[Jurdan] To see you again

"We've identified five persons who planned on staying loyal to Madoc," the Bomb said the following day. "Van is still trying to figure out Valen's loyalty."

Cardan made a coin dance on his fingers. The Ghost took a bottle from the Court of Shadow's chests.

"Recruit more spy. And test the guards' loyalty," Cardan ordered. "Make sure nobody has any," he glanced at the Ghost, "external pressures or obligations."

Hopefully, Cardan was sure the Ghost would not betray him. He was also certain about the Roach and the Bomb. He had to trust their judgment on the other spies they had taken in later, though. He recalled how he had entrusted  Madoc with more responsibilities in exchange for the forgetting of the Ghost's true name. Hopefully, Cardan had understood quickly after he had partaken in Jude's kidnapping, before the spy was captured and killed.

He drank at the cup the Ghost served him. He thought about the small body he had almost touched, her milky baby scent, her overall tininess. He longed for Jude's glare and the time he had lost, trying to play the smartest, while all he managed to do was missing the most precious moments he could have shared with his wife and daughter.

He drank a little more.

"Are you happy?" He blurted out, asking nobody in particular.

Tiernan, who just joined them for his daily report, frowned at him but kept his thoughts to himself.

"Lady Selene has speculated about freeing Madoc from the Tower," Tiernan said. "It could be mere chit chat, but I'll keep watching her."

"I'd keep an eye on Hyacinth if I were you," the Ghost said.

"Happiness, Your Majesty, is a peculiar thing," the Roach came sitting before him with a glass of dark, viscous liquid.

"One could say you are the happiest only in your memories of happier times," the spy said. "Others would say wealth brought them happiness, or love, or esteem."

"And you?" Cardan asked. "What would you say bring you happiness?"

Van glanced at Lilliver. "I'd say you are happy when you have what you've missed the most."

It took them two unending months to capture what they believe was the most of Madoc's allies. Cardan spent half of them treading between the Undersea's pugnacity and Nicasia's anger.

It took him all his might to not fly away to the mortal world to celebrate the signature of the treaty with Jude. He did send her a letter though. Letter which didn't remain unanswered this time.

'I'm happy to read everything's working as you wish. I wouldn't trust Valen if I were you. He's too ambitious. How does Madoc handle his captivity? I struggle to imagine him locked and quiet. Concerning our common interest, it stands tall and will soon stop holding on. It has powerful teeth, Vi's finger has been bleeding all morning. Are you sure your new entourage is safe enough? I'd think twice about them all.

See you soon, I hope,

Your Queen

P.S. : I look at her, and I can't stop thinking about you.'

Cardan hugged it to his heart, his tail flapping eagerly against the soft cushions of the couch. He loved every inch of this letter, the smell of the mortal paper, the roundness of her words, the metallic blue of the ink, her unhidden worries and the cautiousness of mentioning their daughter. The postscript and the signature lit a hope in him, he never allowed himself to have. Would she be truly willing to be his Queen?

He knew he was smiling like an idiot, he didn't care. Alone in his room, at the break of dawn, the difficult child, the cowardly prince and the cruel king Cardan had been dared to hope she would love him eventually.