Zephrine drew Sir Balian's cape tighter around her shoulders. As they came closer to Viâna, a few hours at most, it got cooler, much colder than Zephrine had anticipated. Xavier promised her that once they got to the castle, she would be given the finest fur cloaks the seamstresses could make.

"We've a wonderful selection to choose from. Wolf, bear, wildcat, even coyote." He said, horse trotting alongside Zephrine's, which Sir Elys had given her, as he rode with Sir Gabriel.

Zephrine was only halfheartedly listening to him. Her head was going in a million different directions, bouncing mainly between Eetu and the rest of her family. It seemed like a cruel joke to her, losing one brother in order to bring her family back together. She reached up to scratch the side of her nose, only to find her face was wet with tears. She quickly ducked her head, letting her hair shroud her face.

"My Lady?" Xavier stopped talking about cloaks, obviously noting the shift in Zephrine's mood.

"Why do you call me that? I'm not your Lady." She wiped her tears and looked back up at Xavier.

"Well... you kind of are. You're part of the court now. Part of the military, too, if it's your cup of tea."

"Part of the court? I'm sorry, do you want to elaborate on that?" Zephrine scoffed at him.

Xavier bobbed his head around for a minute before responding. "Do I have to? I'm sure my father can explain it to you."

"I don't want to hear it from some merchant." Zephrine rolled her eyes, thinking Xavier was just an overly pompous knight.

"I didn't know the king was a merchant. I'll have to ask him about it when we get back." Xavier pulled a half-smile.

"Oh, you're the prince. Well, doesn't that change things for me."

"How so?"

"I like you even less now."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment because you said you like me."

Zephrine stared daggers at him.

"I'm sorry. I should have considered your emotions before going on about the palace. What- what would you like me to address you by?"

"Just my name. Zephrine." Zephrine pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have gone off."

"The sexual tension between you two is incredible, you know that?" Seyr, who was in the very back, hilariously terrifying Sirs Gabriel and Elys, decided to speak up. "You two are definitely going to kiss at some point."

"Thank you for your unnecessary input!" Zephrine yelled back to her, ears growing pink.