Lucy Wickshire 193 Chapter Twenty-Two 14

Back in Juhnt, Lord of Merve entered his indoor garden which was now full of snow roses; flowers that grew black petals during the white cold, to see a heavily coated Amie reading a book. He paused slightly and made to leave, but she had already spotted him.

"You were looking for me?" she closed the book and faced his turned away form.

"Why do you a.s.sume so?" he turned back to meet her blank face.

"What do you wish to say? Do you expect me to believe you came to smell the snow roses?" she asked.

"I had a change of heart." he said.

"If this is about my brother, you are not allowed a change of heart."

"It is the thoughts of your brother that causes my change of heart." he said.

"Fear? Then you must have come to say to me words that may offend him."

"More like, ask of you what may betray him." he said, walking closer and taking a seat beside her.

"What?" she frowned.

"Tomorrow, I will attend Prince Thelmus' coronation. As long I enter the palace without problems, all will be fine."

"What role do I play here?" she asked.

"For my plan to work, Queen Raine must also be in attendance. It will be hard to get her in, but much easier to get you in." he said cautiously.

"You think this plan has a possibility of danger and still wish to take me? You are supposed to protect me not put me in danger." she frowned, "If I help you, will you tell me about my brother?" he looked away in response.

"No? Then will you at least explain the basis on which my family's safety rests on?" she asked and he looked confused.

"It is your responsibility to keep my family safe in my brother's absence. At what time is it no more your responsibility or do we loose the right to be protected? Can you explain that?" she asked.

"That, I can do." he answered after a moment of pause, "But you have not even asked me what I want you to do."

"What?" she asked.

"It is known that I never travel with female company, it would be suspicious if I started now. But going to the coronation with my intended is a totally different thing." he explained.

"Intended? Intended what?" she frowned.

"Bride-to-be, betrothed, intended, whatever version suits you best."

"What?!" this was not what she was expecting at all. Looking at his serious face, she thought of what could go wrong with this plan. She knew with her seventeenth anniversary coming up; she was more than eligible for marriage. So, marrying someone of his age, would only raise few eyebrows, but eyebrows nevertheless.

"Must I go with you? Can't you take Queen Raine instead?" she looked for a reasonable way out.

"Queen Raine will be going as your chaperone, Lord Morge will be leading the raid to take back the capital and I can not let more people into this plot. You are the obviously the safest option. Your brother is Lord Steinhouse, it is believable for me to be engaged to you." he said.

"Believable? By whom?"

"You forget that your brother being n.o.bility makes you n.o.bility. Of all the ladies in society, I have shown little interest in any. A mysterious man like your brother happens to have a sister, when there is not much knowledge about you and your family? You are made for the role. When all is over, everything will return to the way it was." Lord of Merve said. Amie took in a deep breath, then nodded in approval.

"You will settle this cleanly." she said with a nod, as though trying to convince herself that it would be alright.

"Yes." he lied. With the plan ahead, it will be hard for her to escape the ident.i.ty of his fiancée, the moment society knows her name. That is what he felt guilty about. How will Walter feel to know that he had basically put his sister in an odd position?

"Tell me about my brother, then."

"Your brother is on an important job, it is only right that your family be kept safe. You asked for the criteria of your safety? Another, is my employer. She is not one many wish to cross, even though very few know that your brother works for her. Your brother gave Lady Steinhouse a token to protect her. This token was gifted to him by our employer. The existence of this token means that one would never dare to harm your family, for fear of offending your brother. Still, I am tasked to make sure that your family is safe regardless of all these criteria, because your brother is important to our employer." he explained. Even though he had not said much, she understood the fact that they were now very important people because they were Walter's family. Even though they were safe, Lord of Merve still had to make sure nothing went wrong.

"Thank your for telling me, even though it was not much." she said and he nodded. He wanted to thank her for understanding his meaning. She is safe, is all she needs to know.

"Send the dress I will be wearing to my chambers. I will handle my parents." Amie said as she got up and left.

"Let's hope no one really pays attention to you tomorrow or else, getting out of the ident.i.ty of my intended will be difficult." he muttered as he watched her leaving form.