**Table for Two—Abel Korzeniowski**
Ember followed deeper into the library where the Queen's chess table stood like a lone soldier surrounded by two lone chairs. They took their seat, and before the first move was made, the Queen was already speaking.
"Today we've defeated a great hurdle… matters of your marriage," the Queen said grimly, picking a black pawn and moving it to e5, "but the true battle only starts now, Elara."
Ember said nothing, instead she held the woman's stare with her grey ones as she picked a white knight and made her move to Nf3.
"Having interacted with the Crown Prince tonight," the queen drawled, picking up yet another pawn and making an odd move to d5, "do you think he is an easy foe, or a hard one?" She asked, and Ember instantly knew that all that she had learnt was being put to test with that question.
If not for anything, then there were the Queen's two moves. Moving two central pawns which was an aggressive, assertive control of the board.
