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I still didn’t coht

“Why would anyone want soed to be their leader?”

“I don’t know…your father is your leader”

She went absolutely still, her eyes locked on my face without reaction, as if she didn’t kno to react

“I know you don’t want to believe me, but it’s true”

She looked away, dis what I said

“I’ll get you some dinner” I rose to my feet

Her head turned back toto a

I walked out, went to the pub across the street in just my boots and breeches, and collected rab two because that would draw more attention than I needed, and I returned to the cabin

“Yes” I heard her excitement from the other room

I stepped into the bathroom, pulled up a stool beside the tub, and set the tray on top

“It’s hot” She sat up in the tub, soe, and inhaled her food faster than I did

I sat there and watched her

“You aren’t going to eat?” she asked, finally co up for air

“Already did” I’d just given my dinner to her, but I would be fine

She ate everything, every single drop of sauce, every cru that was served to her “I feel soa deep breath and letting it out slowly

I cracked a smile

“What?”

I pointed at ot shit everywhere”

“Oh, whatever I don’t care” She sat there for a minute, but then she ertips

My smirk remained

“Shut up”

“Didn’t say anything”

“But that smile says it all…”

I should go back to work, but I knew the second I left the roo else I leaned back in the chair and watched her soak in the tub, the stea as her body cooled the water once more Her hair stuck to the back of her neck, and her small shoulders breached the surface of the water

“I really don’t understand how you follow her” Her eyes were on the water in front of her, the liquid blanket that thawed her organs froet that she’s your mother, so it’s complicated…but I wouldn’t want to serve a queen as maniacal”