***
Amie was carried into the king's chambers. King Adrian watched with blank eyes as she was placed down on a chair.
"Leave," she ordered and the attendants bowed and retreated.
"You have come to return this king his dignity? You should have told me, I would have had the chambers prepared so we can have a proper wedding night," he said and she looked up at him coldly.
"The Ligrel clan have settled in the Steinhouse Manor. I gave them some of the Steinhouse properties," she said and he silently walked towards the centre table and poured tea.
"What did they promise you?" he asked and Amie chuckled.
"What makes you think they promised me anything?" she asked.
"It would be odd if you ate a loss," he said and she smiled.
"I have already eaten a loss," At this, he sighed and returned in front of her.
"Are you still angry about our wedding day?"
"The Ancients and the four clans of Other-side," she said and he frowned.
"What?"
"You asked what they promised me," she said and he paused with his hand outstretched in handing her tea. She accepted the cup and took a sip.
"That is ambitious. What did you promise them?" he asked and she smiled.
"What? The Krain name as protection is not enough?" she asked and he laughed.
"I never thought they would go that far," he said.
"Oh? So you were not trying to use me to get the Ancients in your grasp? Then was my only purpose to bring you the Ligrel clan?" she said and he looked away.
"Don't be shy, dear husband. Am I not here to restore your dignity?" she said sweetly for a moment, then her eyes turned cold, "There is no need to lie anymore. After all, you have already eaten the meat. Who cares if you stole it from the host's pot!" she spat. Her smile at this moment brought chills to his spine.
"You do not believe that your brother gave you to me?" he asked and she raised a brow.
"You are right and wrong. Your brother is loyal to Lady Wickshire and she has sworn to protect those under her. I was going to be king, so she left a great many things in my hands and your family was one of them. To protect was her oath to your brother and he knew of it. Are you not protected? Did you not marry gloriously, and a king at that? Who in Juhntt would dare touch you and your family now?" he asked and Amie put away the cup.
"And I bring you the Ligrel clan while I am at it," she said, then got up. She felt her wounds reopen the moment her weight descended on her feet. The pain rushed to her head, but she did not care.
"But now, I have brought you the Ancients, you have paid little and gotten a lot. How do you intend to return this debt?" she asked as she paced slowly. He could tell through her smile that she was really angry right now; so angry the pain on her feet did not matter to her.
"Amie, sit down,"
"Speak; how will you pay for my services?" she asked as she approached him.
"How did you get it?" he asked.
"Oh? It was easy. For a moment, I realised that I would see my brother again. All your actions, if Thriergor was enough for you, I would be shocked. With how high you intend to climb, if you get to the top, what do you need to fear? You could have told me of your intentions, what you needed me to say to the Ligrel clan, but you let me choose. Why get to the top cautiously when there is none there to fear? If my brother is never coming back, then we are going to him. Since the Ligrel clan holds him in such regard, then they can come with me," she said and he picked her off the ground and placed her on the bed.
"Yes, Thriergor is not enough. Yes, we may meet your brother again. No, there is no need for me to be cautious. I only need to show you respect out of respect for him. You are on our side, Amie. Your entire family is," he said after sitting next to her. Seeing the look on her face, he could tell she was starting to take in his words.
"We do not see you as a pawn. Yes, I was not clear with you about my intentions. But, that is because I was not sure you would understand it. You and your family are on our side," he said and her anger reduced a great bit.
"You must understand this," he said and she nodded. Or some reason, she felt his face was a bit too close. Either because of his breath on her face or his intense brown eyes, she had to look away.
He sat up straight and went for a basin of clean water and a towel by the corner and returned. He cleaned the blood off her foot slowly. Only then did she start to feel the pain.
"Don't do this again. The physician said this should be exposed but kept warm. You should not walk on it yet," he said, "I have been investigating those who prepared the grounds for your walk that day. They all received money from quite a few officials, foreign nobility and even some royalty. It will take some time to find out who did it," he said.
"No need, I know who," she said and he looked up from her feet into her eyes.
"Out of all who paid the workers for one purpose or another only Princess Karth would be that desperate," she said and he raised a brow.
"How will you deal with her?" he asked.
"Slowly; I am a patient person," she said.