[center][h1][color=crimson]Layna Marie Farwynd[/color][/h1][/center][hr][hr]
Layna looked at the disoriented girl that some guards had brought into the throne room. Surprisingly enough, she turned out to be an advisor as well. [color=crimson][i][b]"I don't really know what the Yenin higher ups are thinking..."[/b][/i][/color] Layna thought and sighed.

Afterwards, the boy king's uncle spoke up, dismissing them for the night. Layna slightly bowed towards the King and left the throne room, following the servants that were waiting outside to take her to her quarters. [b]"This way, my Lady,"[/b] the female servant that was waiting on her bowed and pointed towards a flight of stairs. Layna simply nodded before following behind the servant.

They climbed two more flights of stairs before they found themselves in a long hallway filled with doors. They walked, passing a couple dozen of doors before the servant girl stopped in front of a small flight of stairs that ended at a lone door. [b]"Your luggage has already been delivered to your room by the personnel of the palace, my Lady,"[/b] the girl said respectfully. Layna stopped and examined the girl from top to bottom with her gaze, an action that made the girl's face flush red. The girl lowered her head, looking straight down to the floor whilst trying to hide her embarrassment.

Layna extended her hand and grabbed the girls face. Bringing it up and looking straight into her eyes, [color=crimson][b]"What is your name?"[/b][/color] Layna asked.

The guests actions greatly startled the servant girl. She didn't know what she did wrong! Beads of cold sweat could be seen on her forehead, [b]"D-D-Dalia, my-my Lady!"[/b] The girl stammered out an answer. [color=crimson][b]"Hmm, Dalia,"[/b][/color] Layna repeated the name a few times. [color=crimson][b]"Dalia, Dalia, Dalia. Good name!"[/b][/color] she said and released the girls face. She put her right hand inside one of the inner pockets of her top and fished out a silver coin. She grabbed and gingerly placed the coin in the trembling hand of the girl and with a warm smile on her face she said, [color=crimson][b]"Every day I want you to come here, around this time, and tell me about the things you heard. Be it gossip, news, stories, anything and everything that has caught your ears. Of course, that'll be our little secret, what do you say?"[/b][/color] Layna asked the girl.

The little girl struggled with her conscious for a few moments but in the end, the shiny lustre of silver in the eyes of a commoner like her won her over, and she happily agreed. [color=crimson][b]"Good! Now go!"[/b][/color] Layna said with a big smile on her face. As she watched the girl heading downstairs, however, the smile disappeared and her face returned back to its previous blank look. Layna turned around and walked up to her quarters.

The room was spacious, exactly what you'd expect from a palace guestroom. A large, King-sized bed was situated on the right uppermost corner of the room, on top of a raised, tiled floor. A few feet to the left of it was a large bookshelf that extended all the way to the door of the room. A desk was conveniently located in front of the bookshelf with all the necessary writing materials ready for usage.

Far on the other side of the room was a closed off space which, Layna presumed, was the privy. More bookshelves and some painting of past royalty that decorated the four walls of the room filled the rest of the space.

And then there was the balcony, overlooking the whole of Riadan. The moon had reached its highest point and so most of the city was asleep at the time, apart from a couple of inns here and there that still served the occasional traveler or the brothels and whoring houses that satisfied the innermost desires of men and women.

Layna opened up a small chest, the same one from which the driver had gotten the wine flask. As one would guess, it was filled with all sorts of alcohol. Wine, ale, beer and mead carefully selected and imported by her personally from all over the world. Layna even made business deals with Khargats in order to get some of the rare varieties of alcohol that were in her possession.

Layna picked up a large bottle of wine, grabbed a wine glass from a cupboard and headed out on the balcony. She opened the bottle and poured herself a glass of wine. [color=crimson][b]"So many 'advisors' and so little time..."[/b][/color] Layna thought as she sipped on her wine, deep in thought.