Zephrya watched him the moment that she could actually see him, immediately taking note of how tight his jaw was, and the fact that at first, he didn’t even acknowledge her. At least not with words. A slender hand played with the fabric of her skirt slightly, her only true sign of how nervous she really was in those silent moments, knowing the tables could turn in any direction, for or against her. But one thing she was certain of from her past, was showing fear never went well.

Light eyes followed him, watching carefully as he moved back into her view, though kept a good distance between. Her eyes fell to the ground at how low his voice was, not recalling it having been that deep before, painfully aware that she was not wanted. Not that it bothered her that he was uninterested, just that it put her in a very dangerous situation. Which meant when he asked for a name, there was no hesitation, not wanting to anger him. “I believe it was Josef m’lord... the one asked to bring me to my room.”

When he spoke again, Zeph slowly lifted her gaze, and much of her wished she had never done so. His words were simple, to the point, and a huge relief. But, it was the unbridled disdain that caused her to wish her hazel eyes has stayed pinned to the floor. He was disgusted by her very presence, and she took the cue to leave, standing swiftly and yet with grace, quietly making her way to the door and letting herself out. She went to the door that she had been correct in assuming was hers and entered the room, shutting it softly behind her.

A soft breath escaped her, a sigh of relief as her back leaned against the wood, eyes closing. It could have gone wrong in so many ways, and yet, it had not and she had been saved from many evils. For that she was highly grateful. Even more so when his voice thundered through the hall outside and her entire body jolted, eyes snapped open as she reached to steady herself against the handle, her voice hitching. She winced at the sound of the blade, moving from the door as fast as she could towards the other side of the room.

She knew the man was not coming from her, made clear by the name he had shouted out, but every sound of his pounding fist caused her to flinch as she pressed into a corner, trying to keep her breathing steady while her heart boomed within her chest. The sound of a breaking handle caused frightened eyes to snap towards her door, relieved to see hers was still intact, not that she had any locks and it would be necessary. But still. The shouting and anger had her beyond frightened, her body shaking and waiting for things to grow quiet.

And they did, though she could still hear a heated conversation in the room beside her, very briefly able to pick up a word or two. Not that she wanted to hear what was said, knowing it was about her. But one thing was painfully clear, and that was that being anywhere near Solomon was a terrible idea and dangerous situation. And on occasion, his voice was deep enough, growling so in its nature that she almost could see the wall vibrate. Yes, she would not be getting anywhere near him unless she was instructed so, and even then, it would be with extreme caution.

Her light hazel gaze finally dared to gaze around when all seemed calm again and she actually took in her new home. At least when she wouldn’t be in one of the brother’s room. It was large, almost rivaling Solomon’s, something she hadn’t even noticed in her haste to get as far from the door as possible. The bed was luxurious and there was a fireplace there as well. But it was clearly only filled to be made comfortable, most likely in case they decided to visit her within her own space, considering there were no books or anything for her to do in there. Unless she wanted to sit at the desk with oversized mirror and jewelry box, even a case of face paints, though she usually stayed away from the makeup at least. It wasn’t something in good supply with the soldiers anyway.

The last place she decided to look was in the large dresser. She slowly reached out to open one of the doors, eyes widening at the rather large selection of clothes, though they were all meant to appeal to the male senses. There was every color, every kind of fabric inside. It should have been considered a prostitute’s dream to have such extravagant things, and yet she simply closed the doors, turning away. No doubt she would be expected to make use of it all at some point... but for the moment, she simply moved over to one of the chairs, sitting down to take a small breath. She didn’t want anywhere near the bed, or the jewels, or the clothes. The chair would suffice.

Tired from the long journey of walking and emotionally distraught from her encounter with Solomon, she brought her legs up and curled up on the cushions. Zeph noted that they were soft. And that was nice. And she went on to catalog all the good things about this new situation, because it was the only thing she could do, and ever did to keep her spirits up. There were only five men, instead of an entire battalion, that surely was an upside, especially if Solomon kept to not wanting her, making it four. And she was given her own room which was quite nice, with comfortable things and a tiny bit of extra space to call her own. And... well, she supposed it was a step-up to be among the princes... sure. She would count that, even though deep down she knew that was really worse.

One Week Later

“Now Ra, today is going to be special,” Cyrus drawled out, throwing a mischievous look at her as he was strewn across her bed, staring up at the canopy. Zephyra set next to his head, running her fingers through his dark messy hair, the only way she knew which of the twins had decided to invade her space. Well, she supposed her space really wasn’t hers but, that was not something worth concerning herself with anymore.

“Aren’t you even going to ask why?” He craned his neck to find her gaze, raising a brow, basically commanding her to do so. A boy wanting the woman to play his little game.

“Of course, I was just wondering what it was. How is it to be special?” Her gaze was soft, as it always was, though he did not continue to watch her eyes, satisfied she was playing along. His arm stretched out and he shrugged. Zeph had already learned that Cyrus wanted touch and to be amused more than anything. He wanted entertainment, and that was her purpose, which was asked to be in a number of ways, though at this moment, it was no more than this. And she was fine with that.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise,” came the amused sneer, as if her asking after all was a ludicrous thing. He sat up, moving from the bed to stand and stretch before walking to her dresser and throwing the doors open to look through everything for himself. “But you should be dressed in something nice. A little more, open, I believe.” Zeph watched as he sorted through her clothes, not saying anything, just taking note of which outfits he paused at before moving on.

Eventually he pulled out a light blue dress, the front and back part along the torso open with slit sides and a tight fit. It was strapless with a neckline that almost met the open torso and a slit going up both sides of the skirt that went down to ankle length. He tossed it towards her before walking over to her desk and fishing through for a thin golden chained necklace with a sapphire, striding over and laying it out for her. “Put these on,” he instructed before moving to lounge on one of her chairs, waiting for her to do as told.

She nodded and did as was bidden, sliding on the dress with very slight struggle, though she kept it to herself, adjusting things as were needed for it to all show as it was supposed to. Gingerly, Zeph picked up the necklace, unclasping it and bringing it around her neck before two large hands encased hers and his face was brought to her ear. “I can help with this...” It was said in a purr as she released it to him and he clasped it at the back of her neck, moving her hair to fall back over it.

“Here,” Cyrus mentioned, stepping away back to her jewelry box and sorting through to grab on more piece, another sapphire attached to a delicate chain which he brought up to her forehead, position it so the gem was in the center. Stepping back, he looked her over with satisfaction, as if he had just created the perfect master piece with his own two hands. “If this doesn’t catch his attention, then I’m throwing my lot in with the men.” He huffed for a moment, shaking his head before taking her wrist and pulling her towards the door. He opened it to peer through, pausing as he made sure everything was set up.

Ascalo was striding down the hallway with Solomon in tow, looking like the smug jerk he was as they neared the area between the two rooms, making eye contact with Cyrus and giving a brief nod. It was with that nod that Zephyra was pulled out and swung in front of the twin to face the giant of a man the two had dragged down for this very reason. Light hazel eyes widened before immediately falling to the ground, as if to try and show that she was not a threat and meant none of this. Which she hadn’t. If she had even the slightest of clues before it was too late, she would have turned her full attention on Cyrus to try and take his time and make him forget the plan.

“Now Solomon, we’ve had enough of you pretending to be a man and not even trying Ra. She’s good brother. So we think it’s time you take her for a spin. And BEFORE you go busting a vein, if not, that’s fine...” Ascalo glanced at Cyrus to cue him on.

“Of course it is brother. You don’t want her, we totally understand. Ascalo and I have already found a nice young servant boy that may better fit your tastes. Just send her off and we’ll go retrieve him for you...” Cyrus gave Zeph a small push towards the large man, smiling smugly and gesturing towards Solomon’s room.

“What do you say brother? She’s fine goods.” Ascalo took a step back, the twins slowly inching away to give their brother space, and like cowards shifting to put Zephyra between them and the brother that could flatten them both if he wanted. At least the woman could be somewhat of a buffer if things went south.

As for Zephyra, she stood quietly, not making any advances of her own, not even looking at Solomon, not wanting to incite him. Chestnut hair fell over her shoulders, some falling in front of her face and hiding it from view. Her hands clasped lightly in front of her, and for the briefest second, her eyes closed as if expected to be thrown across the hallway before blinking back open to stare at tile. She had wished to never face the monster of a man who had made it more than evident he wanted her as far away from him as possible, and yet now the brothers had put her in the position she feared the most. But she did not shake, not with them watching, or show any fear other than not lifting her gaze. She simply awaited the fate offered her.

Solomon had been working in the barrack’s war room when Ascalo had summoned him, saying that Josef had urgent business for the young general. The two brothers had made up from their fight and the man was not bitter, seeing as his boundaries had thus far been respected after the outburst. Except, it didn’t mean he couldn’t hear what was going on, nor was he saved from having to listen to his brothers' affairs in excruciating detail. Solomon was disgusted with the entire situation, but he figured as long as he didn’t see her, he could hold himself well until he was deployed again.

“Are you sure it is definitely an issue of importance? Josef tends to exaggerate,” Solomon had asked while he rifled through a stack of papers, “I only ask because I am busy with military-related endeavors and I told Ryia I would join her for lunch this afternoon. Although, if he certainly does need me, I will oblige.” He added after a moment, golden eyes darting up to find his brother, who nodded back, the look in his eyes portraying that the man was, in fact, needed at the moment. If only he knew the truth behind the younger prince’s words.

Ascalo took a step towards the door, gesturing for his sibling to follow. “I agree that Josef airs on the side of drama, but he seemed rather genuine regarding the matter. Ryia will get over it. Maybe I can even convince Aveline to eat with her instead.” He had told him, which had resulted in Solomon deciding total after him, shoulders scarcely fitting through the little doorway. Faintly, one could tell he was exhausted by the way his eyes seemed to droop a little bit lower and his shoulders seemed to fall, but it was barely there. He hadn’t been sleeping much and Josef’s summons were just another thing to add to his increasingly busy schedule.

Truth be told, the lunch with his youngest sister had actually been something he was looking forward to, a brief break with someone who didn’t expect anything of him nor knew much of status and work. It was meant to be a short relief, but now that was taken from him in lieu of his brother, who no doubt had a task for him of some sort. Even so, Solomon assumed that should satisfy him, given as it proved he didn’t spend all his time holed up with his plaything, which he had assumed he would be for at least a few days. Well, the prince wasn’t sure that didn’t happen, for he was lucky his room was far enough away from his eldest brother’s and the woman’s.

Solomon had followed his brother into their wing with his thoughts, per usual, on work. There was so much to do the general was practically drowning, but he took it in stride. Every day was still greeted with his head held high. So he scarcely noticed when his brother paused in the center of the hall and nodded at his other sibling. He only began to question when he saw the door he paused in front of was not Josef’s and he saw Ascalo nod, which was then he caught sight of Cyrus poking his head out from the door at the farthest end of the hall. The door that belonged to the palace pet.

“Ascalo,” Again his voice was low and threatening as the woman and the other twin approached, “What is the meaning of this and the whore?” Solomon demanded, but his question was all but dismissed as he was faced with the very woman he had ordered out of his room a week ago as well as his other brother. It seemed two more of his siblings had made it their goal to force their plaything into his bed, something he still wasn’t interested in, even as she had clearly been dressed up to win his favor. The man would never see the appeal to their activities.

His glare only became more heated as they went on, clearly intending on slashing through his pride. Would they have truly fetched a servant boy? Solomon had no doubt and it was clear that they weren’t going to let up, even if denied that day. It would only be a matter of time before they attacked again with the assistance of the rest of his brothers. Josef had probably told them about the outburst and they had probably concocted the plan with him. Nothing could compare with how angry the man was at that moment, fingers instinctively wrapping around the hilt of one of his swords.

But his fury was wordless. There was no yelling, no violent advances. Just fire in his eyes and a visible tension in his entire being to the point where he was about to twitch. Solomon’s nostrils flared as he took a breath, trying to keep himself contained. It was very, very difficult, but in the long, silent pause that ensued, the general came up with a plan. There was a way for him to win this battle with the most minimal of discomfort. He was only somewhat shocked he hadn’t thought of it before because it could have helped him.

The only sacrifice would be the fact that his brothers would rub it in and be all too smug. That they would say they had gotten him to step back on his word and “sully” himself. But Solomon was okay with that because hopefully, he would soon find himself back on the battlefield where he belonged. “Fine.” He forced out, though it was more like a growl than anything, looking again between the men. “I suppose I can indulge in your plaything if she is as good as you say.” Solomon gave a small gesture that instructed her to follow him, the man stiffly approaching his room.

He led her inside, though made no move to reach out to her, only closed the door and locked it shut behind them. Solomon ran a hand over his face, somewhat unable to believe the situation. After a moment, he turned to face her, looking briefly over the ridiculous outfit they had placed her in now that he wasn’t focused and murdering his siblings. He had no doubt it would appeal to his brothers with the way it fit her, but the prince was not so. “You may sit on the sofa or anywhere that pleases you. I have work to do.” He broke the silence again, walking past her to his desk.

His tone had held no malice nor disgust, for it was just his way of informing her that he did not intend on sleeping with her. It was all a ruse. In a few hours, he would send her back to her quarters and return to his work in the barracks. It was as simple as that. It would get his brother’s off his back. Then, perhaps in a few days, or whenever he needed to do more paperwork, he would summon her again. He figured it would also be a way to be left alone without a disturbance if they figured he was busy with her, rather than doing work.

Solomon stood over his desk as he searched for where he had left off. Truthfully, he needed to be in the war room planning, but he was going to do what he could with the time he had. Janshai needed the papers, which were taking him longer than expected. “What is your name? Simply so I know how to address you.” He questioned, eyes flickering in her direction momentarily, “And you may leave in a few hours, just amuse yourself for the time being. That is all I have for you.” He informed her as he sat in his chair, rolling up his sleeves as he began to work.

From her eyelashes, Zeph had very briefly caught the movement of his hand moving to his sword. For a split second, she wondered if he was going to cut her down to end all the taunts, but it was evident that was not his plan, at least not now. If anything, there was just a painful amount of silence, the woman hoping he would turn her away a second time and she could leave without any harm, though she would no doubt end up amusing one of the twins instead.

Fine. The word chilled her, and for the briefest moment she visibly tensed, though almost instantly corrected it. She mentally flinched at the way he spit out the word ‘plaything’ though did not hesitate when he waved her towards his room. This had been what she wanted to avoid from the very start, Solomon clearly not really interested in doing this. And a man that felt forced or was angry... she was hard pressed not to shudder, quietly entering and standing slightly to the side to see what he wanted.

She watched as his hand ran over his face, fingers fiddling slightly as the only sigh of her nervousness. Zeph could feel him looking over her, though she did not feel the usual heat that came with gesture. He was just... looking. And then he spoke. Her head shot up, surprise written across her features as she watched him walk right past her. No reaching out, no kiss, nothing. Fingers reached up to push a strand of hair from her face, not moving at first before she realized he was very serious.

Deep down, she held back a sigh of relief, slowly stepping over to the sofa. Lowering herself onto the soft cushions, she only gave the room a brief glance, remembering it from the first day and not sure that he would really appreciate her actually wandering around the room to look at everything. So she placed her attention on the fireplace, just looking over the design, following the patterns and making new ones in her head. As long as she was quiet and out of his way, she had a feeling it would all go well, so she had no intention of even accidently bothering him.

When she heard his voice, she glanced towards him, light hazel eyes immediately falling when her gaze met his, even if it was momentary on both parts. She would meet the gaze of the other brothers when they were together but, Solomon made it painfully clear that she was a sullied thing and it embarrassed her. Because she knew it was true... just the others acted like it was okay. And it was then she could pretend that she was not damaged goods. That was not the case here.

“It is Zephyra, but your brothers like to call me Ra,” she answered his question, “but you may call me as you see fit.” The woman would never say, but she did not like the name they had given her, but she was equally disgusted with the idea of being called by her real name, to have it linked to what she had become. The soldiers never really called her by name, usually using nicknames like sweetheart or darling. Or like Herek, my girl. Mentally she quickly added it to her list of things to be relieved and happy for.

With Solomon clearly busy, Zeph had no intention of bothering him and stayed where she sat, pulling her legs up to tuck them against herself. She spent a minute or two quietly repositioning the skirt to cover her legs as modestly as possible, though there was little help for the rest of the dress. But she did what she could before reaching up and gingerly taking the jewelry from her hand, wincing only slightly when the clasp got tangled with her hair. But she patiently worked it out, leaving the one on her neck alone and just placing the removed piece on the table in front of the sofa.

Noticing the decorative pillow on the sofa, she reached for it and pulled it up to her chest, allowing it to cover a bit more before she simply leaned her side against the back and closed her eyes. When he told her to amuse herself... she knew he had no clue that she really wasn’t even sure how to anymore. She hadn’t been allowed the chance until this week, and even now, those times were still few and far between. There was nothing in her own room to keep her busy, and usually spare time was spent sleeping because she was tired or simply wanted the relief sleep brought with it, to be ushered into peaceful darkness. Other than that, she would sit in her chair and just... wait.

For a little bit, she did doze, falling in and out of consciousness, but it didn’t last long as it was still early and so far, her day hadn’t been too exhausting. That and his room brought with it the sense of uncertainty that made it hard for her to actually sleep. Which caused her to simple stare straight ahead f her for a while before she dared to look around again. Her eyes quickly scanned past him but stopped on the bookshelves. There had been a few she remembered... but reading anything... when was the last time she had a book?

Another look was sent his way and she hesitated. Zeph did not want to disturb him or do anything that could upset their current state of things but... “Would it be alright if I borrow a book?” No, she didn’t care what book it was, anything to read and offer her an escape. It had been... how long had it been? She blinked, realizing she had no idea how long she had been like this. “What is the date?” she asked softly, before even realizing what she was saying, which was unusual. And yet, she was glad she did, though she watched him carefully now, worried she may have overstepped her bounds with the two simple questions, asked from the sofa, still holding the pillow.

The man waited patiently for her answer, quill moving across the page. If she didn’t answer, the man would simply ask again but with more conviction, but there was no need to be hastily annoyed. Solomon, typically, wasn’t one quick to anger, even if he did have a temper. His brothers were simply aware of how to push all of his buttons and had a tendency to abuse that power. This woman was… well, simply that. He highly doubted there would be defiance on her end, given as his brothers had shared no complaints. Although, this interaction was much different than what they did behind closed doors.

“Zephyra will suffice,” Solomon responded, clearly not the type for nicknames. Truthfully, the question had more for his own curiosity than anything, as shocking as that seemed. Because unlike his brothers, he recalled she was the daughter of the fallen Damascus Tambrolin, the man he had clashed swords with on the battlefield. There had been a time when he had respected the man for his tactics and bravery and it was rather odd to think that his daughter was in his room, but the prince did not dwell on it. It was simply a fact.

Was a fact, rather. Given the man had been killed on the battlefield and his daughter had been stolen as a prize. That was, conveniently, when he refocused on his work, denying himself any further time for idle thought. Solomon was rather efficient in their time of silence, speaking soft words to himself here and there, or occasionally tuning into her shifting on the sofa. It was much more comfortable than he had expected it to be, given the fact he had a woman whom he had made his dislike more than evident for sitting on his couch, but he supposed he shouldn’t complain.

Golden eyes flickered in her direction as the woman moved once more, which was more an instinctive gesture on his end than anything. What Solomon hadn’t expected, was for her to break the silence that had sat between them. It caused him to somewhat lift his head, eyes unreadable as they found hers. Again, there were those awkwardly quiet moments of deliberation of processing from his end, but in the end, she had shown some unexpected courage and that the man could respect, however small of an impression it had made.

Solomon stood up, arms crossed over his chest as he looked over his titles briefly. He quickly selected one of decent length, walking over and handing it to her. “Here.” Came the monosyllabic response, the man then returning to settle at his desk once more. Regarding her second inquiry, he picked through his papers for a moment, picking one up with the desired information. “It is… September twenty-third.” He responded, sending another glance in her direction for affirmation, though that was all he spoke for a while, the two diving again into silence.

The man wasn’t sure how much time had passed as he was slowly working through the stack, getting up a few times to rifle through his nightstand for different materials. It was, of course, quiet, except for the crackling of the fire and his voice, which was quiet, though existed here and there. It was rather absentminded, the way he talked to himself softly, or would grumble or sigh here and there. At some point, Solomon ended up with a hand buried in his hair and even dozed at his desk in his fatigue, but caught himself just before his face smacked into an inkwell, which would have certainly been a spectacle.

Solomon rose again from his desk, fetching a glass from his bathroom and pouring himself a glass of an alcohol he could not name, taking a brief break. He was struggling to focus, so he sipped at his drink while he looked over a map, fingers reaching out to move tacks here and there in his unspoken thoughts. “I am sure you have discovered I don’t intend to sleep with you, nor intend to harm you,” He spoke, eyes narrowing at the table, the gesture not directed towards her whatsoever, “You do not have to confirm or deny that statement, but I am simply stating that fact, in case you have not.”

A hand again reached to fidget with the table in front of him, pushing a figure across it. Only Solomon would take a break from work to brainstorm war tactics… for work. “But, consider this arrangement a frequent one from now one, though only once or twice a week. It is in my best interest to play along with my brothers’ games until I leave for war, which I am hoping to be in a month.” He explained, eyes finally sweeping in her direction as he took another drink from his glass. A month was wishful thinking, but the man could certainly hope. He preferred to be at battle and he certainly did now with her added presence. Well, it wasn’t her presence, to be precise. It was simply because she was being shoved at him due to his siblings’ antics.

“So it is only a temporary arrangement. You are just to tell my brothers, if they ask, that it went well. That’s it. Do I make myself clear?” Solomon questioned and although he was serious, it was a rather genuine one, looking to clear any inquiries out of the way. Because if they were found out, it wasn’t going to be pretty. There would be fury at her lying and a whole new myriad of problems centered around himself and Solomon wasn’t looking to deal with that. He was far too exhausted to do so. But that was the worst case, this plan was the definition of an easy one.

The moment he stood and retrieved her a book brought a smile to her face, gingerly taking it from him when it was extended towards her. Zeph brought it closer, looking over the title and appreciating the fact that he had gotten her a larger book. It was one she hadn’t read yet, which meant there would be new things in it, things that could distract her. Another good thing to add to her mental list that was slowly beginning to grow. And for the briefest moment, she just clung to the item as if it was her most prized possession, though he had turned to fast to see that.

But when he mentioned the date, she gave the slightest of jolts, barely visible but a small insight to how much the simple information had shaken her. If it really was September twenty-third... it had only been about five months? That was it? How had she gotten confused and thought it had been at least a year? She could have sworn it had been at least a year since her father’s murder and her capture but it hadn’t. She was so stunned and shocked, that she forgot to even thank him, falling silent again and just holding the book closely.

There was some time where she simply sat in a shocked state before rallying herself and slowly opening the book to the first page. It didn’t matter how long it had been. Because she was safe enough for the moment. She could hear him moving around as he worked, occasionally talking to himself, but fully absorbed in what he was doing. It was almost as if she didn’t exist and it brought her a sense of security as she finally dared to relax.

The soft crackling of the fire, the mumbling of the man... they brought back safe warm memories which she sank into as comfort, counting these moments as the best she had since everything changed. It reminded her of how things used to be, when her father would come home and they would all sit in the living room, her reading a new book he had brought her to study to help with her education while he would work on reports across the room. He would talk too, except when he did, it was usually directed at her, asking how the book was or wanting an opinion on something.

When he actually stood, however, she was pulled from her make-believe bliss, light hazel eyes looking towards him when he began to speak, though his head wasn’t even turned in her direction. Zephyra had started suspecting that was the case, but she had not let herself hope too much that he did, in fact, prefer to do nothing with her. But hearing him say the words in the most disinterested tone seemed to solidify that fact. Perhaps the biggest scariest man in the brood of princes was the safest, not that she even held the slightest inclination to use that to her advantage considering...

Once or twice a week? Solomon was inviting her to come once or twice a week to just sit quietly. Even if it was an arrangement planned for only a month, those times would be ones where she was asked nothing. Where she could be human for just a little while and not have to worry that things would turn for the worse. Granted, things always could with Solomon, but from what she had learned from her time around the soldiers was how to get a general feel for people the longer she spent with them. Solomon was dangerous, yes, but it seemed only when he was provoked.

“I understand,” she acknowledged softly, Zeph unable to hide the smile. “Thank you.” The words were as genuine as they came, perhaps the purest and most heart felt she had spoken in what felt like a long time. “Thank you very much m’lord.” The woman was unsure if that was a cue for her to go or he just had a sudden interest in breaking the silence for a moment so she sat up, feet moving to touch the floor. Her gaze fell to the book she held and she quietly placed it on the table, not really sure if when he offered it to her, he meant it as actually allowing her to borrow, borrow it.

“I would not doubt if your brothers are waiting for our exit,” she began tentatively, testing the waters to see if her talking was going to upset him, though she did have something she felt rather important to say. She had no doubt she could easily make it sound like she spent time with Solomon other than sitting on his sofa, but she was learning the men were hounds and would be waiting for other proof. She wasn’t quite sure if Solomon had taken that into account, especially this time around.

“We both are rather collected in appearance,” Zephyra offered, unsure if he would catch on or not, having gotten the impression that he didn’t really sleep with anyone that often. Either that or perhaps he had his own hidden mistress? Not that it was her business, just glad that she could be given security when she was with him. “You may wish to wrinkle your clothes some and run a hand through your hair.” The woman offered a small example just by shaking her hair up some a little to take away the perfectly brushed appearance. As for her dress, she just carefully twisted it the tiniest bit but didn’t do much else with it. It would be enough to get the point across.

Standing, her gaze fell, waiting for some kind of instruction as to what he wanted of her now or waiting for some kind of annoyance at her words. Her hands moved to be held in front of her as her eyes swept over to the book she had placed on the table. She was already enjoying it and wished it could be brought with her, to give her something to hold onto when she had her moments of alone time. But she said nothing of that, turning away from the words that had captivated her and cautiously looking up at Solomon.

Zeph caught the annoyed sigh when he began to fix how he looked, though she did not watch him, though he was doing nothing that really warranted not looking. She just... didn’t. She respected the fact that he didn’t want her company and was only taking it because of his brothers. If their places had been swapped, she too would have wanted the other to keep a distance. She wanted that now, but she didn’t have a say on it.

When Solomon began to speak, she looked towards him, digesting the words. The woman had already started to learn the very thing he spoke of, but she was grateful for the affirmation of her thoughts. Josef was safe. She had been correct in her assumptions that he was like Herek, which meant, at the end of the day he would be her protector and the one she needed to focus on appeasing the most. Not that she didn’t have to appease all of them, she did. But if she gained as much favor from Josef as she could, it would bode the best for her. “I will keep this in mind, as you say.”

For a little while, she was left standing there, her attention shifting to watch the fire for a while. The longer he kept her, that was just a little bit longer she was sure of herself. But even that security didn’t last too long as he finally told her she was free to go, moving as if he too was planning to leave. She allowed him to walk past to lead the way before he finished informing her how things would go. At least there was also a promise of a meal to come. Another good thing to add to her list. The food was good and more hardy than what she had gotten with the soldiers, though the portions were still small to encourage her slim build.

“Thank you again, m’lord. I appreciate the kindness you have shown me,” Zephyra told him quietly before the door was opened, not lingering when it was and heading directly towards her room as had been instructed. When she reached her door, she paused just long enough to look his way for a second, tempted to ask when exactly he planned to get her next, to have something to hold onto. But she did not, quickly turning away to open her own door and step in, sure Solomon was going to be waylaid on his way out of the wing.

“Did it go well? Is he as big a monster in his room as he is when he talks strategy?” It was Ascalo this time who was lounging on her bed, waiting for her return, turning to gaze at her and immediately looking over her as she had expected him too. “Or is it true he has differing tastes that you and your lovely form?” A brow was raised and she was gestured to come over.

Zephyra did as bidden, gingerly sitting on the edge and offering the twin a genuine smile. “I can assure you, his tastes are very solid.” Light hazel eyes fell down to her the hands in her lap, her smile still there. She didn’t lie, because when she said it, she was referring to his taste in handling a situation, and she believed he handled the situation with her in a very firm and positive way. Therefore, he had a solid taste in what he was doing. Good form if one would.

That earned a smug laugh from the man as he seemed to shift himself further into the cushions, idly staring up at the canopy. “How the mighty have fallen.” He threw a look her way before gesturing her to her desk, “Go make your hair nice, it seems it got a bit out of place during your visit. And you left your headpiece. We’ll have to retrieve that later. It looks good on you.”

Zeph only nodded, moving over to do as bidden and taking her brush, bringing it through her hair until it was perfectly straight and looking like silk. She allowed his stares, only shifting her attention from her brush when there was a light knock on the door.

“Who is it?” Ascalo was the one to call out.

“I was instructed to bring the woman food, highness...”

“Be gone with you. She is busy. She will eat later.”

Zephyra said nothing, simply returning her full attention to brushing her hair. Cyrus had said the same thing the night before... But it was no matter. At least she had something to look forward to that night. By then it would taste even better, wouldn’t it? Of course. A good thing.

There was some routine to Solomon’s days and it now included Zephyra here and there, which was still considered an unexpected turn of events for the man. It was every two to three days the man had decided to grab her, allowing her to lounge on his couch while he did paperwork, which was taking more time than he had anticipated. The man had even left a second book on the coffee table for when she finished the first, simply so she wouldn’t have to bother with asking. He would feed her when she was there, simply ordering her a meal as if he was doing so for himself, not caring whether she finished or not, but not knowing if Josef would think to send her food if she spent mealtimes in his care.

When he was away from her the man was usually found in the barracks. His father was growing more demanding for progress they just weren’t making. The plan was too simple, too easy to rip apart. And with more paperwork piling up in his room Solomon feared he would never be able to leave the palace at the rate things were going. He was receiving correspondence from his fellow generals asking where things were at, which Solomon had not yet done. He couldn’t ask Juneau, Brom, or Attikos to assist either, given as they were consumed with the war plans.

So it was with the quickness the general acquired dark circles, though Solomon knew they went away rather fast if he rested. It was only due to the fact he was overworking himself, which was evident by the tension in his shoulders. Although, they tended to be that way, as they were tense in both anger, stress, and even if he grew flustered. By the time they called it a day, the general had lost some of his perfection, a couple of the buttons undone on his uniform and his fingers had run through his hair too many times. Even so, he kept on a determined face and headed back towards his room.

Attikos tailed him a bit, to ask a few questions before Solomon was left on his own, but it wasn’t for long. He ran into Josef, who was tying up his hair. “How are the plans coming Sol? Father is expecting progress.” It wasn’t a threat, nor was it a demand to work harder. It was only a warning. “He is growing impatient. I highly doubt he will lash out at you, but you know when he gets impatient he tends to grow hasty. The last thing you need is to be deployed without a plan. He wants the Eastern Isles and he wants them now. Do you need anything from me?”

Solomon was surprised by the genuity of the offer. Such a strange relationship he and his brother had… Only last night he was grilling the younger prince about his time with Zephyra, demanding the dirty details of all the things they had done. The soldier had gotten up and left the table, snarling about his brother’s disrespect. And how he was offering to help him with his work? Sometimes he did not understand him… “Actually, I do have something for you. Could you look over our current plans? All of Luther’s old ones are there too.” He asked, deciding a different pair of eyes didn’t hurt.

“That is all. I know you are not a soldier, but you know your way around a war room.” Solomon concluded and his brother agreed to go look right now. He said he would write down any notes and come see him if he had any good ideas. The siblings shared a nod and parted, though Solomon did pause again and call his brother's name. “Zephyra,” He began, "Where is she? I heard from Cyrus she was with you earlier.” He inquired. At this point, he had gotten over hiding the times when he fetched her. It hadn’t taken very long and he no longer cared about what his siblings thought about him.

All that mattered was that he knew who he was. Josef laughed. “And I left her with Cyrus, isn’t that amusing?” The older brother shook his head in his humor. No. No, it wasn’t amusing. And something about it unsettled him, though he pinned it on his distaste of their affairs. It was the only talk their dinner conversations consisted of now. “Anyhow, lucky for you, I believe Ascalo dropped her in her room a few hours ago to wait for Heinrey. I’m assuming you’ll find her there. Now don’t break her with those general muscles of yours. If Heinrey’s still in there well… it’s been a while.”

Solomon only nodded when his brother chuckled again, making a comment about his younger sibling having astonishing stamina before parting. He didn’t care much about it, instead walking towards the wing that held the room he desired. Worst case he walked in on something he didn’t want to see, though he hoped he would be alerted by ear if he wanted to avoid the room. As he passed his room and approached hers, which sat at the end of the hall he saw the door open. He paused, watching Heinrey exit half-dressed and close the door behind him. He shrugged his shirt onto his shoulders with a satisfied look, glancing at Solomon. “You might want to wait until tomorrow,” Heinrey spoke.

Solomon resisted a snort. Oh yes, surely sitting on his sofa was much more exerting than Heinrey’s multi-hour escapade. Worst case the woman was too exhausted and he did wait another day. He waited for his younger brother to disappear behind his own door, before knocking lightly on hers. Solomon only opened it a crack, just so he could speak. “Zephyra?” The man began, announcing himself so she was aware which of the brothers had come her way, “Are you dressed? Can I come in?” He questioned, his voice lower than usual so it wouldn’t carry.

It was clear the man wanted her dressed so he could enter. Except, he saw Cyrus sauntering in his direction, his intentions clear in his eyes. Solomon let out a low curse, not looking to have his plan interrupted and Heinrey’s words had left him with some very faint feelings of dread, similar to those Josef had given him when they had spoken. Gods… the man had to be tired, but he wasn’t about to retreat and let Cyrus in. With another curse, this one slightly louder, Solomon slipped into the room and shut the door, though he kept his back to her, forehead resting against the door. “Cyrus was approaching. Just tell me when I can turn around.” He told her gruffly.

The fact she would be telling him to do anything was an astonishing one, but he wasn’t exactly keen on seeing the woman completely disrobed. Not to mention he needed her dressed to take to his own quarters. That was if he took her to his quarters. His thoughts were somewhat altering. “I came to fetch you, but I will give you the choice today. I am aware you may prefer to rest. I can always come back tomorrow,” Solomon explained, “Though I cannot guarantee one of my siblings will not come in my stead if I leave.”

Solomon did turn around once she claimed she was decent, though for a moment he could not speak, distracted by how tired she looked. It was only a brief pause, but her exhaustion was evident and he couldn’t blame her. It seemed like his brothers had all chosen that day to have their way with her, judging by what he had heard from Josef. It had been one after the other, with Solomon to unintentionally end it all off. He had not missed her rushed response to his question, as if she had been clinging on to the offer of his room. It had only confused him, but the man didn’t question it.

No, he only led her towards his room, perhaps even inching a little closer as he saw Cyrus haunting the hallway. He wore a look of displeasure, clearly looking for a second round with his favorite toy. Once they entered, Solomon went to his workspace while she went to the couch. The woman was practically the only one that sat on it. Solomon only ever puttered around his desk. The man didn’t even remember the last time he had used the bed… certainly not since he had returned. Most mornings he woke up at his desk, once in a chair by the fireplace, but that was it.

Sleep was a commodity to the young man. He unbuttoned his top layer, which was his usual uniform, leaving a sleeveless tunic beneath. He stretched his arms out in front of him and cracked his knuckles before beginning his work. Solomon could feel her eyes on him as he wrote, though he didn’t mind much. It wasn’t as if she had much to do besides the novel, not that he would have had anything else for her to do if he cared much about her entertainment. His gaze flickered in her direction as she spoke, the man somewhat surprised by her interjection.

What exactly did she care? He might have been exhausted and longing for his bed, but he would never admit that, would he? No, he wouldn’t and he didn’t care either. There would be time for rest later. Solomon let out a sigh, not of frustration, but simply acceptance of his state. “My fellow generals are away and my only present lieutenants and colonels are indisposed with war plans. My soldiers are training and many are away. This is the job I signed up for.” He responded curtly, adding a few more sheets to his “complete” stack.

“I will rest when I have completed enough,” Solomon settled. It was an honor to serve his nation and he would do so efficiently, “And if I don’t end up getting to that point… I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” It was an unnecessary comment, but it was something the man said often to himself to keep pushing through. And now was one of the times he needed it, the man ready to collapse and sleep for a day straight. He felt a headache coming on and with it, he rose to pour himself a glass of liquor, walking over to the bathroom to procure a glass.

Instead of just one, the man grabbed two, filling one with water and placing the other empty on his desk to be filled in a bit. Something had convicted him to do so, though as he approached with it in hand, he figured it would probably be helpful. Solomon hadn’t known if she’d had anything that day while she had been busy with the others. But when he came to hand it to her it appeared the woman had succumbed to her exhaustion, but she didn’t seem relaxed. No, her skin was an unhealthy pale complexion and she shivered. The man felt something tug at him, but he would never dare to believe it was pity.

Yet, as he set down the glass on the coffee table before her and approached the fireplace to begin a fire, there was no explanation, not even in his own head, No, the man wordlessly lit the flames, eventually conjuring up that it had just been to keep a brief eye on her, in case she was pale from nausea. That and the room had grown dark as the sun completely set, leaving the firelight to lick his dark features. Although, there could never be, in any way, shape, or form, an explanation for the man's actions as he tore the massive comforter from his equally massive bed, covering her smaller form in it.

His retreat to his desk was a quiet one, as the man hadn’t spoken to her since he’d noticed her eyes had shut. Although he still glanced in her direction in case there was a development, as if he needed some sort of reassurance that the woman was alright. Even so, bright eyes betrayed nothing as the prince continued to write, making a sizable dent in his paperwork, even when he was distracted. Briefly, he reminded himself to order food whenever she stirred, though to do it as if he were ordering for himself, not her. The man had noticed the difference. There was that and one other thought, which was that Solomon decided he would fetch her again tomorrow night, breaking the little schedule he had originally set.