“He called us WHAT?!”

Several people around them turn around. They stare in shock and judgement, muttering to one another.

“Ambrose,” she whispers urgently. “Calm down.”

Fuck. 

Act now act now-

She plucks up a glass of champagne and floats across the room towards Lord Ambrose-

"Calm yourself at once," he says with some force. "You have an enemy. Now is not the time to be possessed by your feelings."

She smirks and turns to watch.

“No,” the anger flares in his chest, hotter, harsher– “He cannot be allowed to speak such lies. He is a slanderer!”

?

She whispers something to the girl next to her and giggles.

He has no idea how to get out of this-

"Lord Ambrose," she cuts in smoothly, dipping in a tiny curtsey, "Your Grace." She's acted before she even knows what her goal is, buy time. "I hope I am not interrupting?" The Deneith family is not exactly powerful but a feud with them would still not be good, Father will blame her and she needs to seem harmless - but not too competent - deflect, distract, she needs to choose now whether or not to enable this courtship - 

-she makes a lightning calculation-

Father prefers to have people under his control. He's more likely to go along with the marriage than forgive her for making him an enemy. 

Gods damn the man, he only needed to keep his mouth shut. 

... Now she needs something to actually say. 

It's a risk, but -

She stares into his eyes. 

Angry, hurt, protective- 

She steps delicately forward in a way that isolates Ambrose. Just a tiny little bit too far into his space. That sometimes lets you control angry people and sometimes they hit you but she hopes he won't -

She whispers, her eyes huge.

"What... What has Father done?" 

She disarms him entirely.

“Miss Kreel,” he breathes. 

What does he say to her? He hadn’t expected her to intervene, to hear – perhaps he was speaking more loudly than he had thought – he has no quarrel with her, does not wish for any animosity between her and her father, he only wishes to court the woman – and he is realising that if he does not retract his anger now, then he might never get the chance.

His liege lord was right. Ambrose is being brash.

Suddenly the weight of what feels like a hundred stares upon him burns holes into his skin. Galora’s own wide-eyed gaze traps him in place. He feels more aware of himself than ever.

“…Miss Kreel, it is no issue. Forgive me – please, allow me to bring you some lemonade.”

She rolls her eyes.

That does work though, somehow. Everyone goes back to their own business when Ambrose starts being boring again.

Hmm. No. She doesn't like boring.

She drifts easily over to the little group of them. 

She just doesn't need to worry about etiquette. 

"Duke Voltur," she says haughtily. "I rejoice to see you making friends, but I do hope you are not fomenting in the minds of young members of the ton your own bellicose attitudes."

She glares at Ambrose, and the lesser wizard will feel the magic he has barely chained in his soul flicker in her presence like a candle in the wind.

“Your Majesty.” He bows instantly. 

What was that?

She curtsies and doesn’t dare rise. “Your Majesty.”

Through the corner of her eye, she looks at Voltur.

He inclines his head. "Your Majesty?" 

She raises an eyebrow. "I heard Lord Ambrose's little outburst from quite some way away." Because the game would be no fun if she went around reading minds, but she can arrange to be able to hear whatever she likes from wherever she likes. 

"Now. What could have troubled the great court wizard so?"

She barely glances at Eloise, still curtseying. "Do you require a chamberpot, girl?"

"Eloise," he murmurs out of the corner of his mouth. "Stand up."

Eloise stands up all too sharply, her cheeks pink. “No, not at all, Your Majesty.”

…

She steps closer to the big shield that is apparently her betrothed.

Of course the Queen knows.

…Taralda doesn’t much like Her Majesty. Now, Taralda has strong opinions about everybody, more or less – but Ambrose is starting to see why.

For fuck’s sake, he feels stupider than ever.

“Your Majesty, you flatter me with your concern. A mere moment of– youthful anger. I had misheard a comment made by the Duke, wrongfully assuming that Lord Kreel would not allow me to court his daughter.” 

It’s partly true.

He claps a steadying hand on Eloise's shoulder.

Ha. The General wishes to play the game against Lord Kreel, does he? Fantastic. Well, she'll give him a sporting chance. 

Besides, Kreel having to entertain the Deneith family and pretend he had nothing to do with the rumours will be hilarious.

She makes sure her voice carries. 

"I am sure Kreel would never do anything so foolish as to endanger such a fortunate match. Indeed I would insist upon it. I am sure he would not dream of speaking a word against your family. Any longer."