Nicholas' Offer For Help

Queen Marianne nodded at Nicholas and the young king went out to call a servant and asked them to bring tea to Sophie's room.

"Your Grace is too kind," Sophie said. She respectfully welcomed them to sit on the sofa by the window. "Please have a seat. We can see the moon from here, the window is quite big."

The queen sat next to Sophie and she studied Sophie's face carefully. The young woman's face looked slightly wrinkled, her skin was dry, the eye bags were drooping and there were dark circles around her eyes. All of which explained that she was sleep deprived.

She also looked thinner than the first time she came to the palace. Ever since Leland left she had not had much of an appetite.