Lena leaned back on the bed and stretched her legs out underneath the blanket as she took a moment to consider what her uncle said. She'd hoped he would've agreed immediately without bantering with her regarding the best overall decision. She didn't need to be told it made sense to know that. However, Lena didn't want to be in charge of everything. So, she would play one more card to push things in the direction she wanted them to go.

"That rejection isn't one that I can accept. I understand what you're saying, uncle, and the position it puts you in. We can both agree that it could be considered fair for you to take that position after what took place today." The Princess watched as her uncle's eyes darted back between her and Zane; his lids fluttered for a moment as though filtering through myriad thoughts before his expression settled on a half-smile.

"Okay, fine. With that in mind, you can win this round, and I will accept the position, though it is hardly one that I will take pleasure in. In exchange, there will be one thing that I am going to request you to do while I'm in this role." Lena gave the other a half-titled expression, tucking the blanket under her chin while waiting for the request. Something about the whole situation felt oddly nostalgic, making her chest and stomach flutter uncomfortably. Nostalgia was one of the last things she wanted to feel at the current moment.

"I want you to talk with Samuel. Because this is a request, I don't want you to argue with me about it, regardless of what is going through your head. You know that your father would tell you to do the same. The boy reached out to you despite what took place today. You should at least make an effort to return that gesture."  Lena didn't object immediately, although her expression remained a mix of blank contemplation.

That wasn't the kind of request she expected from her uncle, though, in retrospect, she knew that she should have seen it coming. Why did those closest to her seem so keen on her making amends so quickly after what happened? It didn't feel right to the princess.

"I will not reject the request you're making. I can't promise the result or when exactly I will fulfill it." Julian let a low tsk, leaning forward as he fixed his niece with a determined stare. Much like her and her father, her uncle had become the kind of person who wouldn't accept such answers. Being non-committal wasn't an option in this type of situation. He wanted a straight answer from her.

"I'm making a request of you that I anticipate will be done promptly. I'm not going to put an exact time frame on it, but I don't think doing it in two or three days would be out of line." Two or three days? What made him think that would be a suitable time frame for an event of this magnitude?

Lena didn't get a chance to respond or reject that request before someone knocked roughly against the door.

"State your name first and then enter?" Julian commanded. They weren't expecting anyone to be coming back unless it was Hester who hadn't given any update.

"Romeo. I apologize for the unexpected intrusion. I assumed it would be best for me to come here and give an update as they came." The bulky bodyguard seemed a bit unusually out of sorts. He stood rigid as a board, more so than usual, as he waited for an indication that he was safe to speak further.

"Well? I don't think you need one of us to tell you what to do to know to go better than wasting any more time if it is something serious." Lena nodded in agreement as she observed the guard like a hawk. She didn't know what was wrong yet but knew the other would likely divulge the information.

"I know it hasn't been very long since everything took place, but some unexpected events have occurred. People who normally wouldn't bother our territory have been causing problems. The issues seemed small; however, not all of our men have been getting away unscathed." The fingers on Romeo's left hand began to twitch as he continued, hand balling into a fist to stop the tick.

"Be straight about it already. You're trying to indicate that something more serious took place than what you want to admit. Be plain about it so we can decide the next best course of action." Lena sat further up on the bed as the blanket dropped from her shoulders to pool around her lap. No longer tired, her annoyance shifted to focus totally on the man in front of her beating around the bush. They no longer had time for such things. With the risk that more issues could pop up, she didn't want to waste time mincing words or fussing about the delicacy of explaining the matter. Romeo cleared his throat before straightening his back even further, if possible.

"Among the casualties, while not all of them have been confirmed, some of the men are among those who work directly at the estate. Based upon the damage left behind and the way the event occurred, it doesn't seem a mistake to say that whoever was responsible for this purposely chose to target them." A loud thud echoed in the room, causing Julian and Romeo to jolt.

"Fucking hell Romeo. Names! I just told you to be straight about this. I want to know whom you're talking about and who you think is responsible for this." Lena slammed her hand against the wall a second time; the devil had returned as she stared the bulky bodyguard down with such a stern look that made even a large man as himself shrink back in a way that made him look half his size.

The Princess wasn't one to be trifled with.

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