Chapter 546: Fleeting moment

 "Even so, majesty, there's no one strong enough to take her on at the moment. Most of our men are in Elendor trying to stop a war."

 "No, there is one person."

 "…"

 "And?"

 "…"

 "…" a treacherous long-winded silence, a prophet of a coming disaster.

 "There's only one person," her mouth articulated each syllable with prestige, "-Julius or thy son, Igna Haggard."

 "Why my son?" the tide changed, "-how dare you suggest such a thing?"

 "Don't get so worked up, this is for the future of the kingdom. Get it done, lady Courtney, I'm still thy queen!" 

 "Fine," audible discontent came in a tsk, "-I'll figure something out on my end. The Dukedom of Rotherham needs to be equal to the effort we're to put in."

 "Don't worry," said she, "-if the task is successful, I'll have most of the land over there transferred to Duke Haggard, no worries," a lighter almost childish stress on the 'ies' brought Courtney to a sulk.