Empress

Kai POV (Alternate Ending)

Okay this is the alternate ending to the chapter about Torin. I am putting the start of the chapter as not to confuse anyone.

We make it to my office and Cinder collapses into the first chair she sees, Torin's chair. She puts her hand on her forehead covering her eyes and most of her nose.

I sit down in my chair and stare back at Cinder. At this point there is nothing else to do. She won't take the aspirin. "Cinder, you can't sit there. Torin is going to get mad."

She looks up at me frowning, groans and then gets up moving around the table. I hold my arms open letting her know that she can sit with me. And she does. She sits on my lap, pulls her hood over her head and snuggles onto my chest. I shake my head at Cinder and pick up the file that Torin has left on my desk. Boring more trade agreements, not that I want a war to happen but it would certainly be more interesting then determining how much of a tariff I should put on soybeans.

Soybeans are a necessary part of all Commonwealth's citizens' diets. Is all I read before I hear a knock on the door. Torin, has arrived. "Come in."

He walks in a he always does but I bit more of a sad ora hanging over him, a bit more of a slouch. Just a bit. He is still chewing his breakfast with a filled brief case in hand. I don't know why his brief case is so full, I don't even have that much stuff in my file cabinet. "Good morning Your Majesty." Torin says not looking up at me once. He digs around through his brief case looking for something. I stare at him amused for a few seconds because for once Torin is late.

Then I go back to reading the packet because at some point Torin is going look up and see Cinder and at that point all hell will break loose and rain down upon me. Best case scenario.

Cinder POV

Right now, I am regretting my decline of the pain killers. The pain is killing me. I don't know why I didn't take them. I guess I feel like they would make me weak, but what does that matter? We are all weak on the Sometimes you just can't make the best decisions on your own.

Kai POV

"Your Majesty?" Torin takes a sharp breath.

I look up to him casually, "Yes , Torin."

"What is the Empress doing on your lap?"

I rub Cinder's back, "She isn't feeling well."

Torin stands up, "Your Majesty I can't do this anymore. You need to get this straight, your job comes first."

now to the new part

"Torin please, this is just for one day."

He glares at me, very much so out of the code of conduct but he broke that along time ago. "One day I let you slip turns to a whole week and it just grows from there."

"Torin, you understand that I am not doing this for any other reason than the fact that Cinder is in physical pain, I love my job and I would never throw it away. But for Cinder that is something completely different."

"This is outrageous." Torin scream waking Cinder up, "I try and ask you nicely but you just don't budge. Your Majesty I am trying and I am trying hard to make this easy for you and Cinder but you....."

Cinder sits up looking at Torin, "What is wrong with you? Don't you have a bootlicker book that talks about all the ways you can and can't talk to the Emperor? I am pretty sure you can't yell at him."

"This has nothing to do with you." He screams at Cinder.

"Actually," Cinder mutters, keeping her cool, "It has everything to do with me."

She slides off my lap and approaches Torin. And for a spit second I know that she is considering just slapping him across the face. I am considering it for stars sake. This man has gone absolutely berserk.

"Listen up Torin, you better pull yourself together before I report you."

Torin stares at Cinder for a second before looking back over to me. He stutters, walking  numbly back over to his seat. "Report me? His Majesty would never allow such a thing. And if he had to choose between us you would be out the door."

"Torin," I say harshly. I have lost all patience for this man. If he thinks I would choose him over Cinder he's got another thing coming. "What in the Commonwealth is wrong with you."

Cinder, still standing up behind Torin begins to tapping her foot. She is mad, I am slightly ticked  off. I can tell Torin is nervous. I'm not going to do anything to him but I do need some space from him.

"Torin," I say softer but not softly, "I think you should take the day off and sort out whatever is going on. You can take the day off or you can take the month of, I don't care. You need to get yourself sorted. You will never come into my office and treat me and my wife the way you just did."

Torin looks at me, the anger fading fast but still there. "Apologies Your Majesty."

I meet his gaze and glare at him, "Get out of my office."

 He takes a heavy breath, "I will, and I truly am sorry. Everything is just crazy right now." He walks over to the door and right before he slips out he mutters four simple word, "My wife is dead."

My eyes go wide, "Torin," I call down the hall but it is to late. He is already gone.

Well that was interesting....

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And again I am sorry that I have not been posting as much

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(Happy Belated Thanksgiving)