"Greetings, Your Highness. It has been a while since you returned from the North but I haven't had the honor of seeing you since then. May I have a bit of your time?"
It was Celestine Arwen.
Zalyric, who was already in a foul mood, glared down at her and spoke coldly. "Me not seeing you simply means I'm not interested in you, Lady Arwen. Or are you too stupid to understand that?"
Celestine stiffened at his harsh words, feigning hurt with a trembling lower lip and downcast eyes. But in truth, she wasn't affected in the slightest. She had long stopped caring about earning the king's favor this meeting was nothing more than a formality. It was just to prove to her father that she was still doing her part. After all, Duke Arwen was still obsessed with the idea of making her the empress.
Still, she was aware that many of her father's eyes and ears lurked within the palace that she had choice but to keep up appearances.
