"Thank you very much for having us, your Majesty," says Vetareh, with a proper curtsy. That sure sounded like a dismissal to her. It's a dismissal, right? They're free?

They absolutely are. James bows, and out they can go.

Freedom!!!!!

"I like them both, actually," she admits to James, once they are out the door.

"I thought you might."

His level of smug earns him a look.

He is completely unashamed.

She rolls her eyes at him fondly.

"So I suppose no running off to Rata Sum for me. You're heartbroken, I know."

"You can always decide I'm too insufferable."

"That's true, I could. Hmmmmm." Kiss. "Not just yet, no. Despite your best efforts."

He laughs.

And then a woman in a very pretty flowery set of armour runs into them almost out of nowhere. "Commander! What a coincidence to run into you today. And who's this?"

"Good to see you, too, Kas," says the Commander who will believe this was a coincidence on the same day he starts trusting Lazarus. "This is Vetareh." He turns to said Spellbreaker. "Vetareh, this is Kasmeer Meade. She's Marjory's girlfriend and they work together as private investigators."

Yeah, Vetareh does not think this is a coincidence either. Getting checked for being a manipulative fraud by one of James's friends is less intimidating than the same by the queen of his country, though. The stakes are more personal.

"Pleasure to meet you," she says sincerely, with a polite curtsy.

"So, Commander, I have a bone to pick with you..." says Kasmeer, straight to business.

"Before I get an earful, I told Marjory it was a terrible idea."

"Marjory's her own person. If anyone knows that..."

"I... see. Very rational. So this bone that needs picking..."

"Did my invite to Dragon's Watch get lost in the mail?" she asks, putting both hands on her hips.

This... is not how she was expecting this to go. Her pride is bizarrely bruised, actually. Really. This is over a guild invitation, and not her? By all rights she should absolutely be an intimidating enough unknown to warrant—

...

Oh. Oh, Kasmeer's good. Yes, that's precisely the sort of thing that would absolutely catch an unknown off guard and see what she's really like, isn't it. And all while being perfectly friendly and charming and quite funny. Well played, and also nicely done. She likes this woman already.

Vetareh huffs a barely concealed laugh into her hand.

"James," she says, amused, "did you just so happen to invite Marjory to your new guild, and then not also Kasmeer?"

Well that's taken a turn for the unexpected. "I, uh..." he starts. "You know, there was the matter with the Bloodstone exploding, and Lazarus, and then Aurene hatched... And I invited Jory when I ran into her, uh..."

"Flimsy excuses." But she smiles, anyway. "But... I'm in. If you'll have me."

He breathes a sigh of relief. "Absolutely."

Vetareh beams, then her smile turns playful.

"Are you just going to leave it at that?" She raises her eyebrows. "You know, I might be just a little out of touch with modern courtesy, but I am definitely under the impression that you're supposed to, oh... apologize... maybe buy her a tasteful present, send a nice card..."

Kas turns a grin in Vetareh's direction. "You know what?" Turns back to the Commander. "She's right."

"...uh."