Aurora touched the mirror's cool surface with her fingertips, a frown already worrying the edges of her mouth at Balthazar's refusal.  But any protest she might have uttered failed to find voice, for she saw something in the glass that troubled her.  It seemed, just for a moment, that her eyes had to them a pinkish tint, as if reflecting ruby light in a dim room.  She blinked; the red was gone, but perhaps there was something to what the old lich was saying after all.  She nodded her assent, and sat at the table, running a comb through her sweaty hair.<br/><br/>"Very well," she said aloud.  "What would you have of me this day, Balthazar?  I had planned to meet with the members of my father's small council, to begin paving the way towards my monarchy, but I must confess that I do not know exactly how I will do that.  There is too the Baroness to consider, and my uncle, and Father, and a hundred other things."