Valen sat near the window, her hands loosely folded together, though her fingers occasionally tightened as thoughts moved restlessly through her mind.
Kaelvryn remained standing a few steps away, watching her carefully without speaking.
He could see the conflict on her face, she had always been strong but the death of her childhood friend and the shadow of a hidden mastermind looming behind it all would have shaken anyone.
There was something that troubled her more than all this and Kaelvryn could feel it, eventually she broke the silence.
"Your Majesty…" she started softly.
"Yes?" He answered while dreading the question that would escape her lips.
Valen hesitated briefly before speaking again, "I need you to tell me something honestly."
Her voice was calm, but there was a firmness in it that told him she had been thinking about this question for quite some time.
Kaelvryn nodded slightly, "you may ask."
