The hivemind is conquering for me?

The detour from the luncheon was not even ten minutes by the time Thespius and I got back.

As the doors opened to the dining room, I expected everyone to be sitting where they were when I left. But that wasn’t the case. The room had been abandoned save for Queen Elaine who was now sat where Dickon had been previously.

Her arms were resting on the table as they cupped her head. She appeared in deep contemplation as she looked at the table.

Upon seeing me she emerged from her contemplation and smiled. ”Ah, Apollo, I would say welcome back, but there isn’t much to welcome you back to... Praetorian? Is there an issue?”

Thespius lowered his head as a sign of respect. ”No, my queen. I just came to tell you it is in everyone’s best interest that Apollo be allowed to wear his armour at all times going forward while in the palace.”

Elaine looked towards my arm and noticed I was now wearing my armour.

”Ah! Right. No problem. That was just a test to judge our Sentinel’s character.”

”It was?” I asked, not ashamed to admit I did not see that.

”Yes, of course. I wanted to see how your mind worked. Apollo, you are a Sentinel. Technically speaking, you outrank me considering I am not the ruler, but the ruler’s wife... ’Technically’” She emphasized, meaning she didn’t think so.

”I shall take my leave then, good day to you, your grace.” Thespius said and left the room.

Elaine and I shared an awkward silence for a moment before I asked. ”So, Has something happened?”

Elaine looked away, a blush appearing on her cheeks due to embarrassment. ”Yeah... Almost as soon as you left, my... King Dickon said something unsavoury about you and well... You were the only thing keeping Hailey in the room with her father. Lets just say that things got heated, fast. So I sent everyone to their rooms without the rest of their meals to prevent further clashing. Just to be on the safe side.”

I scratched the back of my head, hearing that I was a little embarrassed. ”I see. I am sorry then.”

”What do you have to be sorry for? You didn’t make that remark come out of Dickon’s mouth and you certainly didn’t cause the aftermath that followed from that, I mean, look behind me in the wall.”

Elaine gestured behind her and I looked. A large silver platter was embedded in the wall, several meters back. Judging by the trajectory it was most likely inches away from hitting Dickon if he was in his seat.

’I mean, the fucker has it coming, but still that is close!’

”Apollo, sit with me for a moment.” Elaine gestured to the seat to her right.

I took a seat and waited for her to engage in conversation.

But she didn’t, she just looked at me with that gaze of hers. There was something about it that really unnerved me. Like she knew a secret about me that I didn’t know.

Feeling the tension slice into me, I went to speak, but she did first. ”I still cannot get a good read on you, Sentinel. You feel both harmless and extremely dangerous. It is quite the paradox. On the one hand I feel like we could become close confidants and rely on each other, but at the same time... We could become sworn enemies... It’s bizarre.”

I raised an eyebrow hearing that. ”Isn’t that just life? Things go this way and that way and then boom! Events occur. I mean the odds of anything happening is almost impossible in itself. Like the fact you and I are alive. Sitting together having this exact conversation. If one thing. One tiny thing changed, we wouldn’t be.

Therefore, Yes. I also agree. There is most likely a future where we become close friends. There is a future where we become enemies. But there is also a future where we never speak again. A future when we can only confide in each other. I mean there could be a future where we become lovers. I mean the possibilities are endless. You know? Though for the record, I hope whatever future we have, we don’t become enemies.”

Elaine’s face turned slightly red. ’Crap, I must have annoyed her.’ I thought, thankfully she kept herself composed.

”*Ahem* Quite the philosophical mind for one so young I can see you tone your mind as much as you do that large body of yours.”

I smiled at the compliment and paid one back. ”Well, you call me young, but you can’t be that far ahead of me, right your grace? I mean what? Early thirties? Mid thirties at the latest?”

Elaine let out a soft laugh. ”Don’t you try and smooth talk your way into my good books young man, I am old enough to be your mother. I am much older than that... Wait a moment, you were at my last birthday. Did you not ask a single individual how old the queen was at her own party?”

I let out a lone chuckle in nervousness. ”I may have been more focused on my little band of companions to think about asking. I was still new in town and I felt shy talking to strangers.”

”Hahaha!” Elaine let out a laugh she clearly needed to have judging by the way her shoulders released tension afterwards.

”From a bumpkin Fallen Archon to a Sentinel in such a short amount of time... Tell me, what-”

Elaine was interrupted by a servant entering the room and speaking.

”My queen. Forgive the intrusion. The chefs are wondering what they should be doing? Is the meal fully over?”

Elaine turned to me, an eyebrow raised. She then looked at me and spoke. ”I don’t know just yet, let’s ask the Sentinel. Sentinel. We are still at the table and I am still peckish, would you keep me company?”

She then turned to the servant before I could reply. ”What are the next courses?”

All the portions so far had been tiny, so I didn’t have my hopes up.

”A sirloin steak served with a red wine sauce. Linguine served in a truffle sauce and a light collective of assorted fruits, berries and cheeses.”

My mouth began to salivate, but. ”I-I should probably go check on H-”

”And for dessert?” Elaine continued.

” An emerald marine chocolate mint tart followed by a lemon and lime sorbet your grace.”

”Mmhh~ That sounds scrumptious... Sentinel Apollo, sorry, did I cut you off? Were you saying something?”

”...”

I had to gulp a large amount of liquid from my mouth before replying. ”If the chefs have already begun to prepare these dishes... Well it would be rude for the two of us, the last two at the table, to waste good food.”

Elaine smiled and patted my armoured forearm for a moment. ”Wonderful.” She then turned to the servant. ”Have the chefs bring out the meals as soon as they are done.”

The servant then bowed before turning to leave at which I shouted out. ”Wait a moment.”

The servant turned, taking a glance at Elaine who simply nodded her head at him.

”Might I help you, Lord Sentinel?”

I nodded my head. ”Yeah, if those in the back don’t want them, send out the orders for those that were supposed to be here as well. That appetite accelerant is eating a hole through my stomach.”

”My lord...” The servant paused nervously. ”That is enough food for an entire family, you can’t possibly-”

”The Sentinel is a man who knows himself quite well, do as he says.” Elaine.

”Of course, forgive me, my Queen. I shall relay the orders at once!”

Literally within a minute of the man leaving the next round of food came in. One plate was placed in front of Elaine while the rest were placed before me. I ignored the side eye the servers were giving me as they were all placed down.

Elaine didn’t though. She will be having words with her chief of staff tomorrow...

I rubbed my hands together in true happiness before suddenly realising Elaine was still here.

With a knife and fork in her hand she smirked at me. ”Don’t worry about manners anymore. You eat to your heart’s content.”

I looked Elaine in the eyes, my own full of love for the words she just said before turning to the meal before me.

I clapped my hands together once more and smirked. ”Prepare for all decorum bull to evacuate this room immediately.”

...

Elaine had forgotten that her plate still had food atop it. She had planned to have some back and forth with Apollo, but instead she just watched with morbid fascination.

Apollo was not feral... But it was close. He just ate and ate. She couldn’t pull away. It was a sight she had never seen in her years of noble training. No one would dare debase themselves in front of other nobility. The rumours that could spread... The shame on their name...

This man though. He just didn’t care. It was a breath of fresh air watching as his eyes were locked onto the food as it continued to come out for him. Singularly driven. She should feel repulsed. This was unbecoming after all, but the singularity...

She just couldn’t pull her eyes away...