Chp.45: Changed

"That's great. Oscar's people really work faster than anyone I know." Duncan thought as an expression of relief reflected on his face.

"What about me your majesty?" Hilton's invisible tears were perhaps going to stay invisible forever.

"Then narrate me what we have to do today." Duncan and Hilton walked inside his bed chambers.

Hilton narrated a long list of things needed to be done and Duncan was also listening to it very well. He agreed to come in the office by 9 o clock and so Hilton walked towards the door to leave.

But he stopped there and turned around.

"Your majesty." He called for Duncan's attention.

His tone felt like he had a lot to talk about but he had only few words, few words to consise his thoughts, worries, opinions and everything he wanted Duncan to know.

"Your majesty, I've known you since childhood." He decided to began with it. "Do you think this little game you and the duke is playing is worth it?" He asked.

"Duke Desmond is a cunning man, and you've already lost a lot to his petty tricks. You are a king." Hilton said. "Is putting up your queen against this game a wise thing to do?" He looked in Duncan's eyes and asked.

Duncan looked back at him. His thoughts were naked on his face, reflecting in his eyes when he, "She is not my queen yet, she is not my queen you know Hilton." He said in very affirmative voice. The tone that suggested that there will be no further discussion on the topic.

This is what Duncan was good at, building walls instantly. He knew things could get out of hand and he knew that somethings are beyond repair since the people who damaged them are no longer alive.

He always set boundaries on the topics that he felt were too much to handle for. "I know I shouldn't be doing this, this is just running away from my problems but..." Duncan wanted to reason himself. He wanted a quick trick to stop the topic there itself.

"I know your majesty. But then again, the words his majesty, your father said were nothing but a mere trick to get him out of the maze without a scratch." Hilton argued a little.

"That's... I knew father well. I know why he did that, but I have no option other than to play around." Duncan said in a voice that clearly indicated that he was already growing tired of this, but he had to keep going.

"Desmond holds my most precious treasure. I must win it back along with my everything." Duncan said with a long and heavy sigh.

Hilton knew that any further than this, and Duncan would definitely lose his calmness, so he backed off from any further things. "After everything, I just hope that you won't end up on losing side. You already have the short end of the stick." Hilton explained.

"I know you mean good." Duncan nodded his head, a look of assurance in his eyes. Hilton gave him a little smile of relief and said, "Then I'll be talking my leave now." Hilton left the room.

The door closed behind him.

"So, Desmond..." Duncan mumbled. "When does this game begin?" He looked up at the ceiling, or "Has it already begun?" He smirked. Thoughts were coming to his mind in a chain of series, but this was a game he would never afford to lose. He must keep his head up.

-------

"So he cleaned up everything huh?" Regina thought to herself as now stood a brand new palace in front of her.

She could see the carpets, the chandeliers and everything changed. It was like a decade has passed away while she slept last night. "So much just to keep my memory locked away!" She was more surprised than anything else.

"To do so much in just one night, is he a fool?" A sudden thought came to her mind. "Hmm... maybe." She quickly agreed with herself and decided to go in and explore.

"Greetings your majesty." A man bowed to her. And along with him bowed the six other men who looked like the male servants of the palace.

"You may rest well?" She expressed her lack of knowledge about the man to him. "Oh, it is my mistake. Apologies. My name is - Stuart Grant. I am the newly appointed head butler of this palace."

"Oh! Changed and renovated the palace, and also appointed new servants, in one night? That was really fast." She agreed to Duncan's power.

"But if he did so much, let me go ahead and play along. The effect of that Szarni poison should have erased my memory, but it didn't. So the least I can do is play along." Regina smiled to them as she thought it to herself.

"But why did the king appoint new servants. The other one's were just fine, no?" She asked pretending to be completely nonchalant.

"Yes your majesty. Although we were informed that they made two grave mistakes in a single day." The head butler smoothly narrated his answer.

"Two grave mistakes?" Now this she was really surprised to know. She only knew about one mistake, what was the other one?

"Your majesty, a maid named Claire was tryinh to steal your 'Azure Night' necklace. She was found while in act, so she was caught red handed." H explained.

"Claire?" Regina was shocked to know the name.

She decided to clearly think about this after returning to her room. "It's fine if she is caught." She said. "Ask my lady-in-waiting to come to my chambers and prepare for a bath." She ordered.

The six lined up men quickly scattered and walked away to different parts of the premise within a few minutes. The head butler stayed and walked the queen back to her chamber on the third floor.

"Stuart... I wish to ask you one thing." Regina turned around to ask him as she stood in front of the door to her chamber.

"Yes your majesty." He said with a polite bow.

"Where has his majesty kept Claire?" She asked with an authoritative tone.

Stuart flinched at this unexpected question but there were no orders to not tell the queen, the location of the maid. So he decided to tell her.

"Your majesty, she is..." but as Stuart was going to say something a voice called for him.

"Sir Stuart." It was a strong voice. It should've belonged to someone who was right in the middle of their youth. And so it was.

Regina and Stuart both turned their heads to the place from where the voice came from, and Regina shuddered at the sight of that man.