The queen’s face was flushed red with anger, how could she have not known? The signs were all there: easy friendship, always agreeing with her and encouraging her to explain more and more anything and everything; he was always there for her. All these signs, she thought, indicated a stupid boy in love with a noble person, where she always had the upper-hand, but in reality, it was a stupid queen who didn’t listen to her advisors, let a man into her trusted circle, because she truly thought he was harmless, and she was falling madly in love - real love - for the first time. Little did she, or anyone else, for that matter, know that he was a spy who had now deceived and betrayed her.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she deliberated whether she wanted him dead or alive. The decision came down to if she wanted him to have the chance to explain his intentions or if his actions had already implicated and incriminated him as a renegade.

She turned her back to the people in her chambers, her eyes scanned her kingdom that was widely visible out her window. She pursed her lip and knit her brows, away from the soldiers that could see her expression. She was aware that she was unmistakably in love with this traitor and that she would leave the kingdom by being exiled, if it meant spending the remainder of her life with him. She had to find out if he still felt the same after everything they had been through. And she needed to earn back his loyalty. She clenched her jaw. When had she lost it? There had to be a point in time he decided she was worth selling out. Her secrets were worth trading for. What had he gotten in return? Had he known he would do it the whole time or had something changed recently? She had questions and he had answers.

“Hunt down the traitor and bring him back to me alive.”