Alaric Speaks

Sophia's POV

He requested an audience with me.

This was unexpected. Alaric had been confined to his quarters for three weeks, silent and still as a held breath, and then on a Tuesday morning a formally worded note arrived at my chambers requesting a private meeting with the Queen. No explanation. No indication of purpose. Just the request, written in his elegant hand, carrying the particular studied calm of a man who had used his three weeks of confinement to think very carefully ...