Plotting for the future (1)

"You should smile more, Vivienne. You are making our people worry about you. Is there something that troubles you?" Darius asked, placing his hand on top of Vivienne's.

Vivienne moved her hand. "Do not touch me unless you want to lose a few fingers. I am not happy with you and I never will be after what you did."

"What did I do? You were the one who killed her," Darius replied. "You didn't need to take my advice."

Vivienne couldn't take any more of Darius placing the blame on her when he was the one who forced a woman to his bed. "I had to put her out of the misery you caused her."

"No, Vivienne," Darius refused to take the blame for this. "You killed her because of your jealousy. I wouldn't have bothered you if you sent her out of the palace. Since when do you listen to my orders to have her stay in the palace? You jumped right into killing her because it was what you wanted."