"Maybe you didn't get the notice, but I'm here because he had my familiar kidnapped and won't get him back until after the wedding. I didn't wake up one morning and say to myself what say I marry a total stranger."

"... Um? That doesn't sound like something he would do!"

"Then where," says Iobel, "is my cat?"

"I have no idea! Do you want me to tell Prince Edarial, if you think he did it then he might know -"

"I imagine he does know where my cat is," says Iobel. "I really don't think asking nicely is the sort of thing that will help, though knock yourself out if you want to try it. I got as far as finding where they were hiding him, the other day, and I got my head slammed into the floor a few times by the guards for my trouble, and then they moved him I know not where, and if I annoy the wrong person the wrong amount the implied threat is unmaking."

"What?!" cries the woman. "Unmaking? That doesn't sound like him at all, are you sure it's him?!"

"Do you want to read his proposal?" asks Iobel, plucking the letter from the bedside table. "Here, read that in the context of me trapped here, guarded night and day, cat kidnapped."

"My cat," Iobel adds, "was poisoned when I was packing to leave the country because I didn't like being ordered here, and they took him when I brought him to the fountain."

"Oh my god," repeats the woman, both hands closing over her mouth and looking terrified. "And they still have him?!"

"Yes. I found him the first night, knocked out two guards on my way, but they said they were going to move him after that."

She nods, shivering. "I'd - in a normal situation I'd get the prince, but that won't work here, do you think I should get - Zevros or, or - oh, no, no no he would be on Edarial's side, wouldn't he, they're always on each other's side..."

"I wouldn't know. I've never met my future husband or my future brother-in-law."

The woman makes a little frightened but sympathetic sound. "They work together on everything, they act like they fight but it's fake, they don't have actual fights at all, oh god I can't get Zevros. The - the former king's useless, no actual power, oh my god I don't know what to do," she squeaks.

"Apparently what you're supposed to do is pretty me up for the wedding," says Iobel.

"B-But - but you're - you're a hostage, you shouldn't be here!"

"Yes. I know. Do you think you can get me my cat? Because if you can't I still have to get married."

"... I-I could try but I wouldn't know where to look and if he's guarded I wouldn't know what to do! I'm not a spellbinder, I've - I've got no experience with weapons or - or anything, I'm - I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry..."

"I could turn you invisible. I was working on something to walk through walls but I didn't get it finished in time."

"... I'd still have to open doors. If he's guarded then it would be in a - room or something, they'd notice me opening the doors..."

"Yeah. That was my problem, too."

"I - can look during the - the wedding, maybe? Or - no, then you'd still be married to him..."

"I currently expect to get him back after the wedding, and then I'll see - if it's bad enough to risk running away. If they don't give him back..."

"I-I can help look?" offers the woman, shivering a bit with fear.

"Maybe. What's your name?"