From her seat, Queen Aurelia set down her goblet a bit too firmly.
"Forgive me," she said smoothly in a voice that cut across the silence like a blade sheathed in silk. "It seems my hand is not as steady this morning. Perhaps the cup is heavier than it appears."
The king finally lifted his gaze.
"Indeed," the king murmured. Although his eyes briefly drifted in Lord Ronan's direction, his words were directed elsewhere. "Some burdens are deceptively heavy. A crown, for instance. Or even loyalty."
Lord Ronan's lips curved faintly, but if one looked closely, you'd notice that his shoulders had grown just a shade too stiff. "Loyalty, Your Majesty, is never a burden. It is an honor."
"Shameless snake," Aedric muttered under his breath as his goblet hit the table with a dull thud.
Grace glanced sideways and noticed his set jaw and eyes locked on Lord Ronan with such intensity that she feared the table itself might ignite under his gaze.
