"I am very glad."

"It would really complicate things, otherwise, although likely not to the point of causing substantial material trouble, considering--well, my sister."

"We met. She's quite the tactical advantage, there."

"She is. Although she's been working to ensure she's not actually a singular one, just in case."

"Yeah."

"I wish it weren't so important."

"I guess we're just used to it."

"The war?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Wasn't sure if you meant that or the species dynamics between humans and elves."

"We are also used to that, your highness."

"Right. I--apologize in advance if I fail to take it into account at any point, in my original universe the only people around were humans, so when I first met elves I just slotted them into the 'people' category in my head. I don't--I know about the dynamic, but it doesn't have a lot of emotional immediacy for me."

"I can't imagine what you'd have to apologize for with us as an effect of treating everyone without thought for species."

"I'm concerned about accidentally being insensitive of a very real power dynamic."

"I can let you know if I think you're being so, your highness."

"Thank you."

"What do you need from us right now?"

"Right. So..."

Magic is, at the moment, the most efficient way of doing a lot of things. While Odette's in the city, she's the most efficient way of doing a lot of things. Ideally she would like to have the people who would ordinarily be doing those things the nonmagical way learning magic with the time that that frees up. She has plans! She also has a draft of a constitution and basic set of laws and judiciary procedures drawn up, please advise you know these people better than I do.

She is happy to advise, and has a lot to say, if all of it is phrased very carefully and deferentially and she prefers giving Illia information to suggesting conclusions.

"Odette said she got you to act less formal than this around her, is it going to damage my political consequence or anything if I ask the same?" she asks at some point.

"I don't think I know what your political goals or desired image are well enough to answer that, your highness."

"Okay," she sighs. "Fair enough. I don't really know how to describe either of those, I think."

"People might eventually obey you because they trust and respect you personally but it takes a long time to build that and in the meantime they'll obey you because one obeys their rulers. I am sure it's not as flattering but you probably shouldn't object to it until you've got something to replace it with."

"I understand. I wasn't going to ask anyone else to tone down the formality, it's just weird that you're so much more formal with me than Odette."

"You're my Queen. She's - well, what's her title, formally? When I met her she was floating us all in the sky and going 'oops, forgot to grab the people in the buildings'."