The next morning, she discovers that Duke Valdemar - Kordas, rather - is apparently a very early riser by Court standards. At her first scrying-check, he's already up and dressed and down at the stables, apparently busying himself by befriending the Palace horsemaster. He's gone back to his country bumpkin act, though in this particular context he comes across as much less of a fool; he's clearly very knowledgeable about horse breeding and training. 

One of his Dolls is nearby, not interrupting but definitely watching. 

Aritha doesn't actually like horses and doesn't want to spend the day in the stables. She watches for a bit, then takes her report in. "He'll be at it all day, probably."

Mailou rolls his eyes. "The man really only has one thing in his head, doesn't he! I suppose he'd better make sure those Golds are in tip-top shape for the Regatta, or the Emperor won't be pleased with him. You might as well let it alone and check again after lunch." 

"I figured." She's not allowed free time, so she pulls up whatever's at the top of the list of things that need some mage to do but not anyone in particular.

When she next checks on Duke Valdemar, after lunch as requested, he isn't showing up to a scry. 

Ugh. That she does have to report. 

"Duke Valdemar's not scryable."

"- What? Huh." Mailou frowns. "Lots of places he could be, I suppose, but if he hadn't mentioned a meeting with one of the Emperor's advisors...? Or, who knows, he could've gotten lost and be in one of the shielded hallways."

There are a lot of them, thanks to the paranoia of various past Emperors warring with their desire for convenience, though they aren't labeled and shouldn't be apparent to anyone but a mage - and, in fact, the distinction between anti-scrying shielding in particular and various other standard wards is subtle enough that most mages not trained at Court are likely to find it hard to pick up on.  

Mailou sighs. "Check again in five minutes. If he's still now showing up, I'd like you track down his earlier movements, find out if he's got any licit reason to be in a shielded area. - Oh, and you might as well swing by his suite and ask his assigned Dolls, they're required to answer questions and they can't lie." 

"I might as well," she says, but it wasn't actually an order.

She does try him again in five minutes.

In a hallway near the Records room, carrying a satchel. 

Uh huh. 

She goes to find him. "Did you by any chance stop in Records to look at the horse breeding pedigrees."

He beams at her. "I did mention that I like to keep track of where all of mine end up, didn't I? I thought I might show that dear Duke tonight, if I happen to be seated near him again." 

(This is, very carefully, not an answer to the question.) 

But it's enough she can give that explanation. "I bet the Duke'll be delighted. Are you still thinking of staying at court longer, or have you reconsidered? I'd miss you so terribly."

"It seems I've been requested! The Emperor is very concerned that everything should be perfect at the Regatta, when his Valdemar Golds pull his carriage up, and so the stablemaster needs my advice." He makes a face, a little. "Poor beasts. I know they'll behave themselves perfectly, but it's hardly a celebration for them, standing perfectly still in the sun for candlemarks. I will have to make sure that the attendants know to keep them supplied with water." 

(And he has several additional worries about the timing, here, but he's concealing those as hard as he can.) 

Sigh. "My wife will miss me, but - what can you do." 

"Indeed. Well, we'll be delighted to have you longer." 

"Then I am glad I can oblige." He smiles at her, and offers his arm in a gentlemanly way. "May I walk you to wherever you were headed?" 

"I'd be delighted. I'm seeing someone in the conservatory in the south gardens."

Kordas walks her there, making small talk mostly for the benefit of anyone watching. He's clearly very preoccupied, and excuses himself hurriedly once he's escorted her outside. 

Report: Kordas appears to have been unscryable because he'd stopped in Records. He says he wants to show the Duke where all his horse breed lines have ended up. He was very friendly with Aritha and said he is staying longer. 

She doesn't suppose she can get off this stupid assignment on grounds of the man never thinks of anything but horses.

Mailou does not let her off the assignment. He seems to find it very amusing. 

He does, however, tell her to use her judgement in how closely to follow the man, and implicitly deprioritizes the assignment by assigning her to two other projects - applying additional shielding and wards to secure the Emperor's official route to the upcoming Regatta, and mindreading plus noting down the compulsions on minor nobles' and merchants' servants and entourages as they arrive in the capital to pay their tribute to the Emperor. Both of these are fairly boring assignments, but not unpleasant relatively speaking, which hints that Mailou is feeling generous to her. 

(Of course, if Duke Valdemar does slip anything past them while Aritha is occupied with other work, the blame will still fall on her.) 

Yep, if he decides to openly rebel she's dead. And if he changes his mind about taking her with him she's dead. She's sort of wondering if he's the kind of Honorable where she can say the first thing to him, crying like the stupid kids he was so moved by in the school.

She can apply additional shielding and wards. She doesn't mind doing magic, ever, even the boring kinds.

The next week is mostly uneventful. 

The biggest change in Aritha's life is that the Dolls are suddenly notably helpful. Before, they were mostly efficient and silent; now, they regularly ask her if she would like 'something special' from the kitchens, and offer to run errands for her, and even ask if she would like to be fitted for a new gown 'in the latest style' for the Regatta. 

Duke Kordas keeps up his bumbling act, which is apparently convincing to everyone except Aritha. He attends Court dinners with good will, cheerfully makes conversation with whoever's he's seated with, and otherwise gives very little away. (He does, in fact, regale his entire table with endless horse pedigrees several nights running). He spends a lot of his time at the stables. Occasionally when she checks he's invisible to scrying, but she doesn't exactly have the free time to check often. 

He continues to be friendly with her; he dances with her at most dinners she attends, and invites her back to his room several times, where he is unfailingly polite and never touches her. 

He does, several times, try to obliquely ask about how she's treated, or give her plausibly deniable openings to complain. 

They should honestly actually fuck because Mailou might look in at some point, but she doesn't press the point; she doesn't really know how he'd take it, and he's already said he'll take her with him. He might be lying but in the worlds where he's actually a good liar, he's also not the kind of person who'd get more attached if she sleeps with him. 

She does complain, when she has the opportunity, because Honor loves weakness, loves the opportunity to believe itself the hero. "I don't remember what my family looked like," she says, and blinks rapidly. Or "I don't require unassigned time." Things like that. 

Mailou, if he ever looks in on them, does not complain about her failure to fuck him. 

Around ten days after the Duke's arrival, though - with little over a week to go to the Regatta, and the city and Palace guest rooms gradually filling with more and more visitors - he does call her to his office. 

"You are not going to believe the latest development," he says cheerfully, and then cackles as he hands her a scrying-report. "This is incredible." 

The report is by a very junior mage, assigned to routine scrying of the duchy of Valdemar. (It's not quite a punishment duty, but it's certainly not a desirable one; nothing ever happens there.) This mage, however, apparently lucked out, and was responsible for uncovering a 'secret' romantic affair between Duke Valdemar's wife and his bastard cousin. 

"- And he trusts the man, too!" Mailou says, leaning back in his chair; he seems to be in a very good mood. "His father sent dear cousin Hakkon as his body-servant when he was fostered here at Court. Can you imagine his face, when he finds out?" 

"I can!! Gosh, and he's been feeling so guilty - shows you where Honor gets you." She's not at all sure she believes it. "Tragically I don't suppose he'll find out until he gets back, so we don't get to see his face."

"Oh, we were definitely considering leaking it here at Court." Mailou grins slyly. "He's not so much of a fool as to be surprised that we're keeping an eye on his people, and really he ought to be grateful to us for the warning! ...I thought I might ask you if you would rather break it to him, though, if you think he may take you up on, well, consoling him."