"Not particularly, no." And then, tone smooth: "Of course, every guest is unique in their own way."

"Quite right. Still, some are more unique than others."

"In many ways, yes, though not in all."

"Mm." She takes a sip of tea.

Wyld, being the secret head of a state here, takes up a bit of a dance with Imitzha then, complimenting him on his lands, asking innocent questions, pulling on this or that thread... Giving away only teasing hints about herself in return. 

He seems to rather enjoy that dance, letting slip a few things here or there - not getting quite as much in return, but he has far more experience in statescraft than Wyld, for all that being an Exalt lets her cheat at this.

And, soon enough, he permits Wyld to bring him around to his point.

"I'd wanted to speak to the two of you more about this war, and especially Dau'ukar," he says, softly, as he sets down his tea cup.

"In which regards?"

"Primarily on background you might not have, here, and on Price Hhazrik - and a recommendation you go to assist her first. The front with the Tangle isn't critical, and Prince Hikep's never actually been one to attend Council meetings more than irregularly."

"But Hhazrik does?"

"She hasn't been Prince very long - she rose to the position during the war, after her older brother died in one of the early battles, so irregularities could be simply due to her settling in."

"However."

"She fastidiously attended every single Council meeting since becoming Prince until recently - when she suddenly stopped, after a major argument with Prince Jhalij. But... Previously, she hasn't been one to care about insults, and even that she let herself be baited into the argument was strange."

Hm.

"And what was the subject of the argument?"

"Prince Jhalij offered insult to the late Prince Yakhir and his wife, the Lady Ridis. Prince Yakhir was the Prince of Dau'ukar before Prince Hhazrik, and Lady Ridis still lives and is with child - the only direct heir for Dau'ukar, as Prince Hhazrik is currently unmarried."

"Lady Ridis is foreign born, and there's been... Rumors about her for a while, nearly all of them mere pettiness. Prince Jhalij specifically insinuated that she is guilty of betraying her late husband to Sae'ira - many of the rumors nowadays hold that she's secretly from there."

"Prince Hhazrik objected to Prince Jhalij's insinuation and demanded an apology. Prince Jhalij then accused Lady Ridis of having relations with the fae, at which point the guards intervened to stop blades from being drawn."

Eridani is not sure she would have permitted the guards to intervene, had she been leading that meeting.

"That is... impressively slanderous."

"Prince Jhalij is... Quite young for his position."

"One hopes he will find himself an able mentor sooner rather than later."

"I believe he has one, though perfection sadly cannot occur overnight."

"As long as one is making progress."

"And Prince Hhazrik hasn't been back since?"

"No, though she's continued to send reports, and she's responded to messengers and letters."

"I see."

"These... rumors, about Lady Ridis. Is there in fact any basis to them, beyond that she is a foreigner?"

"Not as far as I can tell, no."

"The origin rumors are - honestly the most ridiculous. She doesn't look or speak like or have the education of a commoner, and we know Sae'ira's nobility. She doesn't resemble them, the Princes' father was actually Sae'iran and so should have known her, and their noble houses would've commented on the marriage even if she was disowned, and her education isn't what I'd expect for anyone from Sae'ira - her knowledge of their culture and history is thorough but encyclopedic, with the errors you'd expect from a true outsider to the region."

"Her accent is the sort of very careful diction I've only heard from particularly scholarly Imperial patricians, and her education doesn't seem unusual for that, albeit perhaps more in depth than most. She refuses to give a family name other than her husband's - and at their wedding, the bride's side of the family was filled solely with people from the area that she had befriended since coming here."

"I honestly find it very likely she's an unexalted dynast, one at odds with or disowned from her family. The early rumors did actually wend that way - it's certainly an entertaining enough thought for the gossips - but recently, the tone has shifted towards... More slanderous insinuations."

"How long has she been in the region?"

"Six years, give or take a few months. Prince Yakhir had known her a bit longer, though I'm not sure how long."

"I'm assuming the shift in gossip coincided with the late Prince's passing."

"Some of it began earlier, but - Prince Yakhir was quicker to take offense than his sister."

Nod.

"Sae'ira may have sensed this trait as well."