The Gladiator Fight, Part I

The days following the gambling night passed in an anxious blur for Lorelai.

She did not see Rhaegar again, and though she felt his absence deeply, she told herself it was definitely for the best.

The risks had grown too high; with Duke Kalder's knight circling like vultures, any connection with the lycan king would jeopardize not only herself but Rhaegar, too. He was a foreign ruler, dangerous enough to rouse suspicion even without her complicating things. So, she stayed within the palace walls, wandering the familiar corridors, haunted by the daily tasks that had already become nothing but daunting chores to her. 

She tried to bury herself in work again, but the events of the gambling night continued to disturb her mind. It was all too bizarre, too suspicious to simply let go an move on. But what exactly could she do? 

She could do nothing. Nothing but grit her teeth and go on like nothing ever happened.