Lately, his pain was sharper than before, hence he was trying to avoid giving audiences as much as he could.

The only thing that helped was to lay down in the darkness alone.

He already finished all of his meetings and kept writing some papers when the butler approached him.

“I came to inform you that tomorrow will be Lidiya's last day and that you still haven't decided on a new maid”

Dalion did not want to deal with such things. All the maids were always noisily touching everything, even inside his drawers. Finding a trusting one was not a simple task. Most of them always surrendered to their curiosity.

“let me advise that you could take Sebastian’s maid as your own. She seems to be doing well with him for quite some time”

“Does Sebastian have a servant?”

“Yes, my lord. Although she is slow, she is a very hard worker”

Sebastian never had a maid. He did not want one, and the maids did not want to work for him either. That grabbed the king's interest.

“I already asked Sebastian myself about his experience with her and he very much said she is wonderful and discreet.”

“You are surely overselling it, Jeremy,”

“I just don’t want to go through endless interviews once again, it is exhausting”

“Wouldn’t Sebastian be upset if we take his maid away from him?”

“You are the king,”

Indeed, he was.

“Then hire her. If Sebastian wants her, he can even have her after she is done here”

“Father!”

Princess Berit came bursting into the room and sat on his lap while setting her arms around his neck.

“Cousin announced that he’ll leave for vacation to visit his grandparents. I’m going to be lonely, father,”

“Tiago is still here,”

“Tiago is too much like me; is like being with myself,”

His daughter’s playfulness and wittiness always bewildered the king. She said grownup things in such a childish way. She knew how to play him every time, and he was remarkably weak to her requests.

Many times was he tempted to get in her mind but refrained from doing so.

He should use it only in battle.

“Then what about a lady-in-waiting, would you like to have some?”

“Thank you, father... But I would prefer not to”

“Where is Tiago?”

“He went to study in the tower”

She made a disappointed face while talking about him.

“He used to hate studying before, but lately all he want's is to practice and practice. He seems to enjoy the company of the new student that he almost doesn't practice with me anymore, he stays there for two hours! Two hours is too long!”

“.....”

Berit looked sad all of the sudden after complaining about his company. Now she was mourning the lack thereof.

“I will order him to stay by your side at all times”

“No, father,” she said with a distant look.

She got up cheerfully and headed towards the table.

“Let’s have a break, and have some tea”

After he listened to his daughter, who still felt sad that Tiago leaves her for a few hours, he went back to his room.

His chest was feeling heavy, and lately, his headaches were getting worse.

He might need to call the healer. He always waited for the last moment. Healers were not to be trusted, instead of healing they always hurt him and he knew a few were on his brother's side from loyalty to the past.

He laid down on his couch, did not want to go to bed yet.

Ah, somebody opened the door... Lidiya?

“I’m sorry, my lord, I will take my leave and tomorrow a new replacement will come! Excuse me”

And she closed the door.

He did not sleep at all night, just stood awake in the dark as if nothing was waiting for him anymore.

His daughter was growing up, soon she will find a new love and she will leave him.

Then he had nothing else left to wake up to anymore. He was afraid to see the same nightmare if he closed his eyes.

Again found himself on is a divan, half-sleeping, half awake.

The door opened. Was it Lydia again?

If it was Lydia, the door would have been closed already.