Edward
Upon seeing Zane leave, the doctor leave, the Queen leave and finding himself in a room alone with Queen Charity, he found it uncomfortable. He rose and excused himself before leaving the parlor. It was getting late, but Eric wasn't tired. His normally rigid schedule had been disturbed by his journey to Knight's Landing and back, and the wine was bothering him a little. He wasn't quite drunk, but he felt a small effect. So, the young knight wandered the halls, venturing to parts he'd never been, passing courtiers he had never met who looked at him with a mild interest. He never got used to the way people who knew who he was looked at him, as if he were something special. All he was, was someone who wanted to do the right thing. Was that such a strange thing to people? All he did was what he was supposed to do, he never intended to be the Head Knight, he never intended to lead Astoria's armies, he never even considered running a Knight Academy. The pressure clamped on him, it wasn't as bad as when he was Protector of South Feyshore during the interim period, but it was still there. 

Eric walked aimlessly, finally finding himself in Zahrada's main hall. He just stopped, found a corner and leaned on the wall quietly taking in the silence of the hall. Guards were still posted, silently waiting. Not paying him any mind, most of them knew him. He sparred with them often in the courtyard and intended to again early in the morning. His mind dwelled on the earlier conversation about him being young, about enjoying the pleasures of the city. It reminded him of a joke, or atleast he assumed it was a joke, Storm had made about sending Eric to a brothel before knighting him, wanting his knights to be tested in "All forms of combat." As he put it. Eric had avoided that at all costs, the very thought uncomfortable for him.
Joseph
When she finally returned to the main hall, the parlor had been emptied, and she gave a small nod to herself before heading back towards her own bedchambers. The woman pushed open the door, and closed it behind her with a gentle push. The candles in the room were already extinguished, and the only light was from the thick curtains that did their best to keep out the moonlight. The woman stripped off her gown, and paused as she crossed the room, finding a shirt underfoot. She hadn't left it there, and the sigils on her arms flared a bit in concern. The light was enough to see the figure in her bed, and she let out a breath as she recognized it. 

"Harmattan you scared me." She huffed, and finished undressing before moving to crawl into bed with the man.
Miguel
Zane mumbled softly, Anyanka having woken him from his sleep. "Your room was closer than mine."

He reached for Anyanka and pulled her close, resting his head in her hair. Zane took a small breath in, reminiscing in the familiar smell of not only Anyanka, but of Zahrada as a whole. The scent of alchol on both of them was also something familiar, although he knew that it wouldn't be the same, not without Marcus there to even out their group.

"You know, I'm probably going to get back to work tomorrow." He mumbled out, "Although, I'm probably going to just take Eric down to the Tavern, and try to get some people out to find things out on our mystery woman. Nothing more."
Joseph
"You always say that." She reminded him, but her voice didn't hold any anger as he pulled her close. She didn't mind that either, she'd missed him even if she'd never tell him that outright. He felt like home, and having another person who was firmly on her side and had been there since the beginning of all this chaos was nice. 

"Charity will be gone, Dayveth will start his training, Eric will begin preparations on Knights Landing." She mumbled in turn, twisting a bit in his arms to put her face against his chest, fully utilizing the warmth that radiated from him. "We're all getting back to work, one night of pleasure wasn't a sin, Zane." As she spoke, she stifled a yawn, and nodded. 

"Right, come tomorrow I'll write to Maith, Black, and Carter; see if any of them know anything either. We'll figure it out." Anya assured him. "But I wouldn't be upset if you showed Eric a good time, and in turn decided to have one for yourself as well."
Miguel
Zane let a small hum escape him at that. "I'll try not to have too good of a time. I'll save that for when I return from the Tavern."

A smile grew on Zane's face, and he turned to rest on his back. He pulled Anyanka close, and couldn't help a small laugh escape him. "You know, the good news of all this going on is that Angelica won't be breathing down our necks. We could pawn some work onto her one day, and just have fun. Maybe take some time to sin for fun, you know?"
Joseph
The woman let him pull her upwards and found a new place in the crook of his arm, her hand laying flat on his chest beneath her cheek. "You say that as if I haven't sinned enough for a lifetime." She mumbled, and couldn't help the yawn that followed. 

"I can feel the world stacking against me with every day. Eventually this bubble will burst and we'll find ourselves in another war." She sighed, and her hand turned to pinch her brow. "Angelica is right to breath down our throats. We start slacking, we get careless, my army of the dead grows and grows. I'm not looking to see more bloodshed this year."
Miguel
"You know, that's not exactly true. We live in a world of bloodshed, and it doesn't mean that it's due to slacking or getting careless. People go to violence for everything, and it's always dragging more in." Zane mumbled, opening his eyes and turning to her. "There isn't anything we can do about it." 

He pulled her closer, and a small, mirthless smile graced his face. "There isn't much we can do for this. But I remember someone was always preaching to me that working yourself ragged isn't worth it." Zane gave her a small squeeze, "So I think someone should take their own advice, and sometimes let things happen while they remove themselves. You have me and Angelica to watch things that happen while you need to take a break. Preferably just bother Angelica though."
Joseph
The morning hadn't quite arrived yet when Anya pulled herself from Zane's grip and slipped from bed. A dark silk robe hung from the hook-stand beside her bed, and she pulled on the deep purple piece when her feet hit the ground. Her fingers looped the tie around themselves,working to fasten it at her waist so she could leave the room in some decency. She didn't bother with shoes, as she was only going down the hall. The bedroom door thankfully didn't creak when she slipped past it, and she closed it behind her without letting too much light fill the room to disturb the sleeping man. For as much as he claimed she needed a break, he'd been the one in South Feyshore for months. 

His, Eric's, and Angelica's work was what was moving the investigation forward, and keeping the nations growing. She felt like she'd been sitting on her hands since Mikhail left. 

Her study was warm, despite the empty fireplace, and her fingers ran along the walls as she moved around the perimeter of the room. The sheer curtains were the only ones drawn, as she'd forgotten to pull the thicker ones last night, and it let in the twilight. Taking a seat at her desk, she pulled a match from the drawer, and lit the lamp on her desk before working on her outreach. 

_P.K. Bradai Maith,_

She started, but her hand hovered over the parchment for a long time. Normally, her letters to him were casual, she'd considered him a friend for so many years, and now, she wasn't even sure how to start this. Instead, she set the piece aside and picked up another. Charity was still here, she could ask her in the morning, a letter wasn't necessary. She penned letters to the Ice Lord, King Black, and even Nathaniel before she managed Bradai's, and even so it felt rigid and she tossed the parchment to rewrite it with the simple request.
Miguel
It was around sunrise when Zane rose from his sleep. He stretched out, gaze taking in the light beginning to cascade in the room. Rising from the bed, he threw on a random shirt from his small pack. His body was still sore, but he put up with it, remembering his conversation last night with Anyanka. There was work that needed to be done, and Zane knew that no matter how much he wanted to recover from his time torturing Amalthea, he couldn't.

Leaving the room, he began to make his way towards Anyanka's study. It was one of the few rooms he could think of her in this early in the morning. It took him a moment, but he found her on his first try, musing over her desk, some scraps of parchment crumbled around her.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked, making his way to her. He took a seat on her desk, facing her as he did so. "Other then getting the news out to my people, that is."
Joseph
Zane found her in her study, and she didn't even have to look up to know who it would be. He moved to perch himself on her desk, and his question made her press her lips together. The flame beneath the small melting spoon made the wax pool, and she poured it carefully over the seam of the letter she'd just finished before waiting a heartbeat to lay the stamp upon it. 

With a sigh, she leaned back in her chair, letting her hands find her neck and stretching bit as she inhaled deeply. "There's a few options, but I've been thinking." She started, her eyes on the wooden handle of the seal that still say in a pool of purple wax on the parchment. Her eyes stayed on it as she ran her tongue over her lips briefly before continuing. "I've had you playing torturer because frankly I worried about what information Amalthea would let slip, and who would hear it. But that's not your job, it's not your title, and frankly, I've come to terms with the understanding that it's an insult to keep you in the South doing mundane work." Her silver eyes flickered up to him. 

"How do you feel about heading North?"
Miguel
Zane rolled his eyes at her worries over what he had been working on lately. "Well, know that no matter how much I may complain over it, I truly don't care that I've been down there. In fact, I'm actually kind of glad you gave me the work of torturing Amalthea. I consider it a bit of payback." 

He stood up, and made his way around her, pondering over her question. He came behind her, and began to massage her shoulders and neck, contemplating a little more. "I suppose it depends on where you mean when you say that. And what it is that I'll be there for."
Joseph
He moved around her, as it seemed she was completely incapable of having a conversation with someone without contact, and she leaned forward a bit to allow him to continue. She set her pen down, and propped her cheek in her palm, her stare distant since he was no longer in front of her to focus on. 

"I need to know how Vivayn pulled it off. There was absolutely no reason that man should have been able to one, get into Astoria completely undetected, and two, resurrect Mikhail. I don't exactly _want_ to send you to Wingsway, but I _need_ whatever spellbook he used, and whatever mage he managed to force into doing it. If it gives Mika a chance to .." There wasn't a kind way to say 'not be a zombie'. "Be fully restored, it gives him a better chance at a future. Among the many things on my mind is the fact that our heir currently resides in the isles and is half-human at this point. I didn't want him back like this, and Vivayn has some answers that I don't." 

Her hand moved to his on her shoulder, and she shrugged lightly. "So I'm considering sending in my spymaster."
Miguel
Zane hummed at that, as he thought about it. There were a few ways he figured he could try to get answers, but all of them were risky. "Okay." He mumbled out, thoughts taken with trying to figure out all the things he'd need.

"I don't know how many of my people would be comfortable with going there, not after what happened, but I can get a few to come with and start to establish a network that far up." He couldn't help it, but a small, hard glare grew on his face. "Hopefully, I can find someone there. I have a debt to pay, I just don't know who too yet."

Taking a deep breath, Zane glanced down to Anyanka and tried to let his face settle into something less angry. "I'll need some time to actually recall the agents that I'll be bringing along though, so you'll be stuck with me here. If there's anything that you want me to do while I'm here, let me know." He leant down and gave her a kiss on the head. "Although, there are some letter I need to draft myself so that I can get my agents back, so I must bow out for now." He mumbled against the crown of her head, flipping his hand to give hers a squeeze as he turned to excuse himself.
David
It seemed to the Queen that something troubled her host, and that made it difficult for her to say a proper goodbye. As a result she delayed her departure until she could do so. It would be rude to make an Araedian exit.

With dissolution of the parlor gathering Charity just went to the guest room to sleep. She awoke early the next morning, and went to see Anya. She softly knocked on the study door, she didn't want to interrupt anything the Duchess was working on. It was called a study for a reason.
Joseph
A flicker in the corner of her eye appeared when Zane mentioned a debt to repay. She caught the vision, but her eyes quickly closed, letting him speak. Marcus lingered, and it seemed every time he was mentioned he was called, at least when mentioned by one of the three of them. No one else seemed to speak his name, and it made her weary to even say it herself out of fear of the spectre appearing. He kissed her crown, and she nodded, removing her hand from over his as he went to leave. 

It felt like a changing of the guard, to have Zane leave and an immediate knock on the door follow. She moved to stand, going to pull the door open for herself. Charity stood in the doorway, and she blinked, trying to pull herself from the uncomfortable conversation she'd just had in order to greet her. 

"I worried you might have already left without me being able to saw goodbye." She told her, and took a step back, allowing her into the study if she wanted to enter.
David
"I wouldn't dream of leaving without saying goodbye." She explained, stepping into the study. "You've been such a gracious host, and I've enjoyed our time together immensely. I came seeking an ally, and I'd like to think I leave with-" She paused in the middle of her farewell. Charity noticed now, along with her observations the night before, that something seemed to trouble the Grand Duchess. "Is everything alright?"
Joseph
Anya gave a soft smile. "No, Char. Things aren't alright." She confirmed, and inhaled deeply through her nose. "I consider us to have formed an alliance, don't fret over that. I would love nothing more than to continue to work in and enjoy each others company. There is something that's come up though, that I was hoping to ask you about before you left." She moved to her desk, and wrapped her fingers around the edge of it, leaning against it as Zane had before. 

"The name Juliana De Barbaric has come up from a prisoner when questioned about the events last spring in regards to the Prince's homecoming. It means nothing to me, do you know it?"
David
Charity had to think for a moment. She wasnt able to immediately recall where she's heard the name before. Then it hit her "I know the name, though I've never met nor seen the woman personally, and I know very little about her. But I know the name all the same. She's the Queen Mother of Araedia." This was troubling news, to hear that a kingdom was behind the death of another's heir.
Joseph
Anya's brow furrowed at the answer. It wasn't at all what she was expecting. She hadn't even _considered_ it to be a matriarch, and had been looking in all the wrong places. Suddenly she wanted to keep the topic quiet, and her gaze shifted a bit. "I was not aware there was a reason for Araedia to have quarrel with me or mine." She murmured, and straightened a bit. 

"Thank you." She added, then pushed her hand through her hair. "When are you set to leave Charity, after this?"
David
Charity could only speculate the reason for conflict between Araedia and the Duchess. She was at least aware of the rulers around her, but the only one she ever established a connection with was in the room with her.

She was brought back to reality by the question proposed to her. "Yes, I was due to leave yesterday, but I couldn't not say goodbye after this visit."
Joseph
Anya's expression lightened, and she nodded. "I'm glad you took the time to visit, I've really enjoyed having you here, despite all that's come about in the last few days." She smiled, trying to push Araedia from her mind because she was still feeling the heat on her cheeks for not even _considering_ it would have been another ruler. Someone from Amoroth she could understand, but her knowledge of Marin and it's families wasn't exactly something she'd been raised on, and her education had been halted by emergency after emergency. 

"The beginning wasn't half bad though, was it?" She joked, and gave a small laugh.
David
"None of it was bad, but winning on the first day was certainly a highlight." She said teasing Anya about the drinking contest. "So were the gardens, your son's statue, and the *Evening activities*"
Joseph
Anya laughed genuinely at the emphasis, and she dipped her head to hide the brightness of her smile. "I'm overjoyed to know you found joy in Astoria. It just means you'll keep I touch, correct?" She teased holding her hand out to the woman.
David
Charity grabbed onto the hand extended towards her "Of course I will," She looked down at their hands and joked "But this touch might only last until i get in the carriage. Better make it count."
Joseph
The woman's brow rose a bit at the comment, searching the Queen's expression for some indication that she _hadn't_ meant what she'd just implied. Seeing no proof otherwise, Anya pulled their hands towards herself, pulling Charity forward with the motion. Her free hand caught her chin, and tilted it upwards enough to press a sweet kiss to the woman's lips. "I'll miss having someone reading on my sofa all the time." She told her truthfully, letting her own painted lips graze hers as she spoke. She kissed the woman's cheek as well, and squeezed her hand. "How long will that last you?"
David
"Long enough" She smiled, "Thank you again for your hospitality." She left the room keeping a hold of Anya's hands for a long as possible. Which if she followed was all the way out to the carriages which had already been packed and loaded. It was time to go home.