"Indeed, Your Grace. You know that I am a king's man through and through. When she was brought before me, I knew I had to honor your late father's decree," The Partiarch spoke "Brother Beorn has been seeing to her living arrangements to my understanding. She is here at your pleasure, however, Your Grace."
To that Evangelina shot him a dark look, not bothering to hid her disdain for the words "At your pleasure" he spoke nor her dislike for the man in general.
"Thank you for coming to me this morning Patriarch, you may leave us." the King spoke , but his eyes were on her, and she did not let hers waver. She looked directly at him, with no fear, or pretense. He was a man, a King were merely a title. He would soon find this out. Once the Patriarch left, he stood, and approached her, like an alpha wolf, sizing up a challenger, he thought was weaker. She was not as weak as he may thought. She didn't back down, as he circled her, she watched him, her chin high, she felt no fear, he was testing her, gauging her merit.
He stood behind her, and she rolled her eyes. He was trying to scare her, see if he could intimated her. He could try all he liked. Even if she was slightly nervous, she wouldn't show it.
"What are you afraid of Evangelina? He said, his lips near her eyes. She turned her head to him. "Scorpions, You're Grace." She spoke openly, telling him that this was not going to work. She was brave, not stupid, "The small ones, the ones you can't see, you can't hear, they don't hiss like a snake, or roar, like lion, or howl like a wolf, the ones you don't know is there, the quiet ones, the unassuming ones, they strike without warning, and before you know it, you're dead." She said, looking him in the eyes.
"If this display is meant to scare me, you're Grace, it won't work, I am not from here, I am not like the women here, Men, don't scare me, Men like to roar, hiss, and howl... " She said, and leaned in. "I can see them coming...I can see you." She said added with a whisper and a rise of her brow. She straightened herself, looking him straight in the eye. As much as she hated to admit it, he was attractive, looking him in the face wasn't a difficult task.
"The Patriarch was very wrong, I am not here for your pleasure, I am not here for you to use and abuse, there's a clause in the decree, I am here by choice, for work, honest work. " She said, and smiled, walking over to the desk and picking up the decree, and holding it out to him. "I'll cook, I'll clean, and I'll even bathe you if you so wish but I am not a plaything." She told him. "You should read this thoroughly, " She said, she was testing her own limits, much like he had been. She wouldn't outright insult the man, she wasn't a fool, but she wasn't going to pretend she was afraid of him. "Do you accept?"