>>5202791You clasp your hands behind your head in exasperation, pacing before a clearly amused Alys, before all but falling down upon a nearby bench and laughing bitterly. “Alys, you really are too good at this, I keep looking for reasons to say no to that and all it's doing is giving me a migraine.”
She laughs as she softly sits beside you on the stone bench. “See, you do keep me around for a reason.” Her happy expression drops as you both see two of the midwives pass by the doorway, a shawl covering the burden they carry, a pale handless limb swaying from the movement of those carrying it down the hall. You hear her sigh, the long exhalation breaking into a quiet sob, and feel her head rest softly on your shoulder. “She hated me, the entire time, she hated me. Hated you. Even though we helped her.”
You shake your head slowly, careful not to disturb the woman overmuch with the movement. “Alys, we were only ever going to be the people who killed the father of her child. She was young, and angry, and dying. Her last words shouldn't have been an affirmation of hate, but Vera isn't around to realize the last thing she ever said should have been words of love for her son.” Your confidence in your actions keeps your voice steady. “We did the right thing, even though it was hard and thankless to do so. She got to hold her boy, and Alkaign didn't lash out and do something I am sure he would come to regret.” At least, you hope he would have. The man you traveled with for years and the Emperor ever seem to be divergent people.
“Hmm.” She hums, not moving from her spot against you. “Maybe someday I'll believe that.”
“We should head up to the council chamber soon, Alys.”
“You're right. Soon.” It is some more moments before she budges, and you don't begrudge her the time as she breathes softly against you.
Albrecht had always preferred to do all business in the throne room itself, placing some importance on doing the business of government in the relative open of the large audience chamber containing his office's ornate chair, both throne and room a result of one of his many renewal projects. Alkaign broke with this, doing most everything save formal audiences and ceremonies from the far less grand closed council chamber. At least it's more private, you suppose. It's there you find him and his councilors, in the middle of Xia Chen giving what sounds like a report on tax revenue.
