lounging on his throne, his crown slipping off his head, cardan sighed. he waited for his seneschal to return to his side after he requested her presence, though they hated each other. or so he thought.

"ah, seneschal. there you are, what took you so long?" he had asked his seneschal, waving his hand to send his lovers away from him. "never mind, let us have a stroll through the gardens."