Sooner than

"My Queen, would you like to have some tea?" asked Nora as she smiled and she looked at Wura, it was noon, and Wura had been drawing all day, she was drawing whatever she saw outside her window, to her, it was a very nice way to pass the time in her room.

"Ahh well no Nora, I am fine, thank you" said Wura as she looked up at Nora as she smiled, Nora had just been standing there, watching her as she drew, Wura wondered just how Nora got used was to staying still and quiet at all times.

"Alright my Queen" said Nora as she smiled and she nodded her head, she would rather prefer to see Wura draw, than for her to pose, she still found it weird for herself to be drawn by the Queen, she just could not get used to it, and she was sure that she would never get used to it.

"Nora…" called Wura as she looked at Nora.

"Yes my Queen?" asked Nora as she smiled and she looked at Wura.

"Do you never get tired of standing all the time?" asked Wura as she smiled, she really was curious, Nora was so good at standing so still that Wura was scared, it would appear as if she was not even breathing at times.

"Ahhh… well my Queen no… I do not net get tired of standing, not at all" said Nora as she replied.

"Is that the truth Nora, or are you just saying that?" asked Wura as she smiled and Nora stayed quiet.

"You can speak freely Nora" said Wura as she smiled, she remembered that she had to tell Nora when to speak freely, even though she could speak freely whenever she wanted to.

"My Queen, I am speaking the truth, I do not get tired of standing, as a maid, we are trained to stand and always be prepared in case our masters or ladies require out assistance" said Nora as she spoke the truth, as a maid, you had to always be ready to help your masters at all times, Nora considered herself lucky that she was serving Wura, because Wura was nicer and kinder than most ladies.

"Ahh I see Nora" said Wura as she smiled.

"Yes my Queen" said Nora as she smiled.

What Nora was saying might have been true, but Wura still did not want her standing at all times, it could get tiring, regardless of if she was used to it or not, and besides, Nora was her maid, and not her guard, or knight, so she did not need to stand at all, they were both equals here.

"Nora, when will the couch that I asked for arrive?" asked Wura as she suddenly remembered as she smiled.

"Ahh well my Queen it should be in your room by this evening" said Nora as she smiled.

"Or even sooner than that my Queen, because there happened to be an unused cream couch in one of the Castle's rooms so it will be moved to your room" said Nora.

"Oh alright then Nora" said Wura as she smiled, she was happy, once that couch would be here, Nora would no longer have an excuse to stand at all times.

"My Queen, would you like for me to go and check for when the couch will be moved?" asked Nora as she smiled.

"No there is no need for you to go and check Nora, as you said, it should be here soon" said Wura as she smiled.

"Alright my Queen" said Nora as she nodded her head and Wura stood up.

"Nora, I am going to the library" said Wura as she looked at Nora and she smiled, she was going to get a new book for her to read, she had stopped reading for a while now, seeing as she finished reading a specific book back in Cornwalk.

"May I go with you my Queen?" asked Nora as she smiled, she had nothing else better to do, so she wanted to go along with Wura.

"Well you may, if you want to" said Wura as she smiled, Nora had free will, and she wanted her to know that.

"Thank you my Queen" said Nora as she smiled, of course she was going along with her, where else would she go if not where Wura went??

"You do not need to thank my Nora, anyway, let us go" said Wura as she smiled.

"Yes my Queen" said Nora as she smiled and Wura smiled at her as she shook her head, Nora would never change now would she?

…

"My Queen, I can hold you book for you" said Nora as she smiled and she looked at Wura as they were about to leave the Castle's library.

"No that is alright Nora, I have working hands of my own, and besides it is not a bother for me to hold my own book at all" said Wura as she smiled.

"Oh… alright my Queen" said Nora as she sounded rejected and that made Wura sigh as Nora looked very sad.

"Alright Nora, you can hold my book for me, but only this once" said Wura as Nora's face lit up as Wura gave her, her book to hold.

"Thank you my Queen" said Nora as she smiled and Wura smiled as she shook her head, Nora could not just help it could she?

"Well let us go now" said Wura as she smiled and she opened the door to the library as she walked out of the library and Nora followed behind her as they walked through the Castle halls, they had not even gone past the library's halls, when Wura saw someone she was acquainted with very well.

"Sir Mero, it is nice to see you" said Wura as she smiled and she looked at Mero as he noticed her and he walked closer to her.

"It is a pleasure to see you my Queen" said Mero as he smiled and he gave a slight bow as he noticed Nora standing behind Wura as she bowed her head.

"My condolences my Queen, I have not been able to come and see you personally" said Mero, he had been busy as for late, and he had come to this part of the Castle to get some documents.

"Oh that is alright Sir Mero I understand" said Wura as she smiled and Nora stayed quiet as she let her lady and Mero speak.

"Please call me Mero my Queen, I am your humble servant" said Mero as he bowed his head slightly.

"Oh alright then, If you prefer me to call you Mero, but you can also call me Wura" said Wura as she smiled.

"I prefer not to my Queen" said Mero.

"Well that Is alright" said Wura as she smiled, whenever she told someone just to call her by her name, they never complied, as if it was some sort of taboo, even though it was only her name, she had a name just like anyone else.

"My Queen, I do hope that you have been settling in alright?" asked Mero.

"Oh yes I have, thank you for asking" said Mero as he smiled.

"And what brings you to this part of the Castle?" asked Wura as she smiled, as far as she knew, Mero was a knight, and he usually fought, to she was surprised to see him on his way to the library.

"I came to seek for some documents for his majesty" said Mero as he replied.

"Ah… I see" said Wura her mind wandered when she heard of Liam.

"And…" said Wura as she hesitated.

"And how is his Majesty?" asked Wura as she sighed, she knew that she would regret this, she knew that asking about him would do her no good, but she also knew that Mero was very close to Liam, and he would know how he was.

"Oh…" said Mero as he paused.

"Well…" said Mero.

"Well I cannot lie to you my Queen" said Mero.

"His Majesty is not well at all" said Mero as he sighed, because at this point, he was worried for Liam and he had tried his best to make sure that Liam would listen to him, but all to no avail, he could only hope that Wura would be able to snap him out of it.

"What??" asked Wura as her voice was laced with concern, Liam was not well.

"What happened? Is he ill?" asked Wura as now she was worried.

"Not quite my Queen" said Mero.

"He refuses to eat for days now, he does not sleep, but instead he drowns himself in work, ever since his Majesty has passed" said Mero as he explained.

"He will do himself no good if he continues like that" said Wura.

"I have tried speaking to him my Queen, but he refuses to listen" said Mero as he sighed.

"I see" said Wura.

"Well thank you for telling me Mero" said Wura as she seemed to be thinking.

"It is my pleasure my Queen" said Mero, he could see the worry in her eyes, and that was a good thing, for Liam to realize that he was no longer on his own, but he had someone else who cared for him as well.

"My Queen, I will need to take my leave now" said Mero.

"Alright then, goodbye" said Wura as she was still in her thoughts.

"Goodbye my Queen" said Mero as he walked in the opposite direction.

"Let us go Nora" said Wura.

"Alright my Queen" said Nora as she nodded her head and she followed after Wura.

…

"My Queen, are you alright?" asked Nora as she looked at Wura as Wura looked like she seemed to be thinking.

The truth was that no, no Wura was not alright at all she was worried for Liam, even though she was not supposed to be at all, but she just could not help it.

"Nora, can you please get me some items?" asked Wura as she looked at Nora in worry.

"Whatever you need my Queen I will get for you" said Nora as she nodded her head.