HAVEN'T YOU HEARD I'M THE NEW CANCER ;;

[Filter: Eliza]

Well, my dear. It seems it's your turn at the bat.

[Filter: Public]

It brings me great grief and suffering to have to make this announcement.

Princess Seraphine, the lost heir to the Milesian dynasty, has been found ... dead. Murdered.

We know not what blackheart did this awful crime, but you can rest assured that we shall not rest here in Conare until we find them. We are personally responsible for what happened here, and I -- myself, Lord Nicolas, I take responsibility. This is my city. This is my fault.

I will need to accompany her body to Eblar, and when I am there, the King ... the King himself with have my apologies, on bended knee.

Words cannot express --

Words cannot express.

[Filter: Private]

Even this is barely enough relief, any longer.

I need a plan, and soon.

[Filter: Public]

Dragons, I'm so sorry, everyone. There was an -- incident, last night, in the lower city. Nothing any of you fine ladies needs to concern yourself with, have no fear! But I hate disappearing for so long when I'm entertaining, and I insist on a grand dinner in the hall to make up for my rudeness. How does that sound?

[Filter: Eliza]

For all your insisting that this was going to be a short visit, I notice that you're still here. Could it be, my dear sweet lady, that there's something here for you that you can't get back at home in Temair?

The books are so behind I don't know what to do with myself!

I suppose I should send some sort of fruit basket or other token of gratitude to Lord Rylan, because I think that without all the work that got pushed into his shoulders, the realm would be beggered! Or at least in very sorry shape! Does anyone have the first idea how much a war costs? Well, neither did I. Theoretically, of course, I've studied the economic effects of such a thing, but there's never been one in my lifetime!

I have been a very irresponsible man, haven't I? Leaving all of this to my vassals and advisors, tsk! Really, Nicolas, you mustn't do this in the future.

[Filter: Anita]

My dear sweet wife! I don't suppose you have asked the Princesses about our little offer? I'm waitin at the edge of my seat to see whether or not I'll be entertaining two royals at once -- and of different families, at that!

[Filter: Eliza]

I was so curious what she'd do, given the choice! I suspected this would be it, and I wasn't let down. What will the people think, a newly wed young woman running away from her devoted husband?

Ah, the poor thing, she just can't take the heat.

[Filter: Prince Ian and Princess Seraphine]

Illustrious Prince and Princess, you must forgive me my presumption in writing to you with demands, but a man in love so young as mine would do anything for his lady, and I know that you are both romantic souls, so I hope that you will forgive me.

My sweet Anita has been terribly nervous ever since you wrote about your slow progress and only being so far as Rhia a week past. She pulled out a map and immediately saw that you'd not closed even half the distance between Aeda and Eblar, and ever since I fear she's been in a bit of a tizzy!

It's only a week until our wedding, you see, and she is going to be devastated if the two of you do not arrive, just devastated. She's been so counting on your presence to make the day perfect, and if you're not here ...

Is there anything you could do to hurry your progress?

I can't believe how fast the time is ticking away! We received our first notice of acceptance in response to one of our invitations today -- not counting yours, Lady Arielle, naturally -- and it specified that they're going to begin preparations right away!

Now, imagine my shock! Right away, but surely that would put them here far ahead of schedule! But then, as I went through the time in my head, well, no! No, it wouldn't! In fact, things are all happening very much in quick succession, now!

I can only hope that my dear sweet Anita's mother and father and siblings will be arriving sooner than not. You're looking quite exhausted and overwhelmed, darling, and more so every day. Eara is quite concerned about you! I think having your mother here to take care of you would do you wonders.

Only about a month until I'm a married man again. At my old age! Goodness, where does the time go?

[Filter: Private]

Do you miss me?

Ah, but you must. After having discovered such depths of passion in yourself, depths you'd been denying ever since your father told you you'd be better if you weren't a woman at all, to just lock them all away again? It must be very, very difficult. Your cold bed, your husband's frigid, loveless arms.

How hard it must be for you, dear, dear Eliza. Dreaming of me, how it would feel when I'd twist your arm, pin it against your back, and fuck you from behind. And then awake, aroused and desperate and unable to find any relief for yourself at all. I wonder if you turn to Dean, in those moments. Does he fill the hole, or only make it all the worse? Or do you simply put your fingers inside your cunt and wish that I were there with you?

But I'm not.

No, no, I'm here in Eblar. Having a rather splendid time, since I know you're wondering. Anita is charming. She tries so hard to prove to me she's not overwhelmed by this place, but the poor darling is so far over her head she's drowning as I watch her. There's an irony there. A girl like that, well. She probably gathered up all the stories of court that her sisters could give her, wishing she could visit. And after such a long and lonely journey, she's here, with the more handsome and eligible man in Dentoria claiming her as his own, and it's all so very ... wrong.

I'm having a lark of it, really.

I wonder how you'd suit the court?

[Filter: Eliza]

I'm having a bit of a legal complication, love! I wonder if you'd be willing to provide me some of your learned expertise?

Well, Anita, my love, I have very exciting news for you!

My herald has just come back and informed me that he thinks we might be able to make it to Eblar by nightfall if we push ourselves very hard. Isn't that exciting?

Now, his definition of "nightfall" may be very late indeed, and I wouldn't want to push my dear sweet bride any harder than her delicate body can take it, so, please. You tell me. Should we ride hard through the afternoon, evening, and night, or arrive at a leisurely pace tomorrow? He tells me that there's a village closeby that we could impress upon for the night, if you would prefer. It's apparently very quaint. All the roofs are thatched!

[Filter: Eliza]

Have you heard the terrible, terrible news, my dear?

[Filter: Eliza]

Oh, come now, my dear. Won't you talk to me like an adult?

You've been terse and distant for weeks, now, and I waited for days for you to write again, the last time we talked seriously. It almost seems as though you're going out of your way not to confront some unspoken concern that lies between us. You avoid me at gatherings, you roll your eyes when you think I'm not watching, and, why, you barely say a word when I fuck you.

I do hate to be so frank, it's terribly tacky, but it would seem that you've become quite immune to my delicately assembled questions. Dearest, really, you must tell me ... have I done something to offend you?