"Not that it matters, she's better off dead, anyway."

"My first thought is Nataliem, but that's only because he's - known to be a bad person and also known to have opinions about the occupation of the throne."

"Yes. That's why I knew about him, I'd suspected... But I have no proof, and I'm not going to throw anyone in jail on a hunch. So." He shrugs.

"Well, he's already there. I wonder if he'd confess if asked."

"Maybe, but then we would have to talk to him."

"I'll do it if you don't care to go back. I don't like him, but he doesn't get under my skin very much."

"Go ahead. I'd rather not have to be in the same room with him ever again."

Iobel writes this down on her to-do list. And explains to Cricket, when he asks.

Edarial will snuggle with Berathyme, because he does not like thinking about the man who just so happens to be his father.

"Er, should I assume all this speculation shouldn't leave this room?"

"That would be much appreciated, thank you."

"All right, I'll do my best. I've been sort of cagey about my-daughter-the-queen as a subject anyway, so probably none of my friends will ask."

Iobel pats her mother's hand.

"I hope you haven't gotten too much trouble for your daughter being the queen?"

"Trouble, no, not really - curiosity some, though. And I had that awful letter in the back of my head -"

"I'm sorry I scared you, Mom."

"Oh sweetheart, it's all right, you were scared too - anyway I didn't think I had better talk about it so I sort of - made a face and said I hadn't been invited to the wedding, and that shut down most everyone."

Wince. "... I'm so sorry that happened."

Raney shrugs a little.

"Dad's not planning to visit," Iobel says, "at least not soon - he lives farther away - but I've explained everything to him, too."

Edarial nods, still looking sad.

"I'm just glad you listened to me when I told you not to tell a hundred people and start a riot. I mean, I guess that would have been one way to find out what was going on sooner, I suppose, but then there would have also likely as not been a riot."

"Well, I thought about it, but - it seemed like you wanted control of the situation."

... Fidget, fidget, look he's guilty again is anyone really surprised?

"Oh, I'm sorry," Raney says to Edarial. "This can't be helping."