The footsteps echoed as Ancel crossed the hall towards Natalya. “You’re safe,” he breathed with relief, forgetting the rest of the hall and any watchful eyes as he raises his arms to reach for her.  One hand at her waist and the other firmly on her arm, part intimate and part obsessive.  He pulled her into him, his forehead coming down to touch hers, “You’re alive.”  His lips briefly touched her cheek with some affection.  It was apparent to many that part of the lure of the contract between himself and Duke Macias was a physical desire by the king himself.<br/><br/>“Where were you now, who was watching you?”  The hands fell from her body and he turned to Sir Pil’iar, “Did you have a guard on her?!  How is it you could not answer me when I asked for my wife.”  Forget that she was already coming to the hallway, there was more to his voice, an urgency for immediacy in this matter.  Sir Pil’iar had no answer right away.  This indicated to the king that his seneschal did not know where his wife was.  Ancel turned towards the man, “Take a few knights and search the castle, foul play is at hand.  Lord l’Daciux caught bandits in the woods, they had planned to come to Collindor to murder my queen.  See that our servants are accounted for and that no other commoner can be found within my halls.”  Even as he spoke of this treason he did not look at his wife, but the anger over this flashed at his compatriot Sir Pil’iar.<br/><br/>As the seneschal agreed to conduct the search, Ancel turned back to Natalya.  “You are not safe my love … the commoners plot treason against you.  We cannot afford to have you unattended.”  His eyes flashed to her ladies in waiting, as if he may have heard wind of her outings alone but had said nothing before and now, with this plot underfoot, the rules of the household were changing.  Though as of yet, his suspicion was focused at the commoners which stood as a good sign for the courtiers and the lords of his realm.<br/>