Playing with Fire

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While Sven was suspicious, Carina was confused still. She had no idea as to what Natalia wanted from her or what the conversation was about. Her mind worked overtime to try and figure out what the other woman wanted, what details she needed to run by her... but nothing sprung to mind. She knew she had been distracted when the advisor joined her, but that didn't necessarily need to be a cause for concern, surely. Her deep contemplation before the men had joined them could have been for the war that was worsening and the traitor that had infiltrated their ranks.

As she thought more about it, the more paranoid Carina became at her potential inconspicuous behaviour. Had she said something when coming out of her daze that alerted Natalia to something going on? Had the advisor actually recognised her behaviour as being somewhat similar to the first time Sven was having an affair? No, that couldn't be it. This was her own silent worries of the adultery having been continued...

But what if Natalia knew that the affair was continuing and wanted to warn Carina about it? Would the advisor even know? Perhaps she had seen something or heard whispers that Carina had missed in her blindness of just trusting Sven again.

Such thoughts caused her appetite to wane and soon her napkin was over her plate, the young queen choosing to sip from a freshly poured cup of tea. The act really less about filling her stomach and more about keeping her hands busy, knowing otherwise they would be clutching at the materials of her skirts again. The habit had been difficult to stop and still called to her on occasion. With this newfound paranoia floating around now, the summoning of it was even stronger than before; promising her she would feel better afterwards, only to snarl at her during the actual act.

Carina painted a smile all too easily onto her features, as she was accustomed to doing but also so now well trained to do, at Natalia's explanation. Albeit slightly amused by Sven's quick dismissal after such details came to be about the topic of their conversation. "We can go to my bedroom, have a private discussion there." She agreed, following a sip of tea.

Andrew chuckled, having put his napkin down besides his plate and rested his hand on top of it, arm outstretched to do so while the other moved to casually rest over the back of Natalia's chair, "Think I'll give that conversation a miss too-- as devastated as I will be to do so." He smirked, "I've got a nephew to see. Is it too early to get him ridin'?" He joked lightly, eager to create a change in atmosphere after the sudden downturn in mood.

He couldn't understand what was going on, both with the three individually, Carina and Sven as a couple but also between Natalia and Carina. Something itched at him that there was more than what lay upon the surface, but he wasn't about to got poking and prodding. If it was important enough, Natalia would update him later in the evening.

"If we're all done, do you, ah, mind if I...?" Andrew questioned, hand dropping from the back of the chair to gently squeeze Natalia's shoulder. He didn't want to leave before the royals, but considering he only had an hour for lunch and needed to be back soon to continue, he didn't want to be pushing his luck.

Carina lowered her cup hurriedly and nodded, "Yes, please-- sorry, Andrew. Thank you for joining us, I know I say this all the time but we really ought to do this more often."

Smiling, the stablehand bowed his head in agreement before glancing to Natalia and stealing another kiss from her before he stood, "Maybe a weekly or bi-weekly thing. That'd be nice. Give us all somethin' to look forward to." He suggested as he tucked in his chair. He looked to Sven, the smile ever present, "I've got a day off on Thursday-- two days time. Think I could steal some brotherly time an' we could go for a ride?" He asked, hopeful to clear the air with his sibling despite being uncertain as to what he had done to upset him in the first place.

Once receiving his answer, Andrew murmured another set of goodbyes before kissing the top of Natalia's head and leaving to see his nephew.
 
He didn't resent his brother, far from it, but the thought of heading out on a ride with him now the embittering envy had crept in was unfathomable. It made his jaw tighten in dismay at the idea, and while guilt rose in response, nagging at him not to jeopardise a familial connection over silly thoughts, he couldn't help it. No, his ego wouldn't accept having to be second-best, as Natalia inadvertently suggested (though it was hardly her intention to do so, considering she barely thought about her past entanglement with Sven these days), and so entered the dissatisfaction with his brother, unaided by his jealousy over his blossoming relationship so full of shared attraction and desire he could only assume was acted upon without hesitation or reservation.

The same could hardly be said for his own marriage, whether it be his fault for betraying Carina's trust in the first place or otherwise.

Nevertheless, aware that his stubborn refusal would only encourage whispers over his character to arise, Sven plastered another smile across his face and nodded his agreement, feigning as much eagerness as was appropriate for the moment. He couldn't force himself to say anything, unwilling to risk his words being overwhelmed with any hardness, but he doubted anyone would look too closely into that particular choice.

Only when he had gone did Sven ease back against his chair, running a finger around the rim of his glass absent-mindedly. He had genuinely been looking forward to the lunch, seeing it as an opportunity to share a moment with the closest people in his life free from the stresses and anxieties that dominated much of his life these days. Instead, his mind was set racing, his heart beating harder as the idea that suspicion was growing against him began to foster. He wanted it to be entirely unfounded, to believe that Natalia's gaze wasn't anything to be too concerned about, but he liked to pride himself on his instinctual understanding of such things... and right now, he would be remiss to bat away the creeping warnings, urging him to be careful with every step he took.

Or risk the inevitable consequences.

"I think I'll go and tackle some of the paperwork in my office before my bath; get the stress over and done with so I can relax properly," he declared as he shifted in the seat, rising from it a mere moment later with the course of action now decided. He wanted to mirror Andrew's action with Natalia and place a kiss to his wife's lips, but even that action felt like he was pushing his luck these days. He was content in letting her make the first move, to ensure that whatever they did was something she was comfortable with, but it didn't mean he wasn't frustrated with how slow the progress was. That was ultimately selfishness on his part-- but he didn't feel he ought to apologise for it.

He was selfish, a trait inherent to his character. Maybe it was the effect of having his cake and eating it that had caused that selfishness to thrive, to become unrelenting to the point of dismissiveness, but the cause didn't matter; not when the effect was already in full swing.

And so, though he still leaned in and placed a kiss to her cheek, the fact he couldn't kiss his wife on the lips set a muscle jumping in his jaw, teeth gritting together as he thought longer on the (in his mind) unfairness of it all. With a polite nod to Natalia, unwilling to offer her anything more when he didn't have the energy for it, he straightened his back, smoothed out a crease in his shirt, and made an exit through the double-doors dutifully opened for him by waiting staff.

Natalia watched the exit with apparent calm, almost finding herself in amusement at the King's thinly-veiled contempt. The reason was lost on her, a complete unknown, but it did cause her suspicions to spike, which in turn left her peering towards the Queen in the hope of clarification.

"...Perhaps we can head to your room now, Carina? For the talk? I'm afraid I embellished my reasoning, but I have my purpose for doing so. It's about Sven. I... have reasons to believe that not all is well. That... there is sufficient reason for us to-" she paused to consider her wording; "-to be concerned."
 
Carina turned her head to Sven as he announced his departure, offering silently the opportunity for a kiss to the lips should he so wish to take it. While she knew that they had agreed for her to be the pace setter, she had also hoped that Sven's read on people was still good enough to pick up on the cues she occasionally provided in the hopes he would see what she was trying to convey. It seemed as though she needed to become clearer, as she was left with a rather vanilla kiss to her cheek and the lack of honeyed words that he had earlier conveyed before his supposed hour meeting with the generals.

It felt as though, whatever had happened, her husband was a new man altogether again. He had left for the hour a nervous wreck, returned a happy man and ended lunch seemingly frustrated and miserable.

Her thumb and forefinger circled around together, the ink stain still ever present as she mulled over what might have happened. She continuously had to correct herself from thinking it was something she had done. Although, especially on this occasion, it was difficult to not wonder if it was her. For Carina, her anxiety added the possibility that maybe he was beginning to regret giving up his mistress. Or that, perhaps, she was slowly pushing him back into her arms with the lack of pace she had on the affection they shared.

Either way, she was just was worried about Sven as it seemed Natalia was.

Her eyes flickered up to the advisor once the door had shut and her body immediately, almost automatically, tensed at her mention of Sven and her suspicions that not all was well. Carina's gaze darted to those at the door, surveying them for barely a breath before her attention returned to Natalia.

"I'm not sure what you believe is happening, Natalia. But I can assure you that Sven's behaviour is simply to do with the war and the predicament that we find ourselves in." She replied cagily, not enjoying having to do so but not wishing for idle gossip to form in the castle because of Natalia's statement and explanation behind her desires for a chat. Especially if Sven were to overhear it. "You're right to believe we should be concerned, the king is under a lot of pressure with the tribulations of the battles he is working to win. But an early night and a long hot bath should put him to right."

Under the table, her foot nudged the advisor's, desperate to ensure that Natalia understood that what she was saying was merely for the benefit of the other ears in the room.

"However, I would like to get your opinion on an outfit to wear when I go to the next meeting with Sven to meet the generals. I haven't been to one in a while and I'm afraid I'm a little fuller than what I used to be before Lorcan was born," she chuckled airily, pushing herself to her feet, "Shall we?"
 
Natalia was no fool. She, of course, knew that it was best to discuss such private matters regarding the King in private, but her concerns had come on so quickly, so forcefully, that it was hard to put on a smile for the benefit of the nearby staff; to hold her tongue and pretend that all was well. She knew that they were intimidated by her and her sternness so much that they wouldn't dare to spread the rumour that she held such concerns (assuming they overheard her in the first place) but Carina was right - it was best to remain professional and not risk it whatsoever.

And so, with a swift nod in agreement, the adviser rose to her feet and kept the flood of words held back between the barrier, awaiting a more private setting before she could release them. Admittedly, the walk towards Carina's bedroom was of some benefit - rather than blurting out every one of her newly-founded concerns all in one go, the journey to the room allowed her the time to clear her head and put the jumble of words into some sort of order.

She wanted clear answers from the Queen - and the only way she would receive that was if she put the questions to her in a concise, organised manner, as she took pride in doing. The emotional investment she had did muddy the waters somewhat, but there was never any excuse to let her professionalism dip; to allow that emotion to impact the job she had to do. Her concerns for Sven were ultimately personal, from the point of view of a friend who cared deeply about both him and Carina, but she also had to remind herself that she was the adviser to the King.

On that professional level, she had to be reassured that he was in a position to rule with a clear mind, without any skeletons in the closer that could threaten the stability of his throne at a later date.

Only when they were safely behind the privacy that the closed doors to Carina's bedroom provided did Natalia unleash the long breath she hadn't even been aware she was holding in, quietly taking a seat near the doors to the balcony in the effort to relax. After all, these were simply concerns that currently had no real basis to them; there was no need to be pacing about the room as though something was drastically at fault.

"...I'm observant, Carina. I know you know that. It's part of my job to be that way, and I pride myself on it. So please don't brush away my concerns without listening to them. I wouldn't bring this up if I didn't feel it was worthwhile to do so," she began carefully, the advantage of sorting her thoughts out coming into play as her words were spoken with deliberateness; with purpose, rather than hurried out in the desperation to get the uncomfortable moment over and done with.

"I've noticed the ink staining your hand. I don't need to know what you've been writing about, it isn't my business unless you decide to open up to me, but I'm in no way asking you to do that. I wouldn't even bring it up if it didn't seem so... relevant when combined with your distance at the table and Sven's... bizarre behaviour during lunch. All of that together has caused me some alarm. Is... everything alright, with you and Sven? Because-- well, his demeanour, his altered moods, has... alerted me. He acted this way months ago, when things were rough between you both. Should I prepare myself for a return to that disharmony? Because I really should get working on damage-limitation for his public image, if so..."
 
Carina moved to pour herself a glass of water, always liking to keep a fresh jug of it and a few glasses in her room. After a moment, she poured Natalia one, keeping her back to the other woman as she began to speak. The jug hovered in the air after she finished, the blonde pausing in her administrations as she came to understand that she was not the only one who had seen a difference to Sven. She wasn't entirely certain what to feel, considering what it meant. Relief was certainly a strong emotion; knowing that she wasn't alone in her worries and that she wasn't being paranoid allowed her to feel as though she wasn't being overly sensitive either. But then came the dread. If Natalia was questioning Sven's behaviour, acknowledging that he was behaving similarly to when he last had Eris in his life...

"I... think Sven lied to me today." She finally confessed, not going straight in with the accusation of her husband returning to his adultering ways. She could still be wrong about that. Hell, a part of her hoped that maybe it was a moment of weakness, that his fear of the traitor had sent him running to a woman he immediately felt guilt over and thus had washed his hands with her again.

She cleared her throat, allowing her words to settle as she picked up the two glasses of water and moved to join Natalia near the balcony door. She sat in the armchair opposite the redhead, eyes refusing to meet the advisor's as she continued to struggle with how to word her anxieties.

"You'll know that I am... observant too," she began eventually, eyes drawing themselves up to meet Natalia's, "But I was distant at the table today because I was dealing with my own thoughts, my own concerns. Not because I know something or that he has done something." She took a sip of water, taking a moment to form her next statement, "I do agree that... his behaviour has been somewhat erratic today. Unpredictable and unstable. I... I noticed how he was when you and Andrew were... affectionate." She knew his jealousy when she saw it, and in all honesty, she felt envy too. She wanted nothing more than to be looked at with the same desire and passionate fire that Andrew looked at Natalia today.

Yes, she wanted to love. But she also wanted to be wanted too. Not just for the strength and help she provided as a mother and a wife. But in a way that made it impossible for someone to keep their hands off her. That meant that the person she was with would steal little touches and kisses from her whenever they could just for the sake of wanting to.

Swallowing hard as she prepared herself to come to terms with what she feared and what she had to say out loud, Carina exhaled heavily and fidgeted in her seat, "I wonder if... Sven has gotten... tired of waiting for me to feel comfortable again. I think... I fear that the physical side of our relationship isn't moving fast enough for him and that he has... returned to his old ways."

Once more she let her words settle, giving Natalia time to process before explaining her conversation with her husband that morning. Their plans to smoke the rat out, him saying he wanted her there to help and that he would arrange a meeting with the generals before lunch only to hastily reject her desire to join him for said meeting. His immediately jubilant behaviour and his disregard for her disappointment. Then his arrival to lunch. Her suspicions of his damp hair, his breathless return. The warmth to his cheeks and the buoyant energy he possessed.

"I feel awful for thinking this when I said I would trust him again for us to move forward," Carina finished, water forgotten and hands twisting the materials of her skirts again, namely at the tops of her thighs, "But I can't help but wonder if he's gone back to...her."
 
Natalia remained quiet as the other finally aired her shared concerns and, when the eventual suspicion was uttered -that Sven had returned to Eris' arms- the adviser couldn't help herself but to grimace, a sharp intake of breath sounding from between her teeth. She hadn't heard anything regarding the King's former (and, against their knowledge, current) mistress; not caught sight of her during her visits to the village, so she wasn't inclined to believe the theory.

Though she wasn't going to rule it out. It could simply be Carina's paranoia talking, but Natalia would be remiss to dismiss it so casually. She may not want it to be true, with the idea that Sven had returned to such cruel behaviour making her skin crawl, but that didn't mean it wasn't. All it could mean was that he had learnt to be subtle; to hide his interactions with Eris well enough that nobody had any physical proof of the encounters.

After all, that involved slyness and manipulation - two qualities that Sven tended to excel at.

She would be a fool to not consider that those traits were, once again, in full practise.

She twisted her head to peer out of the balcony, allowing her eyes to roam the cloudless skies in contemplation. As observant as she was, she had been too distracted by Andrew's displays of affection to notice the detrimental effect it had had on Sven, having been oblivious to his bitter, envious reaction. She had noticed it after she broke eye contact with her boyfriend, leaving her in confusion as to why the King's joyous mood had deteriorated to such a petulantly angry state... but now, she knew why. The thought did introduce guilt, naturally - it wasn't nice to hear that her happiness was looked upon with envy; that Sven would apparently prefer her not to display that so openly because of the effect it had on him, because of his personal issues.

It didn't feel fair, but she had come to learn that Sven rarely was fair. She had believed he had worked on himself and his character enough to push past such selfishness, to acknowledge that he wasn't the centre of the universe, but evidently, that was just another example of naivety on her part.

"You have absolutely no reason to feel bad about this, Carina. You have every right to question his behaviour when he is acting so strangely. You've put your trust in him, forgiven him for all of his atrocities against you. You are under no obligation to maintain loyalty and turn a blind eye to his behaviour when the oddness of it is staring you -staring us- in the face," the adviser corrected swiftly, her eyes returning to the Queen with a flickering moment of intensity. She could understand the other's reservations in speaking so honestly when she had placed her trust in Sven... but that hardly meant she had to refute facts and keep her trust when everything suggested that it was misplaced.

"...What do we do?" She continued after a moment had passed, setting her water down on the table in front of them. "Because I obviously won't allow you to deal with this alone, Carina. So what is it we do next; what do we do to determine his innocence or -god forbid- his guilt?"
 
Carina didn't know where to look when she felt the advisor's eyes focused so intensely on her. Having only just come to terms with her suspicions herself, she was in no place to truly think of what they did next. If anything, her first thoughts were of their son, of Lorcan. Where would he end up in this mess? If her suspicions were baseless, then all would be fine. But if they weren't... would she remain with Sven for the sake of their child? Would she leave and take Lorcan with her? Or would she find herself able, no less willing, to co-parent?

Sucking in a deep breath, she pushed her hands out over her thighs with a heavy exhale out. "By God I hope I'm wrong," she murmured simply, not answering the question that had been posed to her as her eyes darted to the view Natalia had taken in just moments ago.

She forced her mind to work, to consider the options that were open to her in a multitude of categories. How she could feel, what she could do, what she should do, how to react and overall... how her life would be if things were true.

"I need to look after Lorcan above all else." She finally began to plan, rubbing her forehead as she tried to figure everything out, "Eira...Eria is rebuilding, slowly... but it's rebuilding. I could... I could return there. I couldn't stay here. It's... it would be ridiculous to. And painful." Her hand pushed through her hair, sweeping back any loose tendrils from her face and over her shoulders.

Her fingers itched for something to do, to write all of this down at least. But she didn't want to do that, not in front of Natalia. Not with pages of her demons potentially on display.

Eventually, Carina straightened, a painful truth greeting her with a cackle in the back of her mind as she remembered their past.

As.she remembered Lauren.

"We don't need to do anything." She replied, her voice quiet and strained, "If he is... he'll be telling her everything. It's...it's what he did with Lauren. He would tell her things, she would feed it back to me." She finally looked to Natalia, brow furrowing and eyebrows knitting together with the ache such memories caused. "If he's truly with her, he'll undoubtedly let his secrets slide to her. If he has, he would be talking to her about the war."

She gave the advisor a moment to figure it out for herself before pressing forward, "If he feeds her a lie, like he will with his generals, and that's what comes out... then we'll know. We'll know for certain. And that'll be even worse... because it would be his careless cruelty that is costing people their lives."
 
Natalia knew that it wasn't just worthwhile to consider the possibility that Sven had committed yet another betrayal (or simply continued on with one); it was wise. What purpose would it serve either of them to continue forward, willingly blinding themselves to the odd circumstances regarding the King and his demeanour? It might be tempting to continue on as normal, to brush aside such concerns just to cling to the contentment that had become their normalcy for the last few weeks, to allow it to continue its blossoming, but that would only hurt more in the long run if their fears were confirmed and Sven was back in the arms of his mistress.

Either way, they needed to find out for certain - which meant holding conversations about it; allowing the distinct possibility that he was wrapped up in the betrayal to be discussed and vocalised. It was hardly easy to have to contend with the inevitable fallout if the worst was to be confirmed as fact, but at least holding these conversations now allowed them to prepare for the consequences; to have that headstart. It would always be devastating emotionally - but having some idea of how they would proceed when the time came would make those ramifications a little easier on them.

Granted, it didn't stop Natalia from shakily exuding a breath at the thought of Carina -and, inevitably, Lorcan- leaving the castle for the ice kingdom that was Eira. She hardly envisioned the young Queen being able to live within Ignis if her husband had, once again, proven himself disloyal and cruel, but to hear that suspicion confirmed aloud hit her harder than she cared to admit. She had become accustomed to her friendship with the Queen; grown rather fond of the bond that had formed. The fact there was a connection never failed to surprise her when she considered the bitterness that had dominated their interactions in the past, but there was no denying its existence now, blossoming into a friendship that Natalia valued and cherished.

So the idea of losing that because of Sven's actions terrified her. She had no doubt, after all, that Carina's exit from the kingdom would be the end to their friendship - because she could hardly pack her things and follow suit. As tempting as the idea of doing so was, Ignis would always be Natalia's home; her position within Sven's circle her life. Her job to the Ignisian royals would always take priority over anything else, even if that rather narrowed the avenues she had for happiness.

It was just another reason, upon many, that she had to hope and pray that the King was as loyal as he claimed to be.

"I hadn't considered that he would be feeding her information-- assuming he's with her, of course. If so, that's-- incredibly-- I don't wish to speak badly of Sven, but if this all turns out to be true, if he has been with that woman and passed on information, he's more of a fool that I thought possible," she criticised with another exhale of breath, albeit one void of shakiness; it was exhaustive in nature, communicating a tiredness that had started to settle in the more she considered just how close everything was to falling apart.

After weeks of Sven seeming happy that things were recovering for him on a personal level, his ability to potentially fuck it all up because he couldn't be loyal to the one person he claimed to love was disgusting.

She wanted to rant and rave, to lose her composure and get out all the emotions building within her but it was easier to just let out a sigh and keep it all in - for now.

"So we wait," she confirmed with a quiet nod, reaching back for her water. "And hope that our growing suspicions are incorrect. I'd like nothing more than to look like a fool for even considering his infidelity. Hopefully... well, hopefully things work out the way we both want them to."
 
"We are all naïve and foolish with somethings," she murmured with a sad smile, "Sven, while an excellent manipulator and capable of the cruellest deeds..." Carina trailed off, shaking her head as she paused to consider her words before continuing, "He trusts in a way that is unyielding. He can't imagine any possibility where that person would betray him or use what he tells them against him. Lauren... she was a prime example of that. She told me everything and anything that she believed was useful."

She wasn't about to clarify that she had seen it with both Lauren and Natalia - the latter's past of using Sven's desire to be a father against him to keep him on her side. In the past, if they were not friends and didn't have the relationship they now did, Carina may have been savage enough to raise such a point. But now it was unnecessary and too unkind.

She too couldn't fathom just how close she and Natalia had become in recent months. The idea of leaving her, along with Andrew, behind in Ignis should Sven be continuing his affair pained her. She had gotten used to the woman being there to help her through it all and Carina struggled to think of how she would manage should she move to Eira. A brief thought involving convincing Natalia to move away with her did cross her mind, however she knew how futile that would be. For all his faults, Sven had found a truly loyal friend in the way of the advisor, and Carina knew she would never be able to convince Natalia to leave him. Not to mention, Ignis was her home. She had her mother plus the warm climate was undoubtedly more agreeable than the frozen one that would wait for Natalia should she decide to follow Carina.

The blonde fell silent for a moment, mulling it all over in her mind as Natalia agreed to wait and audibly hoped for the best possible outcome. Carina found her thoughts not being so optimistic. She wasn't sure if it was due to the nature of the situation or because her luck had been so poor in the past year. Either way, she did not feel hope after Natalia's words, except only dread.

"I don't want to feel sad about this, if it turns out to be true." She confessed quietly, looking down at her own glass of water after retrieving it, "I'm... fed up of feeling sad. I'm exhausted with feeling like there's something more I could have done or that it was something that I had caused. I'm... I'm tired of him making me feel like shit, Natalia."

The last sentence came out on a harsh exhale of breath, her head and gaze lifting to focus on the adviser. "You say he's a fool for trusting her and telling her his secrets. Maybe I'm a fool for believing he could actually move on from her. I know-- I know we haven't confirmed anything and all of this will be replaced with my guilt for suspecting him in the first place. But if that's the case I'll feel guilt and relief." She struggled for a moment, the floodgates to all her thoughts (including some of the more private ones from her journal) weakening before they gave in altogether, "I'm fed of not feeling good enough for the people in my life. I wasn't good enough for my father in Eira. I wasn't good enough to protect my brother. I wasn't a good enough friend to Lauren. I wasn't good enough to trust Sven to understand my relationship with Lauren. I wasn't good enough to keep our family together the first time for Lorcan."

She took in a deep breath, eyes closing as she composed herself, swallowing thickly before opening them again to fix back onto Natalia, "And now I'm not good enough to keep my husband's eyes from wandering yet again. I-- I know I'm not perfect, far from it. But this... I don't need this. I'm so close to feeling good about myself for the first time since... since losing Emmett and-- and they're both threatening to take it away."

Ice had started to crackle over the glass she held in her hand, accidentally seeping out during her confession. She glanced down at it, exhaling heavily as she hurriedly placed it back onto the table in front of her. She didn't want any sympathy, but she needed to get that all of her chest. All of them had been through so much already and Carina had forced herself to remain composed where necessary. She had been emotional, of course, it would be impossible to not. Fear, pain, upset, irritation, hurt. Maybe a smidge of anger. However, after being told that they needed to trust each other again by the man who was potentially breaking that trust... Carina felt the walls around her anger, that she had been so careful to maintain, cracking dangerously.
 
There were countless things Natalia had perched on the tip of her tongue to respond with; a multitude of sympathetic, supportive, stern reassurances aimed to put the other's mind at ease regarding the guilt of her own self-perceived ineptitudes - because, as far as Natalia could see, the other really had no reason to believe that she was at fault for any of the catastrophes that had occurred in her life.

She had played a role, formulated plans that were cruel, but if Natalia wanted to truly examine that behaviour, without bias, it would be easy to also claim that Carina had justifications for making those sorts of plans; valid reasons borne from revenge and justice. It didn't make it right, Natalia was hardly prepared to venture that far, but she could understand the motivation she had felt at the time.

So even that was something the adviser was prepared to openly reassure Carina of - but no words came. Not because she couldn't find them, and nor did she lose the desire to come to her friend's aid. Rather, it didn't feel appropriate to continually shower the other with sympathetic reassurances when, in this moment, it didn't feel like something Carina sought to hear. Her admissions weren't vocalised seeking that support, but more an expulsion of confessions that had otherwise been kept entirely to herself, allowing for a weight to be lifted and a relief, however minor and temporary, to be experienced.

There was no need on Natalia's part to undercut the importance of such a moment with kind words. However meaningful a place they came from, she had already acknowledged that they had the potential to undermine Carina's feelings; to suggest that the way she was feeling wasn't valid. Granted, Natalia didn't think it was at all healthy for the other to be blaming herself for matters she had no reason to feel guilty over, but there were times when she could open that to a conversation.

Now wasn't one of those times. Now was a time to simply sit back and listen; to allow her friend to speak uninterrupted, to confess what she felt she needed to confess without worry of contradiction or challenge. Natalia of the past would have been quick to shut most people down if she took issue with something they said, if it countered her understanding or opinion, but developing a friendship with Carina, a bond she treasured, had helped her to acknowledge the toxicity of that behaviour.

Hell, if she was honest, Carina had helped her become a better version of herself just through being a friend to her - Natalia wasn't perfect, she knew that, but she liked to think she was fairer these days; more empathetic, more sincere, more understanding, and she knew she owed that both to Carina and to Andrew.

She had to push back a smile at the mere thought of Andrew and the way he had made her life better, unwilling to indulge in the thought of her blossoming relationship when her friends' marriage was, potentially, on the rocks once more. That sobering thought made her sit back up straight, her hands resting on her knees as she did her best not to draw attention to the cracking of Carina's ice. It unnerved her as much as Sven's powers did, it always would, but she had trust that she would never be a victim to such a display of power, accidentally or otherwise. If she had that fear, there was no way she would be able to sit this close to Carina, or to work so closely with Sven - so no, there was no fear, but she would be remiss not to harbour a little nervousness, especially when she was made to witness the fact that Carina was in possession of such... abilities.

"...I would remind you that this is all conjecture and suspicion at this point, Carina. Nothing is certain, nothing is proven, just yet. All this anger, this ire, is... understandable, but let's not pin guilt on him when we have no proof as of yet. Nothing beyond is strange behaviour at the table, which could be nothing. Sven is an emotional man; changes moods quickly if one thing sets him off," she eventually murmured, tone swift but firm given the seriousness of the topic. She nodded in understanding that nothing she was saying was news to Carina, not wanting to insult her intelligence - but it was a point worth reiterating regardless. If Sven was innocent, then all of the anger currently aimed at him would just propel and strengthen guilt later on.

"If it is true, of course, then-- I won't attempt to tell you how to act on what you feel. You're free to handle the matter as you wish, and I'll support you unquestionably through it. But-- let's not forget the possibility that he's innocent, Carina. That he loves you and wouldn't hurt you. I... want to believe that Sven is that man, through and through."
 
Releasing a long breath, the young queen nodded her head and turned it to look out the open balcony doors. She knew that Natalia was right - Sven, in this currently moment in time, was innocent. And would be innocent until proven guilty. She also knew that shouldn't give in to that anger until she knew for certain what the truth was. If she confronted him and was proven wrong, then she would have given in to her fear and potentially lose everything all over again. She had given him her word to try again, to trust him and believe that he really did remove Eris from his life as he had promised to do.

"I know... and I know you're right about his behaviour. I just... telling me that he appreciates my help and desires my support, only to hastily reject it when I offer to join him in that meeting today? I... I just can't stop thinking: what if he went to her instead?" She told the advisor, keeping her eyes on the few beyond her balcony doors. "He wouldn't be foolish enough to bring her to the castle now, but he... he could still meet her somewhere. Visit her."

Sharply, Carina shook her head and finally looked back to Natalia, clasping her hands together in her lap. To calm herself, she would usually go to Lorcan. She would visit the nursery and either help feed her son, read to him, play with him... but with how bitingly cold her hands were in that moment, she knew she couldn't risk touching anything. Especially not her own child.

"...What if nothing comes of this message? What if he... doesn't feed her some lie to see if she is the traitor? I'm going of a hunch here, with how he was with Lauren. Maybe he had learnt his lesson? I don't... I don't know if I can just sit around waiting for a potential slip up, Natalia." She then sighed, leaning back into the corner of the armchair, crossing a leg over the other knee, "Would we... would someone bring it up to him? But he could... he could just blame it on the war, his work... fuck, I-- I hate this."

The curse, rare in the queen's vocabulary, slipped off her tongue as she ran her fingers through her hair. She rested her elbow on the arm of the chair and rested the side of her head in her hand, staring down at her glass of water as she thought, trying to categorise and organise the mess in her mind.

"I just want to know already, rather than wait and potentially get hurt a few weeks down the line when I... I might have forgotten all about it."
 
"There are ways we can discover his guilt -or confirm his innocence- but I imagine we would have to be sneaky about it, Carina. Plant lies of our own-- though I'm willing to take on that duty if this is a path you wish to follow. I'd understand if it is. You want answers - and you deserve them. So we... should get them for you, shouldn't we? No matter what we have to do to do so." Natalia mused contemplatively, tapping her finger against her lip in sudden, deep thought. She thought that being patient and allowing everything to play out naturally was a good plan, sparing them of any actions they would have to otherwise undertake that would fill them both with guilt if Sven was found to be innocent by the end of it all. Waiting for him to slip up in some manner, however, was ultimately excruciating, especially for Carina who would have to bite her lip and act as though all was well until confirmation of her husband's guilt or his innocence reached her ear.

So, while actively determining the state of matters themselves involved sneakiness and the undertaking of actions that might twist them with guilt if he was innocent, was there really any other option available to them that would bring them answers sooner rather than later? The answer to that was no, of course - and so Natalia dedicated a few seconds to her thoughts, discerning what plans they could put into place, what actions they could set into course, to achieve results for Carina; to hopefully put her mind at ease.

Or, if Sven was guilty (as he would be found to be) allow her the opportunity to deal with him the best way she saw fit. But at least she would know the truth and wouldn't have to exist in this sort of emotionally-torturous limbo.

"...Later tonight, when a few hours have passed, I'll tell him that one of our sources has reason to believe that the West Torterrians are planning something; that they've received intelligence within the last hour or two that has provided them with new, valuable information. If he was with Eris over lunch, if he fed her any information, false or otherwise, to determine if she was the traitor, then isn't it possible that he'll want to immediately confront her? And if that is the case and he does head out in the night after my falsified concerns-- we should follow him. See who he goes to see. Perhaps he did speak with the Generals over lunch and leaves to confront one of them because he's suspicious, in which case we'll have no clarity. But maybe he'll... leave to find Eris, convinced of her guilt. Maybe then we'll have our answer."

Natalia paused to allow her words to settle, to digest, easing back with her water as they did so. It didn't fill her with pride to suggest a plan that was framed on lying to Sven's face and causing him such anxiety, especially if it turned out that he was entirely innocent and left to confront one of the army's generals (who could also be free of any betrayal), but wasn't that just the risk they had to take? She could live with a little guilt if it meant absolving Sven of the suspicion he was unknowingly under... or finding out for certain that he was guilty and giving Carina that clarity.

Either way, whatever the outcome, this felt like a plan they had to see through if the Queen was confident that she needed answers as soon as was possible.

"I can lie to him, Carina. It's for the greater good. A small lie now to potentially uncover the truth. It's a duty I'm willing to see through, I assure you. Of course, I... understand if this is something you don't wish to do; that it doesn't please you to, effectively, have to spy on Sven-- but I do think it will provide you with answers. And isn't that what you said you wanted the most? To just know either way what's going on?"
 
Carina hesitated at Natalia's plan. She had wanted it, yes, but now that one had been put forward to her... she was nervous. Not just because they could cause the death (or at least the imprisonment) of an innocent general, but due to the fact that it could reveal everything she was so fearful about. She had no idea what she would do if Sven did prove to be unfaithful, therefore breaking his promise to her as well and breaking his marriage vows for the second time. She hated the idea of being unprepared, not knowing what she would do or where she would go, or even if she would go anywhere at all.

She had always promised for him to be a father. For all his faults, she knew that he loved Lorcan unconditionally. Carina couldn't deny that Sven was not a good father. She knew that he had always wanted to be to Lorcan the father that he never had in his own. The late king was cruel and unforgiving, lacking in affection and love for his own son. She hated hearing how Sven had been treated as a child. Her father was no easier to get along with, but at least Carina had had her mother's love until she had passed away. Sven had nothing, from either parent. Just abuse and manipulation.

"...I-- I don't know." She bit down on her lower lip as she considered the proposal, unable to continue looking at the advisor and turning her head away again as she pondered over the suggestion. "If we do this and he's innocent and he finds out... there would be as much trouble for us that way as there will be if he's guilty of what we suspect. I know your relationship with him is rocky as it is, Natalia. I've noticed how he changes when he thinks you're giving me or even Andrew more attention than him. I wouldn't want to jeopardise that even more for you."

However, she knew that Natalia was correct her assumptions. She knew Sven would want to confront Eris immediately, he was not one to sit and stew over something. She assumed it was the Ignisian way, driving forward headfirst into confrontation of any kind.

"And... and what do we do if he does go to her? I still have no plan of what to do if he is doing what we think. I can't... I don't think I can stay here and live here, potentially running into him and having to continue helping him win this war after knowing he had been... he had been with her." Her eyes closed and she pinched the bridge of her nose, leaning forward to do so as her elbow remained balanced on the arm of her chair. "The idea that he could have been... kissing her-- god, fucking her... before coming to lunch and kissing me on the cheek as if nothing was wrong--" She pushed herself abruptly to her feet, needing to move, unable to stay still.

Her arms folded across her chest, hands tightly gripping her upper arms to keep them from shaking but also to keep them from expelling any further ice. She could feel hold cold they were, how frozen her skin was, through the layers of her sleeves.

She stood at the balcony doors, gulping in a breath of the warm, stale Ignisian air, eyes darting around over the view she had from her room. "...If you're... comfortable lying to him in that way, risking your relationship with him," she finally said quietly, shoulders tense, "Then do it. Let's just... do it-- get it out of the way. I can't take not knowing."
 
Natalia wasn't sure that the other woman would agree to the plan when the risks involved were as obvious, and as great, as they were. It would be devastating to discover that Sven was indulging in his own unfaithfulness again, but there were consequences involved to finding out he was innocent too. Those promises of trust the two had made to one another would be broken and, though she felt justified in going to such lengths to effectively spy on the King of the kingdom, Natalia could hardly blame the man for being outraged and upset in equal fashion if he was forced to discover that his own wife had doubts over his behaviour; thought he was capable of breaking the promises he had dedicated himself to.

It would be a situation she knew she would hate, particularly when she was inevitably going to be at the centre of it for suggesting the plan in the first place - but what other choice did they have at their disposal? To wait for what could be days and days on end for Sven to potentially slip up? And if he didn't, be it because he was innocent or too smart to reveal his guilt, what happened then? Would Carina have to continue to act as though all was fine, despite the growing doubt and subsequent anxiety that raged within her? That wasn't fair - so even if the plan involved risks, would provide emotional consequences no matter the results, it was, in Natalia's eyes, the only way forward.

The only chance to get results, to get valuable answers, and provide Carina the chance to move on with her life free of the consuming doubt.

Ideally, she could do that with her marriage intact, but it would be naive not to consider the fact that Sven was guilty and that, by discovering that, everything the two had built together was about to come crashing down.

But it was better to know that than to live in uncertainty a day longer.

Which made the Queen's eventual agreement a relief. Natalia knew better than to communicate or even express that delight given the circumstances, only offering a quiet nod of her head in acknowledgement, but she couldn't pretend she wasn't overjoyed by Carina's decision to be proactive, rather than resting back and allow Sven to get away with his behaviour (assuming he was guilty, at least).

As fond as she was of Sven, as genuine as her remark that he was her closest friend was, she wasn't a blind loyalist, ready to jump to defend each and every one of his actions. In the past, that was easily true of her... but not anymore. If he was unfaithful, if he had embarked on another course of selfishness that hurt the ones closest to him, he deserved to not only be exposed for it, but punished in whatever way Carina felt appropriate.

And the least Natalia felt she could do was offer the Queen her support in that endeavour.

"We'll have to wait a few hours; allow him to think enough time has passed for word to reach the West Torterrians. Then I'll go to him, in the evening, expressing these falsified concerns-- he'll inevitably come to you with a lie, saying he has to leave the castle, and that will be when we follow him. I'll ensure we have a carriage waiting if he doesn't leave on foot-- though no matter how he leaves, you'll need to wear something that doesn't draw attention to you, Carina. You're easily recognised, but less so in a commoner's dress-- so perhaps it's best you borrow something of mine? Something simple; something most women in Ignis wear. Just in case we do have to venture out on foot."
 
"We can't take a carriage. That will be too obvious, too bulky." Carina immediately disagreed, shaking her head as she remained at the door of the balcony. She pressed her fingertips to her lips in consideration, brow furrowing as she thought through their plan. Guilt twisted her stomach at the idea of spying on her husband, the same man she had promised she would trust after everything they had gone through together. However, his behaviour had been nothing short of suspicious in the last day alone and, she was sure, if she thought back over the last few weeks... there would be other times she had a right to be paranoid over.

But she had simply and willingly ignored because she promised.

"We'll take horses. Alone. We can't afford for him to get suspicious about a carriage trailing him. Plus, we would have to tell the driver what we are doing... we cannot afford for someone else to slip up and expose our plans." She bowed her head as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut, déjà vu causing the queen to feel nauseous. "It feels like planning to betray him all over again." She whispered, hand lowering from her lips to press to her stomach - now a mere bump in her lower abdomen after Lorcan's birth.

Her mind flashed to the discussions with Lauren on how to murder Sven. Of course, an extreme difference as she was simply looking to spy rather than end his life. But there would be a level of treachery either way.

Carina turned to approach the armchairs and table again, reaching down to take a calming sip of her water. A hand reached out to grip the back of the armchair as she remained stood, feeling too fidgety to sit now. Her mind raced with the possibilities of how they could follow him, how it would end, how she would react and what the result of his innocence or guilt would be.

"Have Andrew prepare two horses for us for this, tell him we are simply going for a ride-- he might question why so late but hopefully..." She trailed off, biting at her lower lip as she considered it, "Or perhaps not Andrew... perhaps someone who won't have a chance to question us, or Sven about it later. We can only keep this between ourselves now. The less people with a strong relationship with Sven... the better."

It felt cruel to say such a thing, but she knew it wasn't something that could be risked. Not with the consequences and the impact either result could have on them.

"But I agree... I'll... need a wardrobe change. We'll see if I fit into something of yours, as kind as you are to suggest that I could." She snorted softly, thinking of the extra 'padding' she had acquired from the pregnancy, "But I'd rather not faint and fall from my horse after squeezing into a dress of yours. If necessary... we can take something from the servants quarters, a new uniform and I can borrow a cloak of yours. I will... I'll need a hat for my hair too. It will be too obvious."
 
The advisor stiffened at the mention of Andrew, an uneasy grimace resting on her lips before she could stop it. Despite Carina's eventual admission that it was best not to bring Andrew into matters, the mere mention of him was enough for Natalia to grow uncomfortable - because it instantly reminded her that he would suffer consequences from the fallout, however which way they went. It wasn't lost on Natalia that the man might be horrified or even angered by her organisation of that night's events; that he would struggle to comprehend how she could mobilise a mission to spy on Sven within a few short hours and decline to even mention it to him in spite of the confession of love having occurred that very day.

Because she did love Andrew, deeply, but there were understandably things that were best left unsaid. He was Sven's brother, and though she wasn't prepared to insult Andrew's intelligence, she also knew that... he didn't know Sven as well as she or Carina did; that he was oblivious to the depths Sven could sink to. If there was a chance Sven was innocent, wasn't it best to spare Andrew the guilt of being party to the suspicions? Wasn't it best to keep him in the dark; to ensure he could claim innocence at the end of it without any word of it being a lie? It didn't fill her with joy at the thought of withholding information from the man she genuinely loved, and it certainly didn't make her feel good that he might be unhappy with her behaviour when it all came to light (in the case of Sven being innocent, at least)... but the plan was going to go ahead regardless.

The least she could do was keep him from the centre of the mess as best she could.

But there was no good outcome for anyone involved, and that included Andrew. If Sven was found to be indulging in an affair, then that opinion Andrew had of his brother would be crushed. Granted, Natalia knew that opinion had withered after Eris first appeared on the scene, but Sven had worked hard to repair it since then, promising his brother as much as anyone else that he was a decent, honourable man who was going to prove through his actions that he was worthy of respect and of trust. It infuriated her that another consequence of Sven's actions was the hurt and disappointment Andrew would feel... which was just another reason she had to pray that the King wasn't as selfish as she feared he was.

Because she could accept being lied to, she could handle her own hurt and pain - but seeing that reflected in Andrew's expression? It already made her heart ache, even before an answer had materialised before them.

"Andrew isn't getting involved in this, Carina. We keep him out of it. I'll... organise the horses, I'll ask someone, but Andrew stays out of it. Please. I don't want him to... to get drawn up in the betrayal if Sven is innocent. He needs to be spared of the accusations Sven will throw at us if that is the case. Andrew-- he stays out of it," she reiterated as firmly as she was willing to communicate, her gaze hardening to consolidate her point. She was aware Carina had already made it, reached the same conclusion, but there was no point in letting her own opinion go unstated when it came to someone as important to her as her own boyfriend.

"A hat, a cloak and a servant's dress... I can organise all of that for you. All you have to do is avoid suspicion; put on a smile and act as you otherwise would do. As difficult as it may be, it's important Sven doesn't assume anything and acts without suspicion later on tonight. I'm sure you'll manage, of course - as will I. We can do this, Carina. Together, both of us. We can do this." Natalia continued her reiterations, though this time in aid of a confident boost she assumed they could both do with. It wouldn't make any difference when the time came to leave the castle later on in the evening (the dawning realisation of what they were doing would cause a nervousness no words could comfortably quash) but right now, when things were unsettled, the advisor felt she had to say something; to communicate reassurances and an unshakeable certainty that they would be fine.

"...I should go; there's too much work to be getting on with. I'll bring you what you'll need within the next couple of hours, when I know Sven is settled in his office and out of the way. Until then-- just hang in there, Carina. Don't allow panic or doubt to seep in. We'll... get through this, because we need to."
 
Huffing quietly with weak, bitter laughter, Carina leaned forward to place her glass back on the table, "If panic or doubt hadn't done that before, we wouldn't be having this conversation, Natalia. It's too late for that now."



The rest of the day, Carina did exactly what Natalia advised her to do. She smiled, kept her cool, maintained her composure. She had plenty of practice with that, considering the history that she and Sven had. Of course, the second time was harder. This time... it felt all too natural. She felt like a professional at that stage, with making her laughter sound light and airy while her smiles remained soft and easy.

Because of the news regarding the spy, she spent more time with Sven in his office than she may have done previously. However, the atmosphere felt tense and ready to burst into flame at any point, all that was needed was a single spark.

Carina forced herself to ignore the agitation that rolled off her husband during her time with him, simply focusing on helping him with the paperwork and planning the responses that they would have to provide in order to react to the village being attacked the way it had. While he focused more on the military assets, Carina directed her attention to the more humanitarian efforts, figuring out plans for anyone who had survived... if there were any at all.

"Natalia," she blinked at the sight of the advisor, playing up to the surprise she knew she was supposed to feel as she woman entered the study. She feigned hesitation at the 'look' on Natalia's face, glancing to Sven before peering back, "I... I'll leave you both. It's Lorcan's feeding time anyway." She provided another of her smiles, although fainter on this occasion considering how things were supposed to look.

She moved to Sven's side, gently turning his head to face her with her hand against his cheek so she could press her lips to his, "I'll be back after he's been fed, we can continue after you've spoken to Natalia." She murmured after pulling back only slightly, allowing her lips to graze his slightly as she spoke. Her smile turned softer, thumb grazing his cheek once, twice and for a third time before she pulled away. "You can catch me up with whatever it is once I'm back, if it's anything worth worrying about."

Stepping towards the door, she paused just before Natalia, "Should I send up some tea? Or coffee? Is it going to be a long one?" She asked, for the sake of appearances, knowing it would be something she would offer if she wasn't sure how long the two would be.

After getting a response from the advisor, she reached out to gently squeeze her arm before slipping past. It wasn't until she was out the door, closed behind her, that Carina's expression fell and her eyes closed, her dread settling in.
 
With the benefit of hindsight, there was every chance that Sven could have reflected upon the lunch and come to the realisation that he hadn't been quite as slick as he had initially believed himself to be; that Natalia's desire to speak with Carina was too coincidental, arriving too soon after his temperamental moods and bizarre behaviour, to be waived aside as nothing to be concerned of. Sven was perfectly capable of putting two and two together - he may boast of his intelligence and seem like he was defensively trying to convince others of it, but that wasn't the case; he was smart.

But he was a narcissist through and through too, so while he pondered Natalia's motivations for meeting in private with his wife, that uncertainty over the explanation he had been given lasted all of two seconds. How could he believe that they were onto him, that they harboured suspicions and questioned his behaviour, when he believed he was too good to be caught? That he had mastered the art of deception to such an extent that they couldn't possibly be suspicious when that was impossible?

His ego simply wouldn't allow him to even consider, however momentarily, that he had any reason to fear being caught or exposed by those around him. The only way everything would come to light was through a slip-up of his own, namely if Eris was the traitor and he was under the obligation to reveal it... but his ego also refused to accept that as a possibility too. As unpredictable as Eris was, he couldn't believe that she was a betrayer; not when he naively thought they had an understanding, a connection, that was too mutually-beneficial to disregard so easily.

So, despite Natalia's recommendations to maintain a sense of normalcy, it was entirely likely that Sven wouldn't have grown too concerned about suspicions of his behaviour when he considered it so... impossible. Even if Carina didn't compose herself and continue on in his presence as she had done for the past few weeks, the King was self-absorbed; so much so that he would have questioned her, grown worried, but not once thought she was onto him in any way. Granted, he was also entirely distracted by the amount of work that had piled up on his desk since the attack on the battalion -and the village they had been stationed at- had commenced, the implications of such an attack causing him no end of stress, regardless of Carina's reassurances.

Though her presence was an aid; a source of relief that helped to take the edge of whenever he felt things were getting on top of him.

Holed up in his office for much of the afternoon, and finally starting to believe he could see a way out of the trouble that had fallen on top of them, his growing good mood was immediately undercut by Natalia's presence, her concerned frown taken as genuine by the young King. He watched in near-silence as Carina made her exit to fetch tea, as agreed to by the advisor, who quietly settled onto the seat before the Ignisian King in preparation to get the plan started. She began in cautious tones, meeting his eye but ensuring a slight frown remained on her lips, her brows slightly dipped in apparent anxiety.

It was all feigned for the benefit of trickery, and the guilt gnawed at her at realising that she might be tricking a perfectly innocent man... but once she started, once she embarked on proceedings, there was no going back, however difficult the guilt was to swallow down.

"So you see," she concluded as gently as she would allow her voice to become, "something you said to one of the Generals, one of your falsified pieces of information, has clearly made its way to the West Torterrians, Sven. Perhaps-- Perhaps we know who the leak is; is it to bold to claim that?"

"No, that's-- that's not too bold at all. I know precisely who our traitor is-- but I won't say the name just yet. Just in case this is all a grave misunderstanding. I will... talk with the man myself, determine his guilt or innocence, before revealing any names. I trust you, Natalia, but... let me handle this," concluded Sven as he forced a smile. He knew he ought to celebrate the fact he knew who his leaker was, but how could he enjoy the triumph of a successful plan when he hadn't discussed anything with his Generals? The only person he had talked to that day, who he had inadvertently let information slip out to, was Eris - which meant she had to be the traitor in his midst.

He was entirely oblivious to the fact that the entire matter was a a fabrication; that Natalia had heard no word from her sources of information reaching the West Torterrians. It was completely serendipitous that the plan had illuminated Eris, the true guilty party, as the betrayer, though that fact would probably fall to the side when the affair inevitably dominated the headlines.

The acknowledgement that he would probably have to come out and admit to Eris' treachery made Sven feel nauseous. There was no way of justifying feeding information to Eris and pretending that he was doing so purely on friendly terms - Carina was no fool, after all. She would know the moment he admitted to Eris being the traitor that his affair had been reignited, and the thought of losing her, losing Lorcan too, made the colour drain from his cheeks as the dawning realisation of all he had risked, and was about to lose, started to sink in. He could theoretically pin it all on an innocent General, have the man beheaded publicly for a crime he didn't commit, but Sven wasn't sure he could live with it. He was certainly capable of such depravity, and he would happily do whatever he could to keep his family intact, but sending one of his closest confidantes, a friend, to their death, knowing of their innocence?

It took a cruelty that Sven wasn't sure he possessed - or liked to hope he didn't when push came to shove, at least.

"I... can handle this," he confirmed, albeit without any strength or conviction. He ran a hand across his face and exhaled, slowly, before meeting his advisor's gaze again. "Thank you, Natalia. I can handle it from here."
 
Leaving the kitchen staff to fetch the tea she had mentioned for Natalia and Sven, Carina hurried to the nursery to give Lorcan his feed as she had said she would. She remarked at the strength that her hands possessed, remaining still as she anticipated them to be shaking instead. But they were steady in their reach for Lorcan and their holding of her son. She felt oddly calm, stepping over the threshold of the nursery, as if seeing the toys and the cot put everything into an even bigger perspective for her. Regardless of what the outcome of that night was, Lorcan was her priority, and she knew she couldn't allow her son to get dragged into the mess that his parents had created.

Whether that be war, divorce, or something far more dire.

She sat in the chair opposite Lorcan's high chair as she encouraged the growing toddler to take his food, half focused on the task at hand and half wondering how the conversation was going downstairs with Natalia and Sven. Her eyes darted once or twice to the clock in the room, desperate to keep check of how much time had passed.

As strong as she felt in the nursery, when the time came that Lorcan had finished his food and she knew she had to leave to get ready to follow Sven when he inevitably left to confront the traitor, Carina found herself reluctant to leave. The nursery, the room that her son harboured, was warm and soft and promised a life that she longed for. A life she was desperate to keep after all the pain and betrayal she had undergone. Lorcan had become a beacon of light for her in a darkness that she had struggled to fight her way out for so long. Leaving him to face a possible truth she knew would ruin her relationship with his father... it was difficult.

But Carina left him playing with his toys with a kiss to the top of his head, hesitating at the door to look back on him as the nanny took her place. She took a deep breath in and forced herself out of the room, striding with purpose to her room to change into the clothes that Natalia had left for her.

It didn't take long for her to dress, but pining her hair up was more of a challenge to make sure no strands fall down from under the hat and gave her away. It took up the majority of the time she had allowed herself, so Carina was left to rush down to the back doors of the kitchen. Her cheeks were red and slight perspiration had formed around her hairline due to the heat and the unusual clothing she wore. As she waited for Natalia, she looked around nervously, ducking back within the shadows at any approaching footstep or the opening of any doors, not wanting to be called back in to work under a case of mistake identity or even recognised by any of those passing by.
 
It would be a further ten minutes or so before Natalia eventually appeared at the kitchen doors, slightly breathless from the hurried urgency of the walk from Sven's office. She composed herself within a few seconds as she took in the other's appearance, nodding in both satisfaction at the effect and appreciation for Carina having gone through the effort.

"I alerted him to the information we falsified and he looked-- Carina, he looked absolutely terrified. I have known him since we were teenagers, I was one of his only friends at time. I know him better than anyone-- and yet that expression on his face was unlike anything I have seen from him in all these years I have known him--" She paused in the admissions, grimacing to herself in acknowledgement that they were mostly unhelpful. She had the urge to relieve herself of the weight that had rested on her at witnessing Sven's reaction, unable to hold it all herself without consequence, but there was no need to dump it all on the other when the situation was as stressful and fraught with unpredictability as it was.

Fortunately, she realised it before she went further in admitting the true extent of her concerns: that Sven had looked sick with guilt. They might be mere minutes away from discovering that that guilt was because of a continuing affair, but there was just an equal chance that they would unearth his innocence - so Natalia couldn't admit to believing Sven was a liar, and causing Carina further emotional pain, if the latter was to be the case. All that heightened worry and added stress would be for nothing, and the advisor wouldn't have that resting on her conscience.

It was best to keep her opinions regarding Sven's emotional reaction to herself and wait for the truth to reveal itself, especially when it wasn't far from doing so.

"He has just left to ready his horse so we really ought to get a move on. Fortunately for us, he's chosen out an unsubtle blue cloak to disguise himself with so it shouldn't be too difficult keeping him in our sights, even with the darkening of the early evening skies above us," she continued as she glanced with some trepidation over her shoulder, ensuring that no servant had wandered onto the scene to overhear their conversation. Only when she was convinced of that fact did she usher the young Queen out through the doors that led outside, the sickening stress that hit her in acknowledgement of what they were about to do, and what they might discover, overwhelming her to such an extent that she couldn't take in the genuine beauty of the sunset above them.

Ignis wasn't a stereotypically beautiful land, its volcanic and lava-strewn landscape providing no real aesthetical appeal to outsiders - but Natalia, like most Ignisians, was immensely proud of her home, seeing the beauty in it when those beyond its borders simply couldn't. Under other circumstances, she would have smiled at the reddening skies and mountains that loomed dominatingly over the region in delight, perhaps even called for Andrew so they could sit back and enjoy the dawning sunset with a bottle of wine at their side.

She had to regretfully set that ideal aside as something that might have been, instead leaving the castle to spend her evening potentially exposing her closest friend as a cheat and a liar.

"The horses are tied to a tree just north of the stables; I felt it best not to retrieve them there in case Sven, for whatever reason, turned back, perhaps to fetch himself a different horse. He can be notoriously fussy, even in times of urgency. So we'll collect them and... and head off after him-- if you're still sure, Carina. I can head off by myself if you're uncomfortable, if you've had a change of heart. I'd understand completely if that's the case."
 
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