Unusual Revelations

"Goodness. You're alive."

"Yes, I am Adrianna. Did you wish I was dead?"

"Of course not. You're the perfect shield against the demons. I need you to live."

"How lovely. Can I take your husband and use him as a shield then?"

"Do you want to be poisoned in your sleep?"

Jaime remained quiet, hearing them exchange words. He knew better than to cut in, as the bond between the two was much stronger than it looked from the outside.

"Okay, let's get down to business. This is definitely bad. What are we going to do about it?" Adrianna said with a serious expression.

"Evacuating is the easiest option but they'll keep following us until they push us out. The king won't send an army. I know my father," Jamie replied, holding the steaming cup in his hands.

"I was just thinking of just letting the demons roam free. It's exhausting having to fight them alone. Let everyone else fight them," Aretha replied, shrugging.

She dragged the room into silence. They looked to be debating her words even though she was joking. She disregarded them, waiting for her husband to arrive.

"That's…not a bad idea."

"…pardon?"

"Let me explain. They don't understand the type of threat the demons are. They don't even believe the demons exist. Why not show them what we go through here?"

"Brother, are you listening to yourself? Many would die."

"People have been dying here for centuries. They don't care. We don't have to care about them. It's not like I'm going to become king. This is the only way."

"This can't be the only way!"

Aretha watched the siblings argue with a bored expression on her face. She was the one who suggested it but she wasn't serious about doing it. It was entirely doable, of course, but it could easily backfire.

"What do you think, Aretha?" They both asked at the same time. She shrugged again.

"I don't actually care. But I would love to see the king chewed up by demons. I hate his smug grin. No offense, Adrianna."

"You don't actually care if you offend me."

"You're right but it is the respectful thing to do."

"Since when are you respectful?"

The door opened and Taylor wheeled Caspian in.

"Since now," Aretha responded with a smug grin. She rose and took the handles from Taylor, bringing him to sit beside her.

"I'm so sorry for being late. It was terribly rude of me not to entertain you, your highness," he bowed to the royal siblings.

"Ah, I see. You're trying to impress him with your non-existent manners," Adrianna said, directing a look of blatant disbelief and disgust toward Aretha.

"What do you mean non-existent? I can be civilized!"

"You are a beast. Just accept that fact."

"Wait, you don't really have to…"

Jaime caught his gaze in time and shook his head, making a gesture of a lip being zipped shut, hoping he would get the message. He almost immediately did.

"I'm sure you still eat in monstrous portions."

"And I'm sure your hair still masquerades itself as a demon in the morning."

"Ack! How dare you?!"

"You started it!"

Caspian noticed that no matter how much they insulted each other, none of them made a move to physically attack each other. In fact, they both started smiling.

"Do not be alarmed. This is quite common. They are both very nasty with their words."

Just that statement halted them both. They glared at Jaime while he just shrugged.

"You still haven't said anything regarding my plan, Aretha."

Aretha glanced over at her husband.

"I know where my priority lay. If you have a plan to protect us, then we'll do as you suggest."

"Aretha!"

"You know I'm right, Adrianna. I am not against doing it. I'm the one who suggested it in the first place. With or without your input, Adrianna, we will accomplish it. So now, you have to choose your own side."

Adrianna suddenly looked at Caspian. She gritted her teeth, stood up, and stormed out of the room. Jaime sighed and stood up, placing his cup on the table.

"I apologize for my sister. She can be very dramatic. We'll be right back."

Once the two royal siblings were out of the room, Caspian had Aretha's head in his lap. She snuggled on his lap, holding his hands.

"I'm exhausted, Caspian."

"It's okay. You can rest for as long as you want."

"You're so kind to me, Caspian. Tell me, do you love your family?"

"W-What do you mean by that?"

"I want to know how important your family is to you. I mean, what kind of family sends off their crippled son to be married alone? They must not value you."

"No, it's not like that. My parents just, unfortunately, happen to give birth to me. They are both wonderful people."

"Are they wonderful people to you? Have they sent a letter inquiring about your well-being ever since you arrived?"

"That shouldn't bother you. As long as I feel welcomed here, and I truly do, my parent's opinions shouldn't be of any consequence."

"Is that so? Well, how convenient. I guess I wouldn't have to have an awkward meeting with them. I am not very good with parents or figures of authority."

"Me neither," he quipped, chucking. The royal siblings soon returned but Adriana was still pouty. Aretha remained in the position she took, ignoring the siblings even though she saw them when they walked in.

"She has agreed to do it. Are you going to tell him, Aretha?"

"That sounds hectic. I'd prefer he didn't know. I don't want anyone prodding him for information. Oh, but we need to tell Fabian. He's my strategist."

"Poor Fabian," Adrianna said, feeling real pity for Aretha's assistant. "How is Wren now? I heard what happened to her."

"Her? Isn't Wren the Captain of the Knights? I thought he was a man," Caspian suddenly said.

"Oh. You didn't know? Well, it is a little complicated to explain what Wren is. But I guess she does play off being a man so well. I mean, she's so small I thought she was going to get hurt when she first started. She's so good with that demon slayer sword. I'm so jealous."

Caspian had never been so confused in his life. Neither had Fabian when he had to find out first hand that Wren was actually a woman when he opened up her clothes to change the bandages. He screamed and jumped back, closing his eyes. His screams woke Wren up. Groggy, she sat up.

"Why do you look like you've just seen a ghost, Lord Renfield?"

"Y-You...You're a woman!"

"Oh! I wondered why it was feeling a little breezy here. Isn't it too hasty to just assume I'm a woman? According to everyone else, I am a man. It's simpler to keep thinking that. Is that soup for me?"

"Y-Yes..."

"Thank you. You scare far too easily, Lord Renfield. If the knights find out about this, they won't...my knights! Are my knights alright?!"

"They are all resting in the other wards. Do...do they know?"

"Some of them do, some of them don't. Mostly the new ones. It's not like it's going to make a difference, is it? This isn't a regular occurrence."

"R-Right. So, I'm going to leave this here and..."

"Do you hate the fact that I'm a woman?"

"O-Of course not. I just remembered I had other things to do. I'll be back later to check up on you."

Before Wren could say anything else, Fabian already booked it out of the room.