Trials and Tribulations
Christoph sat low in one of the armchairs in the king and queen's private sitting room. The room had to be passed through in order to enter their bedroom and, for the most part, was typically used as just that: a mere hallway. The only time the sitting room was actually utilized was when Odilia wanted to talk to her husband.

Across from Christoph sat, Odilia stood leaning her hip against a dresser. Words had not been passed since Christoph had entered the room to find her standing there. He recognized what was going on the moment he entered the room. "I feel you have been distant lately," she said breaking the silence, "especially since the party."

Christoph just stared blankly at her from across the room. He lifted a hand and put it to the side of his head before lazily shrugging a shoulder.

"That is not a suitable answer," she told him, "I will not ignore things any longer. I want to know what is going on," she pleaded.

"What would you like me to say?" he asked. He thought back to the party and nodded his head at her, "yes, I would have to agree with you that I've kept my distance since the party." He shifted in the chair, "this is because, quite frankly, I find it a touch annoying that you are spending your time planning birthday parties."

Odilia folded her arms across her chest, "oh? How should I be spending my time then?" she asked him with a perched eyebrow. "No, really, do tell me what I should be doing instead because, quite frankly, if I didn't do such annoying things we'd never see anyone." She unfolded her hands and held them out in front of her, "you do realize it is important to maintain relationships with the people you rule over, king?" she shook her head at him.

Christoph cleared his throat, "sorry, I must've phrased myself improperly. What I meant to say is: I find it a touch annoying that you are speanding your time planning birthday parties nowadays."

Odilia shook her head, "what is that supposed to mean? I've always hosted parties."

"What I mean is," he argued, "a war has just ended with the Runic kingdom-"

"Oh, I had no idea," she interrupted.

Christoph held up a finger at her, "let me finish. I let you say what you wanted to say." He put his hand back down, "a war has just ended, my brother and best friend has mysteriously died, my eldest sons are missing or dead, and now we might be on the brink of another war and you are throwing fucking birthday parties!" he growled trying to keep his voice down.

Odilia squinted her eyes, "I don't understand," she admitted, "another war? What are you talking about?"

Christoph let out a breath, "I have my suspicions about what really happened to Malcolm." He paused for a moment to try and calm himself back down. "I think he was murdered," he paused again, "assassinated if you will," he offered.

Odilia looked at him in confusion. She stepped away from the dresser and found her way into a nearby chair. "This is..." she rubbed at her forehead, "why?"

Christoph shook his head slowly, "I haven't quite figured it all out but," he looked her right in the eye, "I believe my father had something, if not everything, to do with it."

Odilia fell back into her chair with a gasp. She wasn't sure how to respond because she was shocked but, somehow, not as surprised as she thought she should be. "Who else have you talked to about this? Do your brothers know?"

He shook his head, "I haven't brought it up but... they're not stupid." His head fell back onto the chair as he stared up at the ceiling. "I just don't know what the hell to do. I know I have to do something about it but I can't help but think that if something happens to me..." he shook his head again. "Erich and Sascha are gone," he said lifting his head to look at his wife once more, "if something happens to us our family will be lost without us. August isn't ready to be king... and what if something happens to him?" his eyes widened in horror at the thought.

Odilia stood from her chair and made her way over to her husband, "nothing is going to happen to us," she assured him as she stood now in front of him. She knelt down in front of him and put her hands on his knees. "Our family will be fine... and I am so sorry that you have been going through this on your own. If I had any idea I would not have been worried about a silly party."

Christoph chuckled to himself, "no, it's fine." He put his hands on hers, "it was very kind of you to throw a party for her - she needed it."

Odilia smiled back at him. "We will get through this," she told him, "I know things are bad right now but we've managed to get through harder times than this; have a little faith."

Christoph offered a smile back at her, "I hope you're right," he said simply.