Yep! As a favor! Because the heir was plotting to assassinate you, look, I've got proof.

Hmmmm proof seems dubious it seems more likely that you were just being a dick because of the tribute thing now this other country is mad at you.

Perhaps they'll find the proof more convincing if it's sent with this year's entire internal intelligence portfolio on your country, it'll help establish a baseline and also is what I would do if I were being a dick because of the tribute thing which I'm now tempted to do despite originally having been eminently reasonable about the tribute thing. Is there another heir named, what's the best angle on them.

Several items in that portfolio are conclusively provable false! Especially now that the new heir is the unborn child of the other country's princess who Cam has taken up with!

Well, she's going to die.

This is probably unhealthy or something. It's also as likely as not to lose him the game. He starts putting pieces in place for it anyway.

The princess dies and Maitimo is overextended and the princess's country is enraged and Cam wins.

"Wow, you really had it in for Princess I Forget What I Named Her."

"Got a bit fixated on it, yeah. Good game."

"Anytime. You have something on your mind?"

"Yeah, I should probably go for a walk or something. Write a song. Not sure."

"You write songs?"

"...yes? Not professionally, but as much as anyone..."

"Most humans don't."

"Most Elves do. Normally I scarcely bother because Macalaurë's better at it -" and so's Findekáno - "but he's not here to be deeply unimpressed, and even if he were here it's - not something I could work out internally by having him write a song about it..."

"I write the occasional song but I've never found it much use as a processing tool. Well. Whatever works for you."

We could write a song together, he does not say.

He goes for a walk. And then a swim. And then another walk. He composes a song.

He reads more books from various worlds.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about your feelings like a grown-up?" Edie asks when she has observed enough of his behavior to warrant this. "I mean. Even if you're dead set against talking to him like a grownup it might help to vent, and here I am, already knows why you're moping, not gonna be a dick about it."

"There is not a great deal to discuss? Usually at this point I'd observe that it's impeding me and get over it because I owe my people better than that, but that doesn't apply to the situation particularly, and I am not experiencing any motivation to get over it for my own sake."

"You are moping."

"...yes?"

"Unless you have peculiar tastes I cannot imagine that that is as fun as not that."

"Right but getting over him would mean committing myself to a course of action that involves never ever having him and this is not very appealing."

"I am not suggesting you get over him, I'm suggesting you talk about it. Because this often helps one's emotional state even when nothing actionable is drawn from it. Sharing is Caring."

"I like Cam. He's great. I think if I asked him out he'd say no and I think if I instead wait until I'm emperor of the multiverse he'll say yes but the interim is going to be really annoying."

"What do you like about him?"

"His world had material scarcity and he ended it! He has a tail for communication purposes! He beats me at Governor! He has a really excellent sense of humor which he currently mostly doesn't feel he has permission to deploy and which is still really excellent!"