"I believe we have gained a moderate amount of evidence in favor of Corvina's talent being genuine, Your Grace."

"Just so. For now, I do not think we need instruct Dame Brachia further, beyond requiring that report from her. It is better if she forms an independent impression so that we can compare against her later."

"Very well, Your Grace. I will send the relevant orders via Leah's assigned agent."

"The rest is obvious enough - the Liberals are courting Ms. Quill, as expected, and Black Cocoa continues to fuck anything with a pulse." He spreads his hands. "I believe that should be all. You are dismissed."

Ms. Carpenter's heels snap together. "Your Grace." She curtseys, and departs.

Around the same time, in the Duchess of Thorn's rooms...

Her Grace of Thorns sits in an extremely overstuffed armchair. In one of her hands sits a small brass sphere, with a circle on the upper surface glowing a steady green. 

Across from her sits Aria Roscente, holding her own divination artifact before her in one hand. It also glows a deep green. She's wearing a voluminous skirt that no doubt conceals many pockets.

"So," she says. "Now that the formalities are out of the way, let's talk business. It serves both our interests for Ms. Quill to become difficult for the Conservatives to hold eyes upon, and it serves Ms. Quill's peace of mind and her independence both to have a method of detecting intrusions. As such, I believe we should be capable of coming to an agreement whereby Ms. Quill is given the means to divine on a regular basis."

Corvina sits to one side in another overstuffed armchair, but her posture is tight and tense. She is in a PRIVATE MEETING with the LEADER OF THE LIBERAL FACTION and she is absolutely going to fuck it up and there is nothing she can do about it.

Ishaza's gaze drifts over to Corvina. 

It's easy enough to speak with Aria about the divination artifact, but that's really a sideshow. She hasn't met Corvina before, and it's important that she get her measure. 

Even at a glance, it's clear the girl is terrified. Aria has clearly put the fear of being used into her, but she's not confident in her skills yet and so she's jumping at shadows. 

Well. It is somewhat true that she's one of the things Corvina should be scared of. But nonetheless...

"Ms. Quill," she starts. "I am primarily concerned, at this moment, with your continuing privacy, security, and welfare. I know it is difficult to believe this, but if I had the resources to grant you a divination artifact for free, I would. It is my belief that the more you learn and the more you grow independently, the more you will ultimately come to agree with my principles and the righteousness of my cause, and so in the long run I expect that you and I will become friends. I am only afraid that you will have your independence taken from you by those who believe they know best what is right for you, or who would rather use you as a tool for their own ends." 

She interleaves her hands over her divination sphere. 

"As such. I am prepared to loan you, personally, a divination sphere from the Liberal faction's stock, on the condition that you dedicate yourself to learning to replicate its effects yourself under Black Cocoa's mentorship. When you prove capable of casting divinations yourself, we will reclaim our artifact. Her Excellency Roscente need not be a signatory to this exchange at all."

Of course Ishaza tries to make an end run around her. 

"I would advise Ms. Quill that such an indefinite arrangement may, in practice, result in her divination orb being recalled if Her Grace of Thorn should feel that she is not adequately attending to her lessons with Black Cocoa, may be dragged out by Black Cocoa not providing sufficient instruction or otherwise ducking the issue, and in any case requires that she spend many hours in the presence of an acknowledged liberal in a mentorship role, which may significantly constrain her political options."

Aria taps her fingers against the brass orb in her lap. "I have a counteroffer. I will purchase a divination orb from you using the favour that is owed me by Black Cocoa. Then, rather than having the diviner be loaned by the liberals, I will loan it to Ms. Quill for the duration of her apprenticeship beneath me, at no cost to her. And, explicitly, I will grant her the right of first refusal to purchase the diviner from me for the favour it cost me to acquire it."

Of course then this means Aria has a marker on Corvina, effectively.

"I believe your arguments regarding abrupt termination of a loan apply equally much to your own proposal here. Additionally, your offer will leave Corvina dependent on an artifact for much longer, as she will lack the mentorship necessary to develop the skill to replace it. Thus, your offer would seem to end with Corvina owing you a favour and in possession of a diviner; whereas my offer ends with Corvina in possession of divination as an innate skill, and owing nothing to anyone."

Ishaza is a worthy opponent, as ever.

"Save for the fact that she would then be strongly associated with the liberal faction."

Aria, Aria. You try so hard and yet you never quite learn, now do you. 

"I believe such an impression could be actively useful to Ms. Quill, as you yourself are surely aware. If the conservatives are playing for her, such an arrangement is likely only to encourage them to offer more; it indicates that to the liberals, Ms. Quill has real value, and so the conservatives will no doubt respond in kind." 

She shrugs. "No doubt it would complicate Ms. Quill's life, but I suspect having a simple, quiet existence is a lost cause for her at this point regardless."

Damn.

She can't reverse what she said to Corvina earlier. She's been outplayed. 

She keeps the annoyance from her face, but nods. 

"You make a valid point, Your Grace."

Ishaza refrains from smiling. It doesn't do to look smug.

"So," she says. "What do you say, Ms. Quill?"

That sure was a lot of words for something that essentially boils down to "who do you trust more to keep their word, Aria or Ishaza?"

Goddess she wishes she wasn't something to be fought over. It's exhausting. 

Both offers are about equal in strength, from where she's standing. She doesn't know Ishaza, and Aria is treating her like a trophy of some kind. 

... All things being equal, she's taking the offer that gets her tutoring from Black Cocoa. 

"I would like to accept Ishaza's offer, on one condition. I want the same escape clause Aria offered me. At any time I can choose to keep the diviner for the price of a favour."

Heh. This one learns quick. 

"Granted." 

Ishaza stands, takes two steps around the glass-topped table, and passes the orb down to Corvina. "Here," she says. "It's yours now."

Corvina takes it in both hands, and for a moment her heart soars. A diviner of her very own, one of the highest acheivements of magecraft.

... but then the sad necessity of the device comes crashing back, and the moment is ruined.

"I'd like to go back to my own rooms now," she says. "Now that I can be sure they're private."

She stands and curtseys to Aria. "Your Excellency. I need some time to think alone."

She turns and curtseys to Ishaza. "Your Grace. Thank you for your time. You can send Black Cocoa to speak to me whenever you wish."

Shit, she's losing her. She hasn't been soft enough. 

"Of course," Aria says. "Take as much time as you like. You can always call on me for mentorship whenever you want."