"Then I'd say you might need my help after all. It's a dangerous business, loving someone you can't trust. But it makes sense that you won't know just what you need until you've spoken to him again. Do you need anything else, right now? How are you filling your time?"

"Poorly. I'm trying to read things. Took a bath yesterday. Earlier I was taking language lessons, but I skipped them yesterday. Just - trying to stay sane."

"You have friends here, yet?"

"Servant is really good. My niece, in theory, though - she hasn't come to see me in almost a week and I should really probably send for her to see how she's doing. And I'm seeing a cleric of Erastil for therapy, too, I dunno how that counts. I've been writing letters to Fazil sometimes but I don't know how much I can say to him, the mail's read."

"Where does Fazil live?"

"Here, in the dome, I think. I'm not allowed to speak to men. That's - new, since my husband became the Pharaoh. It's not a punishment, or anything, it's an existing rule."

"Gosh. You're - not Osirian, right?"

"Chelish. Hagan and Fazil and another man got me out of Cheliax two years ago. Sort of kidnapped me and my niece. Whole complicated adventuring thing. Hagan was was the one who - got me to think that maybe my desires might matter, ever. But now he's lawful evil and he doesn't think that, anymore. I don't think."

"Wow. Gotta be hard, adjusting to Osirian culture, then."

Nod.

"You're not Asmodean anymore?"

"No. Sort of - they had a religion in the deep plane that revered Ihys, I've been kind of thinking of myself as that."

"Okay. Tell you what. Since you think we can't talk about your relationship with your husband right now, and I sense that you don't terribly want to be here, your homework is to write down a list of ten things you want, whether you can or can't have them, whether you think they matter or don't."

"I have homework?"

"Yeah, whatja think, taking care of yourself wouldn't be any work? Taking care of anybody's work."

"...I guess?"

"Ten things you want. Since your situation is so volatile I'm gonna say I should maybe come back in, hmm, two days? And you can tell me what's transpired since then."

"You're not going back to Absalom?"

"Nah, not right away. Figured I'd explore Sothis. I haven't been here in decades. If you need me sooner you just send for me sooner, okay? But no more skipping appointments unless you think it'd be unsafe to see me, all right? If you're not feeling it we can cut out early."

"Okay.

"I'll - see you later?"

"Yep!"

And she leaves.

She flops back against her bed.

Zakiya comes in with snacks eventually.

"Supposed to see the gnome again in two days."

"Okay! Do you like her?"