These are all such interesting stories and between them they probably take up enough time to get Ky to the head of the Queen's line, but if it doesn't she'll say hi to Daeran.

By this point Queen Galfrey has talked to most of the people in the room, though perhaps predictably Daeran is not among their number, and is indeed ready to speak to her. Her attention is perhaps a little intimidating, but when she puts her splendour to work it's easy to overlook that in favor of feeling valued and important.

"Kybele the Curator, thank you for both your time and your patience. I'm told that you were instrumental in both the planning and execution of the assault, despite receiving no payment for doing so, and that you personally faced off against a Lilitu not once but twice with no casualties. And, having spoken with people today, I can personally attest that you seem to have somehow earned the respect of both Prelate Hulrun and Count Arendae, which is no mean feat. Such heroism is unfortunately rare in these days. However, as shameful as it is to admit there is something else I would ask of you if you are willing; could I trouble you to wait after the meeting so we may speak with more privacy? If you would like a companion to attend with you that is of course acceptable, but I ask that you choose someone you trust because it would be a blow to the cause of good if word got out about the offer and you didn't accept."

"Your majesty, of course we can speak later in private. My twin brother Iskander can hear anything I can."

Then the queen will bring the meeting to a close, thank everyone again, and then dismiss the rest of the guests with a prayer to Iomedae.

Daeran will hang around while most of the guests file out, but something he sees from either Queen Galfrey or Kybele is at least marginally reassuring to him and he’ll leave with the last of the crowd, leaving Kybele and Iskander alone with the queen and her guards. 

“Since I have already made you wait this long, I’ll get right to the point. I did not bring this much of the army with me after the reports of your success just to clear the city promptly, though that was a happy benefit. In the aftermath of this victory, I plan to declare the fifth crusade, and I would like to ask you to lead it as its Knight-Commander.”

"... Your majesty, I'm flattered, but fear my local context is inadequate to such a task. We've only recently arrived and don't even recall how we got here. Our home is very different in almost every way."

“If you feel you cannot accept because you intend to return home, I cannot begrudge you it; it is only because of my own duty to Mendev that I have stuck around all these years rather than gone to my rest in heaven. If necessary, I will pay myself to have you and your brother teleported anywhere in Avistan, as the least of the repayment we owe you for your help. But your request to become the custodian of Kenabres gives me hope that your concern instead comes from practical matters, so I will attempt to lay them to rest.

“As Knight-Commander, I would not be expecting you to become a master of strategy overnight, or even at all if you find you have no taste for it; Mendev does not lack for skilled generals and tacticians, for skilled youths arrive every year from thousands of miles hence and combat is ever a diligent teacher for those willing to learn. That is not why I asked it of you, nor is it your own defensive abilities. Were a capable, charismatic leader who could fend off assassins all we need, I would have solved it myself by now. The problem with such an approach, and indeed the issue that doomed the last crusades, is hope.

“I will be frank with you. Ever since the angels left at the end of the second crusade, no major power in Avistan has seriously believed we could succeed - and once the defensive power of the wardstones were revealed, they realized abandoning their support simply meant that Mendev would be forced to bleed and die alone for their benefit rather doom them to be eaten by fiends. I plan to change that perspective, and your undeniably miraculous victory here is the ideal tool. Regardless of the reality behind it, such a feat will elevate you to among the likes of Arnisant and Marit as a hero right out of a storybook. And much like the support of other nations will be easier to achieve if they see it as the winning team to back, if there’s anything adventurers like more than gold, it’s the thought of gaining extraordinary powers of their own. With your help, I hope to not just reverse some of the losses of the last few decades and tighten the wardstone line, but give people hope that one day we might close the wound entirely.”

"Being as we are not from Avistan, your offer is appreciated but would run aground at once. ...if you really think that a new crusade can make headway on the strength of my status as a unique figurehead, I am willing to try. Sorely though I'll miss my new library."

"Thank you for your help, then. I plan to announce the crusade tonight, once we've cleared the city and the men can safely celebrate, but if you think you need more time to prepare yourself that's not an issue. If you think you would benefit from a headband of splendor, I shall see about getting you one; in the mean time, I can have eagle's splendor and heroism cast on you before the speech if you want it. You won't be required to give one of your own, but some words might not go astray and if your using Lariel's sword is half as impressive as described I expect it would go over very well to show it off."

"It doesn't always do the really impressive lightshow but it'll glow for me a little seemingly whenever I ask it to. I certainly won't turn down the spells and I might prepare some remarks, though I'd appreciate a pointer to someone local who can scan them for obvious foreign bumbling."

"If you have someone you trust to help you, that does often help, but you may also feel free to ask my staff for assistance. Nurah Dendiwhar has something of a particular gift with words, for instance."

If Kybele has been doing a breadth first search and has a good enough memory for author's names, she might recognize the name from a few of the books in the Blackwing library.

Were the books any good?

The allegedly biographical book seemed to have prioritized telling an interesting story over strict accuracy, but the prose was good and it didn't seem strongly biased in favor of advertising the author's or subject's virtue, just in being entertaining to read. The later publications have more of the same issues, but to a lesser extent, and she seems to have been getting better at writing over time.

"I've seen a few of her books - maybe a little more narrativized than is ideal. I can perhaps run my remarks by a few people and would be pleased to be introduced."

"Then I wish you good skill and good fortune, and may the inheritor's blessing go with you."

When she leaves, Daeran is still visibly lurking nearby, but he doesn't rush to approach Kybele if she doesn't initiate it.

"So she's your cousin?" Ky asks, drifting in his direction.

“Rather regrettably, yes, on both of our parts. We’ve never gotten along.”

"Huh, any particular points of friction or do you just not click?"

"Oh, just the usual. She thinks I'm a wastrel who fails to live up to my heritage and is unfit to rule a city, much less inherit, and would happily be rid of me if it was remotely possible. I hate her because she's the embodiment of everything that I dislike about Iomedeans, that they'll demand you sacrifice everything about life worth living to them or else say you want the demons to win, and then not even have the decency to deliver results; I half suspect she'd ban the very concept of joy if it meant killing another hundred demons. And of course the likes of Hulrun are her people, and I can't imagine his flaws have escaped you. Sometimes I wonder if the only reason she sticks around is so I don't inherit, though if so I owe her some thanks since I'd be abominable at the job and hate every minute of it."

"Long live the queen," snorts Ky. "You're next in line? How long has this been the case?"

"That's the spirit. I've been the heir ever since my parents died, though I was obviously pretty high up the line of succession even then. Pretty much the entire family is dead at this point; we have a third cousin, but from the wrong side of the family to inherit, and the status of next best claimant is disputed amongst half a dozen noble houses with the closest lines of descent starting 6 generations back."

"Shouldn't she be... trying to adopt somebody?"

"Adopted children can't inherit titles in Mendev, same as spouses, and there's no way she could get that changed when everyone she'd need to convince is convinced the job is theirs for the taking as soon as she kicks the bucket. My cousin is only half the reason I can't stand doing politics in Nerosyan, frankly, it's a nest of vipers."

He grinds wryly, then becomes a bit more serious.

"What did she try to pressure you into? If you feel you need to flee the country, I know some people, and I could hardly piss her off more than I already have."