Morphed into Love, Book 2

11- The Denuran Seal

OPHELIA

"... I'm sorry." He said.

"Come again?" Yoko raised a disapproving brow, leaning against the conference table with her arms crossed.

"I said, I'm sorry." He'd clearly never apologised to anybody in his life.

"I didn't hear you." She pushed, narrowing her brown eyes.

"Good, because I don't remember apologising to you." Logan fired back, sparks firing off his palms. He turned back to me, shrouded in laughable self-pity, "Your Majesty, I've wronged you. I know. But please, let me atone for my mistakes."

The genial side of me wanted to welcome him back into his assigned service and tell him all was forgiven. The Ophelia from a few months ago would've crumbled under the pressure of her own unwarranted guilt and welcomed him with open arms.

But now? Recently? My spine had solidified somewhat. I felt like he needed to grovel to be in my presence, beg to work under me, plead for his purpose.

Unfortunately, a somewhat solidified spine does not an iron pole maketh.

"What you did would've gained you an axe to the nape in any other realm, under any other ruler." I sighed, "I fear my lenience will only worsen your attitude."

"Please, Queen Ophelia." He knelt before me, "It is greedy of me to take advantage of your kindness, I know. But I will never—"

"Yes. You're sorry. I understand." I chewed the inside of my cheek, playing with the pale pink lace of my gown, "If you upset me again, I'll send you to the swamps and let Zegyi have his way with you."

"Y-Yes, my Queen!" He scrambled back up. Relief. I recognised it well. Logan had been sweeping up pig faeces for the past few weeks in the stables and it had taken its toll on him. For such an esteemed sorcerer, picking up stool was an insult beyond any other.

He wanted his purpose back, even if it meant grovelling.

And I wanted to make him grovel, so badly. For embarrassing me. For being rude and haughty.

But I couldn't. It seemed I still had a lot to learn about ruling with an iron fist.

"Go and find Amos, you two need to train." I ordered, trying to keep my face stern.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He bowed, rushing out of the door.

Yoko turned to me with an exasperated expression, "You idiot!"

"What would you rather have me do? Execute him?" I grumbled, interlacing my fingers.

"Yes."

"That's barbaric."

"No, it's an example."

"I can't execute an esteemed mage. He's too valuable, despite his—"

"Dog shit attitude?"

"... Yes, that."

Yoko and I had spent the better half of the morning drawing up paperwork to use for my first inter-realm alliance proposal. About thirty minutes ago, Logan had timidly knocked on the door and apologised for his outburst a few weeks ago. Getting a genuine apology from him was like pulling teeth, for I knew he was doing it for himself and not out of loyalty. It was the best I'd get, besides, when we returned to Denura I could send him to Thralmal or Tehdas and let Axel deal with him.

"This proposal won't work." I mumbled, scanning our ideas so far whilst massaging my temples, "Everything we have to offer, The Caecus Isles can counter."