."

"That she's more powerful? I doubt it, brother."

Continuing to read my book, Talia came into the room with Lydia trailing behind her. They seemed a little skeptical than usual, as Lydia couldn't help but clean her hands on her apron.

"What's wrong?" James asked.

"We finished washing the man you found in the dungeon-"

"He was so...dirty?" Lydia gasps.

"He was a slave for Marie De Guise for almost 15 years, Lydia. Is he in his chambers?" I asked.

"Yes, he is very clean if we say so ourselves."

"Okay, well...I think it's time we found out who this man you're housing, really is." James said as he stood up from his chair and held out his hand for me.

"He should be expecting you."

"Thank you, both of you," I whispered as we passed them.

"Are you sure, we should be housing this man?" James asked as he took the main stairs.

"He is a noble-"

"He was a noble 15 years ago, Eliana. Things...people can change."

"You're right. They can, and maybe he did something to Marie that made her angry, be he deserves to be heard. I will not treat him any less of a man that he is."

Walking down the corridor, Lords, and Maids bow down and greet us as we pass them.

"Lord Narcisse, good to see this early morning," James said.

"Same to you, James. But I woke up to an empty bed and no wife. Care to answer that for me, my Queen?" Stephan said as he kissed my cheek.

"I needed to read. Talia had ordered new books in the library this past week, and I wanted to be the first to read them."