True to Edna's word, I was forced to stay in bed all week. I developed a horrible flu and chest infection, which meant I had very little motivation to disobey her orders. Fortunately, food and drink were brought to me as it was quickly realised that I was too fragile to make it into the Dining Hall each day. I couldn't even bring myself to read my books, instead I drifted in and out of sleep, torturing myself with nightmarish daydreams of a man with chestnut hair and eyes.

By the fifth day I did improve, much to the rest of the staff's delight. Various girls I knew came to visit me as I began to improve and updated me on the latest gossip. Sam and Melissa came together and gushed about how an official Royal Inquisitor had been prowling around, noting down everyone's hours, pay and food. "I know Edna has been interviewed at least twice!" Sam revealed, causing me to panic. Edna had kept that secret, obviously not wanting me to worry.

"I was stopped whilst dusting the offices, you know the ones the accountants use, to be asked how I felt working here and at what time I take my break." Melissa was just as bad as Sam for revelling in drama, and I worried she'd said something untrue for attention. "Although, I was proud to report to him that my break is a good half hour at 11 and he needn't worry about me, because I love working here" Melissa continued, causing relief and guilt to mix inside me for momentarily thinking ill of her.

The girls stayed for a while, chatting idly before promising to pop in tomorrow before breakfast. Although, their visit was cut short by a strong knock on my bedroom door. Sam went to answer it and made a strange gurgle when noticing a very large Delta warrior taking up a considerable part of the corridor outside my room.

"Henry?" I muttered, caught off guard, which launched me into an impromptu coughing fit. It was a while before I settled back down, still lightly wheezing. In the meantime, Henry had squeezed through my door, our quarter clearly built for humans and not for his kind. Sam and Melissa flitted around the room, hungry for gossip but too nervous to stay. They made a tactical retreat once I'd got hold of myself, although I had no doubt about them pressing their ears against the door on the other side.

"I came to check on the girl whose has been causing all the fuss" Henry spoke, with a roguish smile.

"I'd offer you a seat, but I'm afraid the chair might not be suitable" I croaked. I wasn't sure where my bravery was coming from, perhaps it was my post-fever addled brain or the growing familiarity I had built with Henry.

Henry chuckled, looking at my lone wooden chair that was certainly too small for a six and a half foot Delta. "I'll stand, it's quite alright."

"I'm quite alright"

"Clearly..." Henry raised an eyebrow, no doubt taking in the various hills of tissues around me and the cherry-redness of my nose. "Well, you've put Hadrian's nose right out of joint with this whole fainting damsel moment of yours"

"Should you be calling him that?" I ignored his remark about me as a damsel, it was hardly in my control.

Henry laughed and revealed vaguely, "I've known him long enough. We trained together when we were younger."

"Oh? Hence you being trusted to guard his quarters" I enquired, because I had wondered about why it was always Henry in the mornings and no one else.

"Hmph! More of a punishment... I may have got into a bit of bother a while back, and it was either this or lose my position entirely." Henry grinned a wide, mischievous grin. Whatever he had done to land him in this predicament, there clearly was no real remorse.

"Anyway, it's only for three more months" Henry confided. Why was he sharing this with me? The wolfpeople were certainly friendly here in Ardel, although at the same time there was a certain aloofness about them.

Reading my thoughts on my face, he revealed "I'm not sure why I am telling you this, but you have a reputation for keeping your mouth shut and I've decided I like you Madame Fainter – us wolves have good instincts about people."

Shock was clearly on my face now, "Reputation?" I muttered.

"You didn't think you'd be allowed in the King's Quarters without a thorough background check did you?" Henry said, slightly offended at the thought that the guards didn't take their job seriously.

"No... I guess not", I blinked to keep my eyes open but the strain of my illness and the visits were taking their toll.

"I'd best be going, but I look forward to having you back soon. Perhaps this time you won't make such an effort to avoid me... it gets frightfully dull standing at the door all morning." Henry peered down at me with a twinkle in his eye. I had the good nature to blush under his scrutiny and feel embarrassed.

"Sorry" I replied, "You're not what I expected." I didn't explain myself further, but I'd been raised well enough to know when an apology was in order, regardless of who it was for.

"Forgiven." We made slightly more small talk before Henry left, and I fell back into bed confused and overwhelmed. Well, there goes not being noticed by anyone important. And, I doubt Henry was being serious that King Hadrian was much put out by a fainting girl in his cleaning closet. This whole Inquisition was probably just an over-reaction and a sign of the King's good graces to all his employees. A small voice in my head though wondered however if, despite the lack of scent, maybe, just maybe, there was a small part of the King that recognised me as something special. Something he was already leaning towards protecting and obsessing over my safety and security...

All the more reason to get better quickly and go home.