#laurena

As soon as the door had fully shut behind King Valero and General Azaro, bringing the second ever meeting of the new monarch's Royal Council to a close, Laurento turned to face Elena Werner, leaning against the table as he watched her place file folders in neat stacks as she returned them to her attaché case.

"I think that went rather well, don't you?" he said, adjusting his cuffs. "Excellent news coming out of Meftiem — I can tell His Majesty was very pleased to hear that. He seems very impressed by your acumen."

"That's very kind of you to say, Mr. Esquibel," Mrs. Werner said, inclining her head politely. "I'm sure you would know better than I would." She snapped her case shut.

"And where are you off to in such a hurry, Mrs. Werner?" Laurento snatched up the case from the table before she had a chance to pick it up, and flashed his most winsome smile. "Allow me."

"Thank you, but I can manage." Her manner was very stiff.

"Please, my dear." He put on his hat and gestured at the door. "Just let me see you out, then." With a nod of clearly reluctant acquiescence, she stood, smoothing out the skirt of her dark silk dress. The look was rather severe, but it set off her strong features and striking green eyes in a way Laurento found quite irresistible.

"I have to get to the train station," Mrs. Werner said, allowing him to hold the door for her. "I'm headed back to Valenqiris for the next few days."

"Oh?" He offered her his arm as they made their way out through the gardens, and she hooked her hand around his elbow, barely making contact. "A romantic getaway with Mr. Werner?"

There was a brief falter in her step, and he reflexively tightened his arm around hers to hold her steady.

"Mr. Werner is currently away on business," she said in a carefully neutral voice that invited no further questions. "I'm actually taking my mother and father for a quick holiday at the beach — we'll be staying in Monqiz."

"That certainly sounds appealing right now, as abominably hot as it's been!" Laurento tugged at his collar, thinking longingly of his boyhood summers spent in Zille. "Growing up in Valenqir, you must have been at the shore all the time."

She kept her head down as they walked. "Not exactly, Mr. Esquibel." Again, that same bland, neutral tone. "The beaches of Valenqiris, as lovely as they are, are not precisely accessible to all."