It was not surprising that while Harold slept peacefully beside Alicia in bed, some other people around the palace were unable to find sleep. On top of the list was Ivan.
No matter how hard Ivan tried to sleep, he couldn't. His mind was very troubled. And the few times he managed to doze off, he woke up immediately when he saw Harold's red eyes and smirking face.
So very early the next morning, before the crack of dawn, Ivan left his chamber and made his way to the Queen's chamber. When he got there and found the place empty, fear gripped him for a moment until he remembered that she could have gone to the king's chamber, so he went there to find her.
As he approached the King's chamber, he almost sighed in relief when he saw some of the queen's guards standing outside with the king's guards, who were guarding the whole place. He had been right. She was with the king.
