Queensmen

Chapter 47

~Unsavory~

"Should we inform Meéarine?" Faeradaigh asked, his lips pulled down into a frown as he wrung his hands in worry. "She can easily decipher the nearest future and we would know—"

"Faeradaigh, you worry too much," Magnus took only one glance at the eunuch before cupping his hands in Hermes' direction. "If one woman is enough to ruin His Majesty's empire then he will be found undeserving of the throne."

"And that Deádim is the Empress Dowager's people," Eugene said distastefully, twisting his fingers into the silver chain on his neck. "Only the gods know what they say to her, what she says to us might be completely tuna."

"Don't disrespect the gods," Hermes admonished the man's flippant attitude towards the head of his nation's religion. "It is Meéarine's duty to be truthful. Once an oath to the gods is made, she cannot lie. She dares not to."

"I have one more thing to report," Magnus said and inclined his head towards the bedroom doors causing some of his blonde hair to fall out of its ponytail. "There is a maid outside that wishes to see you. She says that she is one of the nun's maid. She has been waiting for an audience since dawn."

"And you only choose to mention this now?" Hermes raised an eyebrow, sure that the man was still angry about what had happened on the first day of the selection.

"I didn't think it was important," Magnus defended himself with a smile that was not in any way penitent. "I didn't think you would want to save the nun. I apologize for the mistake."

Hermes felt tempted to run is hand over his face at the man's unapologetic tone but managed to restrain himself.

It must just be one of those days, he thought to himself as he took in the happiness radiating from the man's golden eyes. "Where is she?"

"In the imperial prisons—"

"The maid, Magnus," Hermes tipped his head back in an attempt to curtail the urge to strangle the cheeky advisor.

"Oh, she is right by the doors, Your Majesty."

"How did she get there?" Hermes narrowed his eyes at the man, hoping that he was not about to witness another carefully planned scheme. He had had enough of this from his mother of late and her manipulative behavior was getting more and more tiring to ignore.

"I've washed my hands clean of this matter long ago, Your Majesty. Feet not, I did not stage her presence. I'm afraid that she has the required clearance to march right up to your bedroom doors and demand an audience."

"Who is she?" Hermes asked, more curious than anything. He knew of no one with such audacity.

"Andrea Varehir," Magnus answered with a small, knowing smirk. "Your mother's former companion. You two have met before."

"She is the maid that got missing the day I escorted the Lady Of Inqa into the palace," Faeradaigh piped up helpfully to jog Hermes' memory.

"The one who tried to kill herself in the Great Hall?" he asked

"The very one," the eunuch confirmed with vigorous nodding.

Eugene looked between the three men a couple times before falling to floor, resigned. He crossed his legs and rested his chin on the heel of his palm. "I really don't know what you all are talking about."

"If you got your head out from under women's skirts, you would," Magnus said coolly, his gaze locking with the man's.

"You know who's skirts I'd rather be under," Eugene replied right away with an extremely suggestive tug of the cross dangling off his chain.