Playing with Fire

"Be quiet, Sven."

The words were quiet and small, yet harsh and thick with suppressed emotion. Although that wasn't going very well, suppressing her emotions, that was. It felt like as his anger melted away from him, it immediately became absorbed into her own body. Her fear mixed dangerously with that rage, that disbelief that he would think her so cruel and manipulative. That he believed she would lie about the death of their child. Carina knew she had not been without her own sadistic moments, the executions a month ago proved that. But to withhold such devastating news from him, for him to think she would use that against him...

"You need to be quiet. You need to shut up right now." Her voice grew in strength, but also in coldness. If her powers were not controlled by the bracelet on her wrist, the whole room would have lowered a few degrees by this point. She could feel that ice seething in her veins.

She turned away from him, reaching for the slip she allowed to drop to the floor by kneeling awkwardly so she didn't have to bend with her bump. Carina kept her back to him as she gingerly pulled it back on over her head, trying to control everything that was raging within her head.

Finally she turned back to face him, both hands resting protectively over her bump. She continued to watch him, wanting the silence to grow, wanting a discomfort to grow within him. The same humiliation and discomfort she had just felt, she wanted replicated within him. Carina was hurt, and while she knew she had reason to be, she couldn't understand just why she was as hurt as she was. This was Sven, after all. Why was she so surprised that an accusation such as this had come from him? He always doubted her, always suspected her. He always believed she was doing something to undermine or hurt him.

Carina allowed the tension to linger, palpable and thick in the air, before she lowered herself to sit on the lid of the toilet again. "You know... you've truly put me through some shit, this past year or so, Sven," she began softly, a hand tenderly running over the bump, "And between this accusation, the attack on the carriage, and you murdering my brother and then leaving me in the dungeon for the night with his head... I am surprised I have remained as sane as I am now."

Silence fell again as she cast her gaze toward the window, a shaky exhale escaping her as she dealt with the remains of her fear. He wouldn't touch her now. If there was anything she had learned about him, was that he wouldn't touch her now he had been corrected. Hell, maybe he'd even avoid her for a few days now, too mortified by what he had just done.

"You're so fucking proud, aren't you? You hate me that fucking much that you... you couldn't even bring yourself just to... to talk to me about what you feared. So scared that I would use it against you." Carina laughed quietly, but the noise was bitter and held no humour. Her gaze moved back to pierce him, irises almost seeming to have turned a colder blue as that ice continued to burn within her, "If you had only asked you would have known that those vitamins were because I was scared I wasn't getting enough food for the baby to grow strong and healthy. Everything I've done, since the moment I found out I carried your child was to make sure it stayed alive and well and strong. Because despite what you might think of me, I will love this child until you decide to remove my head from my body. Because it is my child too, whether you fucking like it or not."

She stood, body trembling but not out of the fright she experienced earlier, but because her anger had become too strong to repress. "You think-- you think I care about your apology? You've just accused me of hiding a miscarriage, a miscarriage of our child, because... what? I'm 'an emotionless psycho'? Because you thought I would use that to break you, later down the line? You've just made me strip to prove to you that the bump was fucking real, Sven!" Her voice had risen to a yell, something she had never done before.

"Not once have you considered asking me about what was going on. Not once have you thought to ask me how I've been feeling during this pregnancy. You've been too caught up, listening to people who clearly hate me for who I am, allowing their poisonous words and accusations to get into your head! Oh yes, 'I've been told this' or 'I've been told that'. That's all bullshit, Sven, and you know it." Eyes watered threateningly, voice once more thick with those tears, "I've not touched a single drink or piece of food that I think could harm out baby the moment I found out. That bottle of wine clearly isn't mine. Nor are the sheets! And for the record, I've not seen the royal physician because I've had recurring nightmares of him ripping my baby out of me!"

Carina looked away from him, head hanging as emotion began to get the better of her, "Perhaps you should stop looking so closely at me, Sven, and start taking a look at those you keep close to you." She murmured finally, head rising to reveal flushed cheeks which bore some fresh tear tracks. "If the sheets weren't mine, how did Natalia know where or how to find them? Don't think I haven't noticed her lack of pregnancy symptoms, good or bad. As for the bottle of wine, perhaps you should ask her about it. I heard one of the maids talking about how she enjoyed it all to herself. Not to mention... her bump hasn't seemed to grow much lately."

Taking a deep breath, the young queen raised a hand from the bump to wipe at her cheeks, chin tilting upward to keep her head held high. "This is your cue to leave. I'm done with this, and I'm done with you. And don't bother coming back with a tray of fucking tea to try and make amends, you'll only have it burning your face when I throw it back."
 
Never would the young King allow anyone to speak to him like Carina was speaking to him. In fact, even if he wasn't of royal blood, any Ignisian would have become riled at anyone speaking to them in such a manner. Add into the fact that Sven was naturally a temperamental person who wanted -or rather, needed- to assert his authority to whoever he was engaging with, and the expected, characteristic reaction from him would have been some furious, vicious rebuttal of her words and the way in which they were directed towards him.

But this wasn't some usual situation.This was one of the rare occasions where he knew he was in the wrong, where he knew he couldn't twist and manipulate things into his favour - but even if that was a possibility, the fact he was so heavily invested into it emotionally meant he wouldn't do that; he couldn't. All he could do was stand in silence as Carina understandably ranted at him, her fury and disgust not only justifiable but understood and accepted by the young King.

It was a first for him not to interrupt the other and cut her down from her ranting, to just let her expel all her disgust and vitriol towards him, but he let it happen because he knew, deep down, that there was little he could do other than accept it. He had stormed into her bathroom when she was at her most vulnerable and demanded something of her that put her in an awkward, uncomfortable position. He had slammed the door and let his power rise threateningly to the surface. And then, after all the threats and anger, he had accused her of concealing a miscarriage, assuming her to be some heartless, malevolent figure who would think to use a tragedy against him.

She wasn't that sort of person and he knew that now - but that didn't mean the accusation would disappear just because he displayed some rare genuineness and uttered an apology. He knew his words had consequences and so, though he disliked being yelled at immensely when he was the King and felt he had that position of superiority over her, he was mature enough to respect it and let her say what she needed to say... even if his guilt continued to manifest and grow the more she reiterated how disgusted she was with him.

He only glanced up from the floor when Natalia was introduced into the conversation, a smile in disbelief crossing his features. He understood Carina's anger and was willing to accept it all, but her suspicion of Natalia felt like a laughable attempt to hurt her. Carina knew how horrible it was to be suspected of faking a pregnancy so her hatred of Natalia (particularly after the latter's role in encouraging Sven's suspicions) would want her to have a taste of her own medicine; to know what it felt like to be distrusted and accused of something so unthinkably cruel. At least, Sven believed that - he believed that Carina would want to hurt Natalia more than he believed his adviser was capable of cruelly deceiving him, the idea that she would have lied about a baby making him roll his eyes.

"Natalia is pregnant; I don't appreciate you attempting to turn my suspicions onto her and upsetting her like I've upset you. I know I hurt you, I accept that, but wanting Natalia to feel the pain I've unfortunately inflicted upon you is cruel, Carina. I'll ask her about this, of course I will, but I doubt your suspicion of her has any basis," he eventually responded with a curt nod, the fact he was willing to defend Natalia so confidently being a reflection of the genuine care and consideration he had for the woman. He may not love her and may have been prone to using her over the course of their long friendship, which began as young teenagers, but he did care for her and always had - he would defend her without hesitation, even to Carina who he knew he had hurt and didn't want to upset further.

"I'll go and talk to her now; I'll sort this out. It's all a big misunderstanding; I refuse to believe she would actively manipulate me. She isn't like that, Carina-- but I'll talk to her, I'll address this. Just... have a rest, I'll keep out of your way. Lauren can bring you your tea; I don't wish to upset you more than I... clearly already have."
 
A smile of her own appeared, a humourless one that coloured her face with her own disbelief, "I think... I think that right there just says it all, doesn't it?" She asked softly, head shaking at his words, "'I'll go and talk to her now, I'll sort this out'. Just... just imagine how much different this supposed 'misunderstanding' would have gone if you had simply offered me, your wife, the same fucking courtesy."

Placing her towel over the edge of the bath, the young queen walked around and past him to go into her room. Despite the small gap between him and the door, Carina made every effort to avoid touching him in any way, turning herself and the bump away from him the moment she was past. She reached for the dressing gown that was thrown over the top of the changing screen in her room, pulling that on while slipping her feet into some slippers.

"Don't bother sending Lauren. In fact just-- just have everyone in this god-forsaken castle just leave me alone. I'll get food when I'm ready for it." She finally spoke again as a brush ran through her hair, a task she completed quickly as she didn't want to stay a moment longer in her room now. Not with a singed bathroom door that would constantly remind her of what had just happened.

Clearing her throat, she walked with as much dignity as she could muster to the bedroom door, only to pause with her hand on the handle. Carina turned partially to face him, wherever he was now in the room. Expression tired and that hurt, that anger, still flaming within her eyes.

"I didn't ask for any of this to happen, Sven. I didn't ask to end up as your father's prize. I didn't ask to be married to you, or forced to carry your child. I didn't ask to be constantly at odds with one another." She murmured, that vulnerability once more showing, "So I'd appreciate it if you could stop acting like I'm the fucking bane of your life. Because at the end of the day, you're the one that keeps trying to find excuses to make me to complete emotionless, cruel, vindictive bitch I know you want me to be."

Abruptly she sniffed and wiped at her cheeks, roughly brushing away tears that fell without permission, "And you're the one that keeps being made to look a total fucking idiot."

With her last words, the young queen left her bedroom. Not with a loud, aggressive slam but with a quiet click as she pulled the door closed gently. Afterwards, she headed to the library, her new safe haven and sanctuary, where she could be left in peace.
 
The vulnerability on show did come as a surprise. He had seen glimpses of that openness before, engaged in it himself, but he had welcomed it then; enjoyed the ability to grow closer to someone who he had, before then, been constantly at war with. He ought to appreciate the vulnerability in this instance but he couldn't; not when its presence hurt him more than if Carina just put on a front and acted unbothered or, conversely, continued with her anger. The quiet disappointment and unveiled disgust only made him frown to himself as the further realisation of what he had caused by placing blame upon her continued to uncomfortably settle.

Rather than perpetuate the growing discomfort between them by heading after her with further attempts to apologise, he wisely let her disappear to the library without another word on the matter. In her absence, he allowed himself to break a little, sinking down onto the side of the bathtub and holding his head in his hands, back bent and hair grasped by fingers as he urgently tried to hold back from crying. Whether it was in relief that she was still carrying his child and heir or in regret over the emotional damage he had caused her he didn't know - all he did know was that tears threatened to be expelled from his eyes and he couldn't let that happen; he could never allow himself to be seen in such an emotional state when it directly contradicted the man he wanted to be seen as by his people.

After a few minutes of careful breathing, he left the room in search of Natalia, the assumption that he would confront her with baseless claims and laugh about it all afterwards growing closer to being dismantled.

Eventually, the confrontation would occur in her office; a ridiculously lavish and large space that no adviser would be welcome to if they weren't a) the King's lover and b) had a genuine friendship, both things evidently reaping their benefits if the office was anything to go by. The conversation was casual and remained that way even when Sven quietly brought up the suspicions placed upon Natalia, his smile and relaxed body language regarding the issue unlike the rage displayed when confronting Carina - because he had no doubts when it came to his adviser, seeing the confrontation as an unfortunate necessity just to shut Carina up.

Inevitably, the casualness began to fade the more Sven became aware of Natalia's poor ability to lie now she was under pressure to do so, unable to answer why she had been seen drinking wine or what had happened with the bedsheets. She tried to bat the accusation away with a laugh, but the friendship she shared with Sven spanned more than a decade; he knew her and so knew that her behaviour, being this flustered, was indicative of a lie.

He didn't want to place her in a position of vulnerability like he had done with Carina by demanding she undress, but there was little else he could get her to do to prove that she was as pregnant as she said she was. He attempted to remain calm as he quietly asked her to remove her dress, his jaw tightening when his request was met with nervous rejections. The more he asked, the more flustered and anxious Natalia became in her efforts to cling onto her secret - but it only increased the suspicion Sven now felt. He knew that she was lying before she even came clean, before she broke down, but the actual confession still felt like a knife had been plunged deep into his chest.

As Natalia broke down and weakly attempted to appeal to the King with her reasoning for the lies she had spun, her tears and choked explanations did little to make its way through to a man who was, understandably, shocked to his core by the admission. He had stepped into the office with supreme confidence that this would all be laughed off and he could enjoy looking forward to welcoming his children into the world in a few months' time. Instead, he was left collapsing onto the armchair in the corner of the room, pale and shaking in shock that the child he had devoted so much love to, the child he had already had a crib built for and clothes tailored for, didn't even exist and never had done.

Rage was the emotion most would expect from the man; a rage of such ferocity that nobody in the castle would have gone unaware of once it was expelled. The expulsion of his powers was a likely result to, flames bursting from him without any effort to control them. Or perhaps he wouldn't even react; perhaps he would appear nonchalant and unbothered, a shield being placed up to protect himself.

Either path was as viable as the other and as Natalia's panicked crying continued to raise in volume, staff that passed by the office hesitated in the corridor, murmuring amongst one another as the subject of the crying reached their ears and caused them to contemplate just how their King would react to it.

In the end, neither rage nor nonchalance won out. Instead, the one thing Sven didn't want to happen commenced - he broke down and began to cry, the sobs unsubtle and causing every member of staff and ever guard that had gathered in that hallway to express understandable shock at the sound of their King crying.

Lauren had been one of the maids that gathered outside the hallway in confusion at the sounds coming from the office and though she despised Sven, her first reaction was to almost feel sympathetic once the cause of his crying reached her ears. He had been lied to about the existence of a baby; it was hard not to feel sympathetic when every heart-wrenching sob and sniffle could be heard loud and clear. But then reality sunk in and she allowed herself to find enjoyment in his pain, struggling to hold back her amusement as she eventually observed Natalia leaving the room, having been told to take her leave from the castle entirely. Her eyes followed the fired adviser with the faintest glimpse of a smile, and she remained stood just in case Sven made his appearance too, the idea of seeing him tearful and broken being something she longed for.

When it became obvious that he had locked himself in the office to calm down, she drifted past the other staff members and headed to the library in search of her friend. Even if she was aware that Carina wished to be left alone, this was one instance that she couldn't simply let her remain oblivious of.

"...Ma'am?" She began once peering into the library, remaining formal in case someone was present in the library other than the Queen. She ventured forward with urgency when realising it was just Carina present, her smile growing the closer she grew to the Eirian.

"You-- You missed it all, the entire thing; I-- It was-- I can't even explain to you how--" She paused to catch her breath, her words stumbling over one another in her eagerness to get it all out. With a deep breath and an apologetic smile, she continued: "Natalia wasn't pregnant; I heard it with my own ears. A lot of us did. We heard her crying and begging him to forgive her; told him that she lied but that she never meant to hurt him. Everything, the whole sordid ordeal, it all came spilling out of her and-- oh, this is the best part. He was sobbing; crying that cold, dark heart of his out. I... thought you'd want to know, of course. It was wonderful, Carina; she's been fired, I assume. She went running out of here in tears, so I can only imagine her status has been revoked-- god, I had to fight against laughing when I was up there."
 
At the news, the book that was in Carina's hands slowly closed and her eyes fluttered shut. While she wanted to join Lauren with her happiness at the fact that Sven had once again lost a member of his closest circle, she couldn't. That emotion, and anything positive or optimistic she could have felt, was dull and meaningless. How could she show enjoyment at what this meant for Natalia, when moments ago Sven was expecting that to have been her? How could she take pleasure in him losing another confidant when it meant knowing that the adviser had lied about a child she knew Sven had been so excited for.

That last thought of sympathy had her reeling. Why should she care about what he had lost? He had been nothing but cruel to her merely an hour ago, and had been cold and vindictive for the past month. He had thought of her as some heartless monster that wanted nothing but his downfall. Of course... maybe that last bit was true, but to think that she was that sadistic and psychotic that she would lie about her pregnancy when she had been nothing but excited and attempting to do everything she could to keep the baby strong...

Yet sympathy lingered. A hurt for him remained.

She hadn't wanted to be right about Natalia, and she knew now that at least her child would have no competition and wouldn't be left out in the cold. Carina knew how eager Sven was to be a father, to both children, and to have the one of them ripped away... it would be heartbreaking. The young queen couldn't begin to imagine the torment he must be going through in that moment. And that empathetic pain throbbed in her chest.

"I'm glad you controlled yourself," she murmured finally, eyes opening and head turning to look at her friend. "I know I should be pleased about this but this... isn't something I would wish upon anyone, even Sven." She sighed, looking down at her bump.

A part of her wondered if she ought to... go to him. It would be understandable that news would have reached her regarding the situation. Perhaps she ought to see him, take some sweetened tea to help him through his shock.

No. What?

How could even be considering that after what he had just put her through? He had stormed into her bathroom, intimidated and threatened her, made her strip like she was nothing. She shouldn't be considering helping him with anything in that moment.

"The only reason he confronted her about it was because he thought I was faking my pregnancy." She confessed, eyes focusing back onto Lauren, brow furrowing at the fresh memories of it. From there, she explained everything, told Lauren exactly what had happened and what had been said. Once she was done, she lowered her gaze, fingers trailing over the cover of the book she held.

"So that's why he went to see Natalia, because I told him of my own suspicions. I... hadn't wanted it to be true. I was angry, furious with what he had done to me. I'd never wish what he had made me do onto anyone else but... but I knew he wouldn't be so cruel to her. He never suspected her... because he didn't hate her like he hates me."
 
"...Let me get this straight. That bastard humiliated you, made you feel vulnerable and scared, accused you of something so utterly unthinkable - and you wouldn't wish the pain he's currently going through on him? I understand if you felt a little bad at first, I did too Carina, but that man is a monster who deserves no sympathy from either of us. He despises you, let's not forget the atrocities he's committed against you and your people; against your family. If you can't see this as a golden opportunity for us, I... don't know what to say to get through to you."

With a slight shake of her head, Lauren sunk down onto an armchair and set her eyes on the fireplace, focusing on the flames in order to try and get her mind clear from the sudden anger she felt rising within her. She didn't want to feel that towards Carina when they were partners and, beyond that, friends, but how could she not feel irritated when the person she was developing this plan with was openly declaring that she felt almost bad for the man they were planning to take down.

This was good news for them. Sven had only ever had two people in his life who he trusted. One had been demoted and was working alongside Lauren to bring him down, and the other had now been fired and would never be allowed back at his side. He had lost that inner circle, the pillars of support who had been fiercely loyal to him now crumbling down around him. This was nothing but good news for her and Carina - they had every right to take pleasure in the fact Sven was now alone and vulnerable, friendless and emotionally at the lowest point he had ever been at.

The fact Carina wasn't brimming with confidence and smiling at how their plans were coming closer to fruition by the day astounded the maid, and if she hadn't managed to sit back and compose herself, she would have ended up yelling at Carina in the effort to get some sense into her. Such an action wouldn't have helped either of them so she was grateful that she had controlled herself enough to prevent it, taking a further few minutes to fully relax before turning back to her friend with a tired smile.

"What happened to you was horrendous, Carina. But it enabled Natalia's lie to be exposed. It's caused Sven to banish her, cast her aside just like he did with Thorin. He has nobody. He's alone. This is good news for us. That man is pathetically sobbing his heart out in the office with nobody to turn to - we can use what's happened today to our advantage. Every cloud has a silver lining," she reassured, her voice quiet but tone forceful in the effort to reinforce that message through to her friend, reaching across to take her hand and offer a supportive squeeze. With a faint nod, she rose back to her feet, allowing her tension to drift away in the belief that the message would eventually settle through to Carina.

"I can bring you some tea and sandwiches and leave you for the evening if you wish; I imagine you'll want an early night after all the stress you've been through."
 
Carina sharply looked up at Lauren's angered tone, brow furrowing and shoulders tightening, curving in on her. "I don't need reminding of what he's done, Lauren. The sounds of my brother's throat being cut to pieces will remain with me till the day I die, thank you." She retorted through gritted teeth, immediately defensive.

She had already scolded herself for feeling the ounce of sympathy that she did for Sven, she didn't wish for Lauren to add to the lecture. Besides, she had had enough of people in general for one day. All she wanted was to be left alone with her baby. She was already exhausted before Sven added to it with his intimidating display of power, she was much too tired to listen to Lauren's heated words regarding her unruly emotions.

"I'm merely saying that a part of me wouldn't ever want someone to go through what he had just done. Of course I recognise the massive help it has provided us. I would be stupid not to, and a damn fool to ever let any sympathy I had for him get in the way of what we're planning. I'm not going to forget everything he has done to me just because Natalia lied to him about carrying his child. I'm simply acknowledging that it's a painful discovery and I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone. In the same way I wouldn't wish for anyone to go through what I have just done."

The young queen couldn't help her reaction of looking away as Lauren leaned forward, tensing slightly as her hand was taken and squeezed gently. She knew her friend meant well, but after the events of the day she didn't enjoy being spoken to in way that suggested that Carina was losing sight of their main goal. She knew fully well just the advantages the events of the day provided, she just was too tired to fully acknowledge them. The shock of the events, and the irritating sympathy she felt for Sven, needed to fade away first. Then she could focus on what really mattered.

However she was becoming tired. Exhausted that everything good had to come from her being hurt or intimidated in the first place. Carina didn't want to keep being the one in the firing line just so they could get that 'silver lining'. It was the same with the carriage, of course Lauren was there that time, but it was all the same. That terrifying experience led to Thorin and Sven losing their friendship.

For once, Carina wanted to simply feel safe, and to know her life was hers to live to the end. She wanted to experience this pregnancy with someone who loved her and trusted her to be doing the right thing, not someone who believed her to be vicious and cold enough to lie about a miscarriage.

With the pregnancy, Carina could feel herself becoming more and more vulnerable, and not just in a physical sense. And it was becoming equally as tiring to keep building walls as quickly as they were melting.

"No. Thank you. I'm not very hungry this evening. I'll see you in the morning, though. Make sure you get something decent to eat yourself and get an early night too. Tell them it's the Queen's orders. You look exhausted."
 
Lauren was acutely aware that her intensity might have irked her friend but she knew better than to perpetuate that conversation, even if it would only be to offer an apology. It was better to just let it go entirely and start afresh when the next day came around; when Carina had had a chance to rest and let the stress of the day leave her. It would probably have long-lasting repercussions that wouldn't just disappear after one night's sleep but the rest would still do her good and, being aware of that, Lauren was more than happy to leave the Queen to see out the rest of the night by herself.

The morning was the start of a new day and, hopefully, a better one. Granted, there wasn't much to improve upon as far as Lauren was concerned - though she was understandably outraged by what Carina had gone through, there was little else to take issue with from the previous day when it had given their plans such an immense boost. She was already supremely confident that their plans were find success, but the events regarding Natalia had all but cemented that for her - it was impossible for her to consider even failing when Sven was now completely friendless, that inner circle of his that had seemed so impenetrable at one point now fallen apart around him.

She was on such a high that Thorin's company hadn't been as horrendous as it usually was. She usually endured his presence, knowing that she was doing so to aid her plans and that however frightfully dull she found him, he was a good person to have on their side. That night, however, he was someone she knew would share in the amusement over Sven's troubles with; someone who wanted to see him brought down a peg or two and would take pleasure in seeing that start to happen.

Understandably, Carina wasn't in the mood to do so, so being able to share it with someone was enjoyable - even if that person was Thorin. Enjoying his company for once was surprising, but she knew -or hoped- that it was just a one-off; a rare exception after some good news.

She was eager to spend some actual time with her actual friend for plenty of reasons, but putting the strangely enjoyable evening shared with Thorin behind her was definitely one of them. She arrived to Carina's bedroom on time and proceeded with her duties - though really, they didn't feel like duties at this point. Such was the strength of their friendship, and the casualness of their interactions, the duties she performed as a maid felt more like actions a friend would automatically help another friend with - and even if they were still duties, Carina never treated her like a maid who had to do her bidding. It was why she was able to brush through Carina's hair without feeling like she was the inferior in their relationship, it just feeling like a friend helping out another, aided by the easy, casual conversation.

Eager to keep the atmosphere light, she had refrained from mentioning Sven, preferring instead to focus on Carina and gush about the baby, mostly how quick time had flown by and how near the due date now was. That at least guaranteed to keep the conversation flowing nicely with smiles being shared, rather than the stress and pressure that discussing the King would just bring.

She wanted to continue with the friendly conversation, though an interruption disrupted matters immediately. She shared a quick glance with the Queen through the mirror in confusion at the hurried knocks at the door, hesitating just a second before answering it. She bent her ear to the anxious maid who spoke in hushed, hurried whispers, her head bowed in refusal to meet the Queen's eyes out of understandable nervousness. She went as quickly as she had come by, leaving Lauren to carefully shut the door and make her way back to Carina, her smile now strained and thin-lipped.

She didn't necessarily want to inform Carina of what she had been told because it would swiftly bring an end to the nice morning they were having, but she wasn't in the habit of harbouring secrets from her - and she wasn't about to start doing so now.

"Sven isn't in the castle, his bed hasn't been slept in. A maid went by to check on him because he's usually down at breakfast by now, but she discovered his bedroom empty, apparently. They've searched the castle, to no avail-- he's probably taken a carriage and is sulking somewhere, Carina. I don't think it ought to take up any of our time or energy. He's-- attention-seeking, it's pathetically obvious."
 
Carina's body had tensed at the knock on the door, as she briefly worried that it would be Sven attempting to make amends after the disaster yesterday. Probably with her favourite flavoured tea and maybe even a little breakfast as he had done in the months before the mess he decided to make. She imagined he would be a little more tentative with her now, considering she was the last hope he had in terms of being a father after the betrayal of Natalia.

The young queen hadn't wanted to be right in her assumptions of the adviser, and was - even if she didn't show it - deeply shocked and surprised by the woman's deceit. However, she then came to realise that Natalia truly would had done everything and anything to keep Sven's favour. If being pregnant with his child kept his attention as much as she had had it before Carina's pregnancy, then why wouldn't she fake such a thing? As she had warned Sven a year ago in the dungeons, people would do stupid, crazy things for love. It was partly the reason why she never saw love as a weakness. She would kill and be killed for those that she loved... not that there were many of those people around anymore.

Yet, it wasn't Sven at the door. Instead a quick, hushed conversation with Lauren and whoever it was who lingered there. She turned awkwardly in her seat, a frown slowly forming while a hand tenderly rubbed at her stomach.

At the expression on Lauren's face as her friend turned to return to her, it was clear that something was wrong. However she didn't press the girl, knowing that if it was of any concern, she would be told. Then, just as expected, Lauren informed her of what was going on.

A slight chill ran over her, and Carina wasn't entirely certain as to why. If Sven was missing, that could be a blessing in disguise. Besides, who was she to care if he went missing and never returned? She was the Queen. But it would be foolish of her to believe that she would have any power if her husband was to vanish. Undoubtedly that power would go to some sort of counsel. There would be no way they would allow her to be queen regent until the child was born, until the rightful heir was old enough to take their place on the throne.

However, she also had to acknowledge how the child would then grow up without two parents. While she worried about how the child would be moulded under Sven's guidance... if she were dead, at least the child would have a father. She could imagine the people would blame her for Sven's suspicious disappearance and want her head. Who in the castle would protect her with Sven gone and the child born?

Not to mention, there was also the fact he had received devastating news yesterday. Carina didn't think Sven was the kind to sink into such a deep state of depression or betrayal that he would actively seek an ends to his life, but that fear, for some reason, still lingered.

Slowly, Carina pushed herself to her feet, using the vanity table to help her as she did. She didn't dare voice her opinion to Lauren that she didn't believe it to be an attention-seeking ploy, but rather someone grieving for a child they would never know. That is, if Natalia even was pregnant from the start. Either way, she could see it for what it was - Sven grieving for a life he had imagined, that had been shattered in a matter of moments. Yet she didn't dare say this to the maid, since she didn't want to evoke another lecture like yesterday.

"If he had taken a carriage, at least the Head Guard would know where he is. But if no one is aware, then the King is missing." She answered, reaching for a shawl to wrap around herself, having already been dressed for breakfast. Forgoing any fancy updos, and ignoring the chosen pieces of jewellery that had been picked out for the day, Carina huffed softly and began moving toward the door.

"Do not mistake my care for his whereabouts as being similar to what you thought of me last night, Lauren. If Sven goes missing, is dead, or anything that means that there is no reigning monarch at the helm... as soon as this child is born, I can imagine the Ignisian people will have my head faster than I can even blink. Attention-seeking or not, he must be found if only to know he is safe. His safety, for now, means that mine is guaranteed. So we must find the new Head Guard... and formulate some sort of plan..."
 
Though her primary reason for not wanting to inform the Queen was to prevent the inevitable downturn in their moods, a part of Lauren wanted to keep the news from her in the fear that she might witness some of that care and consideration about Sven that she felt Carina had displayed to her last night. She could protest otherwise, or make excuses for her concern, but none of it was justifiable to the maid; there was no reason to have shown any sympathy for a man that had committed such atrocities.

She wasn't going to engage in another tense discussion on the matter, not when there was a genuine reason to want to have Sven brought back into the castle safe and unharmed (she at least understood that his safety guaranteed Carina's), but the lingering doubt over Carina remained nonetheless. It wasn't a particularly strong doubt, with the maid trusting the Queen more than anyone else, but its presence couldn't be ignored. She hoped that the pregnancy was the cause for the consideration she seemed to be sparing Sven, though it wasn't a topic she wanted to dwell on too much.

The more she did, the more concerned she would grow and she didn't need that distracting her from her plans - it was easier to chalk Carina's prior behaviour as a one-off incident that wouldn't occur again, rather than the first sign of a growing reluctance to carry their plans to fruition.

"...You don't need to explain yourself to me, Carina. I know that he needs to be found. As much as I would just love it for him to trip over into a pit of lava and meet his end, I know that that would just put you in a precarious position and... and my care for you trumps my hate for him. I know he needs to be found safe, I... I know that," the maid revealed with a tired smile, aware that the explanation might not have been made so stern had she not confronted Carina in the library last night and cast a doubt upon her. The doubt existed and wouldn't be shifted easily, but she wasn't about to challenge the Queen on it again; not when the other made it clear not to cast those suspicions onto her again.

She might have them, but she was prepared to keep them to herself in the hope that they would just be proved wrong with time.

"For what it's worth, I'm sure he hasn't taken the carriage or they'd have noticed one was missing. He must have walked out of here, though it's a tad odd he wasn't seen by anyone - and even odder that he's potentially walking about the kingdom amongst ordinary civilians. He doesn't strike me as the sort of person who would choose to blend in with us ordinary folk; he's made it abundantly clear over the years how much he adores being of royal blood," she murmured, the last part mostly to herself with a roll of her eyes indicative of the annoyance she felt. She had had to deal with his nonsense for all the years she worked in the castle, after all; constantly hearing him laud his status over those less fortunate, bragging about his riches and power with little care to how horrendously smug it made him appear to be.

The likelihood that he was wandering about the kingdom amongst the Ignisian public, therefore, bewildered her; it was out of character for him, but after the news of Natalia's deceit, it was also likely that he wasn't thinking straight.

Upon leaving the bedroom, it became clear just how anxious the news of the King's disappearance was making the castle's inhabitants. No work could really be done when such duties felt minor in comparison to the task of finding Sven - there wasn't much the ordinary butler or maid could really do other than gather together and share in one another's concerns, but resuming their duties in the face of a crisis hardly seemed appropriate.

A hush descended amongst those that lingered in the hallway when Carina left her room, dutiful bows and curtsies offered to their Queen - though quiet whispers soon followed. The King had just disappeared, after all; it was only natural that Carina would be the name on most people's lips. Even though most knew she couldn't be behind the man's absence (after the bombshell of Natalia's deceit, it was obvious to them that Sven had left on his own volition), she was still the Queen and still his wife: that alone would cause gossip about her to erupt, people happy to wonder if she was secretly pleased over the news or as concerned as they all were.

"...It might be for the best if I don't go and talk to the Head Guard with you, Carina. My presence won't be looked upon without suspicion, and I'd rather avoid that. I'll just-- go and find Thorin, see if he's heard anything."
 
The moment the gazes landed on her, a protective hand came to rest over her belly. However her chin tilted upwards with pride only expressed by nobility and her eyes narrowed at the small groups huddled, whispering together. "I don't think your King will appreciate coming back to a chaotic state of affairs. Get back to work, return to your stations. Honestly. Can't a King take a walk in Ignis without people creating some sort of gossip?" She quipped, even going as far as to snap her fingers to get maids and guards and servants alike rushing to follow her orders.

Carina was not about to show any kind of emotion regarding Sven's disappearance. She wasn't about to express a pleasure in having him gone, since, as she said to Lauren, his safety guaranteed hers. While there was a part that was relieved that she didn't have to concern herself with where he may be within the palace... Carina couldn't help the concern she did harbour. And not for the reason she told Lauren.

She had seen that vulnerable side to him the night before things went to shit. Found out just how badly his parents treated him, and began to slowly believe that he really did want to be a good father. His reaction to being lied to about a child was also testament about that. If he only cared about having a child for the lineage... there was no way he would have reacted with tears.

Pausing so she could turn to Lauren and speak to her in a more hushed manner, she nodded to her words about Thorin. "He may not know personally, but he may have heard something on the grapevine. You said the new Head still confers with him about some things? Perhaps news would have reached him that way." Hesitating before parting ways, she reached out to squeeze the maid's hand. Very quickly, and very brief, "Be safe, and be careful." She urged gently, inclining her head once.

With that, she turned to continue down the corridor. Words continued to leave her lips in an attempt to get staff working once more, strong and commanding, as if nothing were wrong.

The young queen could only hope that such news had not yet escaped the palace walls yet, as not everyone would know about Natalia's betrayal yet. The people of Ignis, before they learned of such deceit, would most likely think that some foul play had occurred, and Carina was not yet ready to face that possibility yet.

Upon reaching the Head Guard, Carina made quick work to shut the door to ensure their privacy, sitting down with the newly appointed male to discuss possibilities of where the King had gone. She kept herself cold, closed-off, and guarded, to provide a sense that this was not her concerned for a loved one but merely a conversation of business. When all options came up empty, she suggested sending out small patrols to scout the areas quietly and unobtrusively. They didn't want the village people to believe something was wrong, so small patrols of two to three guards walking around the villages, grounds and other territories wouldn't seem to suspicious but rather a regular occurrence or perhaps even a changing of guards.

"And nothing leaves this castle. Anyone who is found gossiping to outsiders about the King's disappearance, the news he received or regarding the adviser are to be brought to the cells. Both gossiper and listener. And make sure everyone knows of these rules, so they know the consequences of their actions should they decide to leak anything. I'm the Queen, you'll do as you're ordered." She added, standing with a hand resting atop of the bump. Not very daunting or intimidating, considering the swell of her stomach, and nothing like what Sven could evoke, but the coldness (plus the lack of actual understanding on what to do) was enough to get the Head Guard nodding.
 
As Carina met with the newly appointed Head Guard to discuss the next course of action (the advantage of which being the ability to assert the dominance she, as Queen, held), Lauren had busied herself collecting as much information as she could. The servants might have returned to their duties after their public reprimand from the Queen, but Lauren was at least able to squeeze some information from them as they worked - she didn't want them gossiping sensationally about what was happening, but if they had any information about Sven's movements to help pin his location down or just get an indication to his state of mind, it was worth approaching them.

Thorin might not know where Sven was but she didn't overlook asking him nonetheless. He might not have any answers or anything new to add, but he was a springboard for her questions to bounce off; someone she could talk the situation over with openly and honestly without having to feign the concern most the servants held for Sven. She didn't remotely care if he was in some emotional state, cared even less if he had gotten himself into physical harm. She wanted him alive, but if he suffered a little, was that really the worst thing to happen? He deserved it, after all - and at least with Thorin, she could admit as such without having to pretend to be just another sickeningly worried servant.

The morning soon drifted into the afternoon, and then, seemingly within the blink of an eye, evening had rolled around; all without news of the King's whereabouts. In that time, however, more information had arisen regarding how he exited the castle without anyone spotting him - several bedsheets tied together into a makeshift rope had been discovered leading from his balcony to the ground. Even then, he would have had to complete a large drop and risked hurting himself if he landed incorrectly, though, as the footsteps marked into the grass proved, he had taken that risk. For a King to have undertaken such a course of action, recklessly endangering his own life when he could have easily just left through the front door, it did little to reassure those aware of his disappearance - his state of mind couldn't be waived aside when, evidently, he wasn't acting as he ought to.

That fear was only exacerbated once a set of servants' clothing was found to be missing, including a cloak from the stable-hand that would do a great job in concealing the identity of its wearer if the hood was pulled up as far as it could go. If Sven was wandering about the kingdom, the lack of information regarding a sighting became clear - nobody would ever anticipate their King walking about in simple clothing, and if he had the cloak on to, his identity was never going to be discovered, at least not easily.

Whatever he was doing, he was going to great lengths to prevent being found - he wanted to just escape everything for a little while, and apparently, this was the only way to guarantee it.

Eventually, just moments before dinner would have been served under normal circumstances, a young guard burst through into the living room, wanting to remain respectful of his Queen but unable to maintain that degree of professionalism when he harboured breaking news. He managed to compose himself just enough to bow his head, knowing forgetting to do so would have landed him in hot water.

"His highness has-- he's been found outside a bar by the guards on patrol in the village; a carriage has been readied to collect him, ma'am. He'll-- likely be home within ten minutes or so. He's in bad shape so I'll ensure a bath is run for him in time for his return--"

"I know the cooks have prepared this evening's meal for him, hoping he was to return tonight, so assuming he would want to, he can eat before his bath," murmured Lauren in addition, nodding towards the young guard nonetheless. Only when he left the room did she let out a slow breath in genuine relief - the longer time had gone by without any news regarding Sven's whereabouts, the more concerned she had become that he was dead, and that would have only had consequences for her friends. His safety meant Carina's safety (until the baby was born, anyway), and that was all she really cared about.

"...He's alive, Carina. That's all that matters. And he was found by the guards so... hopefully we can keep news of today within these castle walls; no need for the kingdom learning of what has occurred. Are... Are you alright?"
 
As the day drifted into the night, the higher Carina's anxiety levels rose. With them, the more she realised she had to acknowledge that her concerns for his safety weren't just limited to her own desires for self-preservation. He was the father of her child, after all. And moments like this, where he proved he was actually human and capable of feeling... it caused conflict within Carina she never expected to experience.

He had just put her through one of the most humiliating moments of her life, when he accused her of faking her pregnancy. Stripping like that, being naked in front of him, she avoided that even they had come together to have sex. To Carina, that would be the first and last time he would ever see her in such a vulnerable position. Then there was also the fact that, if he were to die, the Ignisian people wouldn't accept her as their Queen or Queen Regent for that matter. She would die the moment the child was old enough to eat solid foods. At least with Sven alive, she could live for a few years longer until she provided two spares.

But then there was that thought process that, if he did die... he couldn't be the father he wanted to be. She would be murdered by the Ignisian people because of who she was, but at least with Sven alive, the child would have at least one parent after Sven had her head. Not to mention, she was uncomfortable with how much of an emotional toll the news had taken on him. It was like she had thought before, it was simply convincing her even more that he truly did long to be a father and... painfully she had to acknowledge that perhaps he would be a good one. So long as the child could look over the fact that their father murdered their mother. But she was sure he would spin a story for that.

So the news of Sven's safety only sent that inner conflict into a frenzy. She quietly lowered her cutlery, having taken her dinner in the quieter area of the lounge where there were less eyes watching her reaction to the events that were unfolding. Carina listened, slowly chewing on her last mouthful of food before swallowing and absorbing what had just been said.

Outside a bar. How long had he been in that one bar alone? How many more had he visited throughout the day, potentially wielding pretty gold coins that could have enticed any thief or scoundrel?

Only once the guard left did fingers raised to clasp hands together and she gently pressed the side of her joined hands against the space between her eyebrows. She released a long and heavy sigh, finally moving her hands to rub over her face and lean back into her seat. A little hand pressed against the bump, and instantly her own hand raised to greet it by holding it over the spot where the movement was felt.

"There are two in the cells at the moment who attempted to have this news breach the castle walls. Trust me, this was not going anywhere. The people of Ignis... they wouldn't have known what happened and rumours get twisted into tales they prefer. I couldn't-- I couldn't run the risk of them thinking I had something to do with his disappearance." She spoke quietly, unsure as to what the maid would think of her, "I didn't know... how long this would be. I couldn't risk it." Her eyes remained on the bump, hand now stroking gently over the clothed area.

Taking a deep breath, she reluctantly looked up, pausing for a moment to consider how best to answer the question. "He's been a fucking idiot." She finally exhaled, "He's been a fucking idiot doing what he had done today, and I'll be sure he's aware of that once... once the dust has settled. Not only did he risk his own life with this little magic trick but also-- also mine, the baby's... his baby." She leaned forward, elbow resting on the table so her head could lean into her hand, hair being swept back from her face.

"Perhaps-- perhaps I'd best go. Make sure he eats some-- some fucking food and takes his god-damn bath. If he isn't going to care about his life anymore, then clearly I do. I'm not about to let some deceit be the reason I die earlier than I want."
 
Lauren wasn't sure what was going on in Carina's head, how her thoughts regarding the situation were being collected, but the expletive-riddled answer settled any concern she might have had that the Queen was drifting away from their plans; that she was harbouring a consideration for Sven that was independent of her need for his safety. After the interaction last night, when Carina had openly claimed to feel sympathetic for his situation, Lauren had regarded her friend with suspicion; something she never wanted to feel towards her closest ally and the only person she could be one hundred percent truthful around, but she couldn't let anything get in the way of her plans.

If Carina was going to be a barrier to them, if she had started to feel something for Sven that wasn't complete and utter hatred (as it should be), then Lauren felt she had a justifiable right to be wary. Her suspicions were far from concrete at the moment and she was hoping to have them be disproved and dismantled, but in case her hunch was correct, it was worth discussing matters with Thorin.

Carina could end up letting her down, and if that was the case, having someone on her side to help her see her plans through was wise - even if that person was Thorin, the last person she ever expected to be working so intimately with.

Her doubts weren't immediately disbanded by Carina's remarks, but they did feel a little settled. They didn't seem like the words of someone who cared about Sven on a personal level. She sounded irritated and understandably annoyed that he had put her and the baby at risk, rather than utter murmurs of concern for the emotional state he might be in. As selfish as it might appear to be, that was precisely the sort of mindset Carina ought to have as far as the maid was concerned - no sympathy ought to be shown to Sven, and comforted that none had been shown to him, Lauren felt herself grow a little more relaxed, momentarily satisfied that Carina was still motivated and would still come through for her.

Before she could reply to the Queen, reassure her that she ought to remain where she was and to let Sven stomp up to his room in the miserable mood she assumed he would be in, the grand doubled front doors to the castle would slam open with such a force that the candles above the fireplace shook in their holders and a vase on a nearby table tip over, fortunately -and miraculously- not smashing.

Inevitably eager to determine the sort of state Sven was in, Lauren made her way to the entrance hall. She assumed Sven would be in some foul mood but at least coherent and put together. The sight of him having to be guided up the staircase by guards, mumbling incoherently and barely conscious, therefore, stunned her into silence, her mouth dropping open as she craned her head to take in the scene for as long as she could.

Shoving the guards' efforts to help him aside, the young King managed to get to his feet and took a step, only to slump back down against the wall and tiredly rest his head back, swallowing hard in the effort to fight back nausea. Whether that nausea was from his intense drunkenness or from the injuries he seemed to have picked up (his lip was split and nose bloody) wasn't known, though both combined just exacerbated the issue. Violently, he doubled over and threw up, groggily groaning in pain as he reached to wipe his mouth with the back of one hand, the other pushing back his hair from his forehead.

Careless to the mess he had made, he forced himself back up to his feet and gripped the banister for steadiness, taking each step one at a time to prevent stumbling or throwing up if he moved too quickly.

"Someone-- I-- don't want to be disturbed, leave me the fuck alone. I-- I will burn the fuck out of anyone that comes into my bedroom and disturbs me, so-- ugh... don't-- don't do that," he slurred after reaching the top of the stairs, holding his hands out to steady himself when it became almost obvious that he was about to topple over. Somehow regaining his balance, he smirked drunkenly to himself in pride and took a look down the corridor in the effort to figure out which room was his; a task made far more difficult when everything seemed blurry and clouded to him.
 
The flinch was natural given the violent behaviour and all that had transpired in the last twenty-four hours. Carina had the briefest of fears that it was the village people pounding down the doors to come for her head. But since Lauren hurried to the entryway and didn't return to warn her, she only assumed that it was her husband who returned.

Placing her napkin on her food, the young queen stood as elegantly as possible with the swell of her stomach, and moved to follow the maid. However, all poise and nonchalance was forgotten at the sight of Sven's sorry state. Never before had she seen him in such a pathetic state, and it was clear that those within the castle hadn't either. She remained frozen at the door that lead to the quiet lounge, eyes wide at the display that was currently in view within the main entrance of the castle.

Her cheeks flushed and once more Carina wasn't entirely sure with which emotions they coloured. She was mortified for Sven, both as a husband and a King. Angered that he had allowed himself to get into such a state, despite the emotional torment he had recently suffered - he still had one remaining child with which he could be a good father. Fearful, because she just couldn't know what he would do while in this drunken stupor. But also frightened, both for herself and her child, since he reminded her of her father, who had turned to drink in some of the lower points of his life. It was the only time the King of Eira would turn to the bottle.

At the vomiting, she sharply looked away, a hand reaching out to grip Lauren's lower arm. Bile turned her own stomach threateningly, especially with the food so fresh within her belly.

Only turning back once she heard footsteps, Carina forced herself not to focus on the vomit and finally forced herself to move. She stepped a little further out of the lounge so she could keep an eye on him as he walked up the stairs, though remaining as hidden as possible. Her eyes dragged upwards with him, making that painful journey up the stairs as she held a brief concern about him falling backwards and cracking his head open. However, upon the small victory of him reaching the top, she turned to face Lauren.

The expression on the maid's face said it all. That this was not a common occurrence, something that she had guessed. Like the night they had opened up to each other and told Sven as such: she knew him. Whether he liked it or not. And being composed and somewhat put together was something he was proud of being able to do. Having that control no matter what situation he was in was something he relished.

"I'm going to... go and make sure he doesn't choke on his own sick." She stuttered, still overcoming her own shock, "No point bringing him back here and keeping him from dying out there if he dies choking."

A hand raised to press the end of her sleeve against her nose, eyes briefly closing as she warded off the growing nausea at the smell of upturned stomach contents that remained on the floor. When her eyes opened again, she continued.

"Get someone to clean his mess up, and tell the kitchen not to bother with food. Or the bath, for that matter. Get someone to leave a tray with a jug of water and two glasses outside his room, plus any... any fucking hangover remedies they know him to prefer." She sighed, swallowing thickly with a shake of her head, "He won't burn me... he won't. Not while I carry his child."
 
As stunned as she understandably was by the state the King was in, Lauren's shock didn't transition into sympathy. Not one part of her remotely cared about the emotions he was struggling to deal with and how that had led him into the state he was currently in. If anything, she hoped that his pain would be prolonged for as long as possible; that the sight of the two cribs in the nursery and all the items prepared for Natalia's child would cause him untold emotional anguish. Not only did he deserve to be hurt in such a way but it would be a welcome benefit to her plans.

Having the usually tough and in-control King wallowing in his emotions and incapable of putting on a brave face about it could only prove to be a great advantage to her and Carina. The sight of Sven stumbling up the stairs in servants' clothing that were dirtied and blooded was shocking and that shock might have momentarily prevented her from seeing just how useful is emotional downturn was... but the realisation eventually sunk in and she had to fight off the urge to smile at his misfortune.

Carina's concern that he might choke to death was an understandable one - him remaining alive was the only way to guarantee her own safety, after all. Despite that, Lauren's eyes widened at the other's intentions to go and see Sven, her mouth falling open again as she tried to find the right words to dissuade her. She didn't necessarily harbour any suspicions towards Carina's intentions, believing that her only concern was that he might choke on his vomit or attempt to take a bath and slip under the water, but that didn't mean she thought it was a good decision for her to go near the man.

A part of her feared that his sorry state would provoke sympathy in Carina again, and so maintaining a distance from him was the only way to guarantee that the Queen's sympathies weren't provoked. It would be hard not to feel sorry for Sven, after all; even Lauren almost felt herself frowning sympathetically before getting a hold of herself.

Another part of her held a fear for Carina's safety. Sven wouldn't want any harm to come to his unborn child, that was true - but he was drunk out of his mind. His threat to burn anyone that entered his bedroom after him was probably true, and when he was as drunk as he was, who was to say that he wouldn't lash out at Carina before realising it was her that had entered? Was it really worth risking being set alight just to check up on a man who probably wouldn't offer that same courtesy to her?

"...Ma'am, don't you think that maybe it... it's too risky?" The maid nervously began, adopting more professional mannerisms in case the guards lingering nearby were capable of hearing her. With a faint frown, she cast a glance in their direction to signal one of them to act on the Queen's words. Only when both had taken their leave did she let a sigh escape her, a wary look being sent up the grand staircase when the door to the King's bedroom slammed shut after him.

"I don't think he's in the right mind to be able to differentiate you from anyone else - he'll see the door opening and act out immediately, Carina. Surely, you... don't want to risk it; you can't even defend yourself when you have that damn band on your wrist. I just... you can do as you wish, I won't stand in your way if you choose to help him, but I worry that he might-- drunkenly act out if you inadvertently say something he doesn't like. He's drunk, he... might be angrier than he usually is. From the looks of him, he's been in a fight. I don't want you being a victim of his rage, that's all."
 
It was definitely a possibility, that Sven could simply strike out without waiting to see who it was that came to see him. However, Carina knew she would have to try her best. While she didn't dare acknowledge the rising sympathies within her, she focused on the other reasons she had for seeing him. Such as what she told Lauren - needing to make sure he didn't kill himself before she got a chance to do it for him.

"I'm not about to open the door and walk straight in." Carina attempted to reassure her friend, head having turned to peer over shoulder to ensure the guards had left to carry out her orders. Glancing back to the maid, she offered a weak smile of reassurance, "I'll make sure he knows it's me first. Maybe he'll be too blind drunk to recognise me, but he'll recognise my voice. Hopefully even the drink didn't make him forget what he had gotten wrong earlier today and he remembers I'm the one actually carrying his child."

However her face paled at another waft of vomit, and Carina quickly motioned for Lauren to follow her up the stairs. She needed to get away from the vile stench, so far she was keeping down her dinner and she wanted to make sure it stayed that way.

Once they were a few steps up, she gently released a breath she didn't even realise she had been holding. With an exhale, Carina pushed some hair back from her face, tutting lightly in thought of what was about to happen next.

Of course she had fear within her about what could occur. Lauren was right, after all. Sven was in an unpredictable mood and she had her powers locked up and incapable of use. If he were to attack her, there would be nothing she could do about it. However, Carina knew she had to do something. She couldn't just sit around and let him wallow for the rest of the evening as he clearly done during the day.

A few steps away from the bedroom, Carina turned to stand in front of Lauren. Her hands reached up to gently hold the girl's upper arms, squeezing reassuringly. "I'll be fine. I promise," she murmured, hands remaining on arms before she allowed them to fall away, "Besides, just think of how this will look to him come morning, imagine the leverage I will have on him, either through guilt or proving that I can be trustworthy. I need to do this."

With a final glance to ensure no one was around to witness her next movements, Carina stepped forward to give the maid a quick hug, "Now go, get some food and get some rest. I promise to send for you if I need you. But I understand if you want to remain here until you know I'm alright with him."

Smiling quietly, she walked backwards for a few steps before turning to head down the now familiar corridor. Upon reaching the door, Carina took a deep breath and knocked, "Sven. It's Carina. Carina and your-- your child." She called through to him, tentatively. "I know you don't care for it, but we're here to make sure you're okay." She paused again, to allow his drunk-hazed mind to process her words. "We're... we're coming in. For the sake of your child don't-- don't use your flames."

The young queen turned the handle of the door and pushed it open. However, instead of stepping in behind it, she slotted herself back against the wall to avoid any possible flames he could send her way should he feel like it.
 
Despite his slurred threat about expelling flames at anyone that dared to come into his room to check in on him, Sven wasn't in a state to actually do such a thing - and in reality, he was so intoxicated that he barely recalled making that threat in the first place. Rather than shoot a glare as the door opened and cover the person that entered in the hot flames he could wield on command, the man was slumped out on the expansive balcony, leaning against the railing with his head resting back - an action that held back his nausea, prevented his nosebleed from dripping onto his shirt and allowed him to stare up at the sky, that bringing some peace into his hectic evening.

For a man that had always been so unreadable; so in control of his thoughts and feelings that he could manipulate anyone he came into contact with, the sight of him bloodied and bruised, barely conscious and groaning under his breath every time he took in a breath and felt the painful repercussions of doing so was pitiful.

Understandably, he didn't look like a King, certainly not the proud, fierce ruler that the Ignisian public demanded and expected their ruler to be. His actions that evening, however, weren't even bewildering by Ignisian standards, but by royal ones in general. What other ruler in the world would have climbed out of their own bedroom, masquerading as a peasant in order to frequent taverns and, presumably, get into a pub brawl? It was astounding behaviour; the sort of story that many in the kingdom would roll their eyes at in disbelief - but it wasn't some outlandish tale; it was the truth.

Faintly aware that someone had entered the room, he forced his bleary eyes open to take in the sight of Carina. Any anger that she had feared would arise as a result of her presence wasn't offered. Instead, Sven almost seemed to smile as he rested his head back against the railings and let his eyes shut again, his knees pulled up to his chest; a position that only seemed to chip away at the royal grace he usually presented himself with. What was also notable was how young he looked in the small position - though he was young. He wasn't yet 22; in his very early twenties where acting wild and enjoying his youth would have been expected of him - frequenting the taverns at his age wouldn't have caused anyone to be confused.

...But he wasn't an ordinary civilian who could enjoy such freedom. He was the King of Ignis and he was expected to uphold the responsibilities such a title brought to him. Duties he had craved ever since he was a boy; ones he was willing to kill to get. Power was everything to him and always had been, so his decision that morning to abandon his post and embark on the course of events he had undertaken could have threatened all the years he had waited to get his hands on his throne.

"...I didn't... this wasn't about Natalia's lie, you know. It was just the... last straw. There's only so much I can take; I'm only fucking human," he mumbled under his breath as he forced his eyes back open, the effort it took to do so being extreme. He set his gaze on the stars above his head to keep himself focused, the fact the night sky was even clear in the kingdom swarmed by smoke being a miracle.

"Do you ever wonder what you'd be doing if you weren't born to royals? I do. I thought... all I wanted was to be King. Be powerful. Be liked. But nobody fucking likes me. Thorin hates me. Natalia's gone. My public pity me; they know I'll never be my father and they adored him. He was-- a fucking monster. He... He was brutish and selfish; he would beat me, physically as much as mentally, but they adored him; they all did. They pity me, they know I can't live up to him. I'll always be in that man's shadow. Even in death he's fucking embarrassing me," he snorted miserably, though that action only caused blood to spurt from his nose and a painful whine, almost childlike, to escape him. He pressed a closed fist to stop the blood flow though, as had been his philosophy for much of the day, he gave up and refused to care about it, moving to peer back up at the sky with a faint smile.

"Tonight was-- the first time I was free of all this bullshit, Carina but-- but I was always gonna come back. For my baby-- our baby. Our baby," he corrected with a roll of his eyes, which glanced briefly down at Carina's stomach in recognition of the fact there was a baby in there. Now free of his suspicions and fears, he could acknowledge his impending fatherhood with the joy it should bring him.

"God, I-- I need a drink. Fetch me a-- a whisky. Fetch one from over there for me, would you? And-- And some ice, too. I want it on the rocks, but I don't-- think I have ice in here--" He groaned irritably, a drunken pout finding its way onto his face. Whether it was that drunkenness that caused his next decision or whether it was made because he trusted Carina, even if he didn't know... but something caused him to believe that stumbling to his feet and removing Carina's bracelet from her wrist was a good idea. He tossed the bracelet onto the nearby desk and slumped back down onto the floor of the balcony, casually dismissing the idea that she could just kill him if she chose to do so - or not really considering that threat as a possibility.

"You can make some ice and... and put it in the whisky for me, Carina; save you scurrying out to have a maid collect some for me."
 
It was a turn of events that Carina wasn't prepared for. To see him so vulnerable, to hear him spill out secrets she doubted she would have been ear to if it weren't for the alcohol in his system... Carina lingered quietly by the door frame that led out onto the balcony. The anger she had felt, the frustrations and even disgust she had experienced upon learning of his disappearance and seeing his state upon his return slowly began to fizzle out. The frown she had entered with melted into knitted eyebrows of concern and she gently bit her lower lip. Watching, listening... Hurting.

Without a word, the young queen moved to the bedroom door to lock it. However she wasn't sure as to why, if it was for the sake of his image... Or to keep Lauren from potentially seeing any weakness she could exhibit during Sven's vulnerable confession.

Returning to the balcony, she awkwardly knelt by his side and pulled her handkerchief from her sleeve. Eyes flickered over his face, still slightly nervous to his reactions. If there was one thing she learned about drunkards, was their unpredictability. Quietly, Carina reached up to tenderly dab away at the blood around his nose and mouth. There wasn't much she could do, without water, but she could at least try her best.

A knock at the door finally came, and she rose to greet it. Taking the water, Carina was instantly back at his side. At least this time she could do better with cleaning him up. She was careful around the split at his lip, and gingerly moved around his nose, actions soft and arguably caring. Only once the mess had been cleaned up did Carina then hold the bloodied handkerchief to his nose to begin stemming the last of the bleeding. And still she continued to listen. At some point, a hand had raised to gently push back the hair that grazed his forehead, observing the blood and dirt that stained the auburn locks with a silent shake of her head.

A few months ago, Carina would have given anything to have Sven in this vulnerable position. Spilling all these secrets. She already knew his father was a sore spot, a nerve she could always hit. But now... Now she knew why. And just why it hurt so much. Who would ever want to be compared to a beast who abused them? Carina knew she wouldn't. She had always assumed it was because they both knew his father was a weak leader and he didn't want to be compared to anything as pathetic as the former King of Ignis. But now she knew. She knew the truth. And seeing him in this state made her uncomfortable, not victorious.

Then he did something she knew he would never do when sober. He removed her bracelet.

Her eyes widened once she had rode the wave of her powers returning, taking her hand and holding it to her chest in disbelief. In that moment, she had a choice. She could leave him, wilting and broken on that balcony, to fend for himself and potentially forget the whole night by morning. Or she could... Help him.

Carina swallowed thickly, head turning to look toward the door. Genuinely considering taking the opportunity to flee. Who would stop her, now she had ice flowing freely in her veins? She could convince Lauren to abandon plans to take over and simply take her friend to live somewhere free with the baby elsewhere. Of course Sven would hunt her down, with her carrying the future heir, but she could do it. She could survive. It was a possibility now, one too great for her to ignore immediately... But the Queen, to her own surprise, found herself standing and reaching a hand out to him.

"I will get you a glass of something... So long as you get up, get out of those stinking clothes and get into bed. Once you've done that, I'll bring you something." She coaxed him, expression once more neutral but that worry, her anxiety, still glimmering in her eyes. She has no intentions to bring him more alcohol, hence her lack of specification on what she would bring him, but if him thinking she would bring him a glass of amber got him up and into bed... Then so be it. "I'll even put ice in it... I promise."
 
Under no circumstances had Sven ever envisioned letting Carina anywhere near him when he was hurt - had some disaster ever befallen him, the last thing he wanted was the Queen approach him, being almost certain that in his weakened state, she would seize the opportunity to end his life once and for all; tear him apart like he had done to her brother.

While his injuries probably weren't severe enough to render him useless if she did launch an attack, his inebriation more than made up for things - he was so drunk that anyone could deal him a hefty blow without needing to be concerned about repercussions, at least not in the form of him fighting back. The element he wielded was a different matter entirely and in his drunken state, was probably something to be feared even more because of the sheer lack of control he would have over it.

That would always make him a threat and, while he was in a vulnerable position that could be capitalised upon, it would always be something that ensured his safety - though he had chipped away at that somewhat by giving Carina access to her powers; allowing her to kill him before he could even register what had happened.

And yet, despite the resistance he would have ordinarily presented, he allowed her to come near and tend to his injuries, the sense of pride that would have prevented anyone doing such a thing apparently diminished in his drunkenness, and after all he had been forced to go through as of late. Rather than stubbornly shove her efforts to help him away, he sat patiently as she wiped and dabbed at the blood, his only movements being a flinch or a grimace here and there in discomfort and pain.

If anything, the tired smile he offered to her after was appreciative and grateful; far from the scowl and dismissive insults he might have otherwise snapped at her under other circumstances.

It didn't occur to him that she might use her powers to kill him and flee from the kingdom now she had the means of defending herself from recapture. It was an incredibly naive oversight, one that could have dire consequences for him, but he saw no problem in removing the band from her wrist and allowing her powers to course back through her veins unrestrained.

"Just make sure it's got ice, my throat's burning," he mumbled as he headed across to his closet, the inability to walk in a straight line causing him to stumble into the desk with a quiet groan at the pain exploding from his hip, knowing instantly that a nasty bruise would only form there - though when he had gathered a few bruises that night, what problem was one more going to do?

Digging out a pair of pyjamas, he clumsily kicked off his dirty borrowed clothes and proceeded to change. Even if he was sober and aware, he might not have executed much more of an effort to change in private. Carina had seen him at his most vulnerable during their first time together; he had undressed completely in front of her whilst she held over him a dominance that had only succeeded in embarrassing him. There was little point in trying to hide himself from view after that; it would be a useless task and one he wasn't even contemplating in his inebriated state.

"...Aren't you going to sleep too? It's bedtime, isn't it?" He sleepily slurred as he clambered under the covers with a long, content yawn at the immediate comfort that he was met with, though he resisted the urge to lay down when realising he had yet to be handed his drink.

"I'm-- I'm sorry for being an asshole; for not believing you. For distrusting you and letting Natalia get in my head. 'm sorry for Emmett; for his death, for the desecration of his body--" He paused to hold his head, fighting back a wave of nausea with a grimace, though the pause had caused his mind to quickly switch onto the next subject, his drunkenness preventing an ability to focus on one for too long. Despite being motivated by the alcohol he had consumed, and might not have ever been uttered without it, the apologies were long overdue - even if Sven probably wasn't expected to have ever even contemplated apologising for any act he had committed.

Alcohol loosened his lips, and though there was a chance he could forget what he was spewing out, it was unlikely Carina ever would.

"Is my whisky done now? I've got a real thirst - the damn taverns don't have good quality alcohol. It's all cheap nonsense - but it got me drunk and that's all I wanted so I can't go complaining-- I shouldn't have gone though. I... I shouldn't have stressed you out. God, I... I can't do much right lately, huh?"
 
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