There was a bit of a thoughtful look on the Queen's face when Tehr went forth to explain his thinking, a smile returning soon enough, a short chuckle and apparent relief.<strong>"I should be able to do as much without trouble, I thank you for the level-headed idea. That is much easier to accomplish and admittably more likely to lead to good results."</strong>She smiled before taking a moment to gaze upon Tehr at the question about the book, a somewhat awkward look on her face before she looked at the Guard Captain and nodded, sending Lilian to a short walk around the garden grounds as the Queen turned to look upon him in turn.<br/><br/><strong>"There was a recent incident with a young noblewoman found dead along with a fence and smuggler known to deal in some questionable goods. The said woman's name is mentioned by a few people but in all honesty I think it was more an individual than a noblehouse to blame there."</strong>She sighed a bit tiredly.<strong>"Annabelle, or Ann as I'll call her from now, was always a tad too enthusiastic about power. Natural born sorceress, she had some power to wield but little patience for discipline. Unfortunately, her circumstances also lead to some whispers along the lines of 'devil child' and seeing as the book she was found with was of forbidden lore, it stands to reason that people who first found the scene would spring out some rumors."</strong>She winced at this and shook her head.<br/><br/><strong>"I don't think Sorcery makes anyone better or worse than another person, it is a gift with magic that comes without studies but has its own limitations from the way the arch-mage once explained it. However, Ann was someone who desired answers and sometimes rushed ahead where angels fear to thread. There's been talk she escaped her family guards more than a few times to go out adventuring, only to be retrieved rather... harshly by her Lord of the House... no confirmation of actual abuse, but it seemed that she and her mother were not in high standing with the House after the rumors of devil child had began."</strong>She lowered her head letting out a very long breath and seeming a tad uncertain of something.<br/><br/><strong>"I knew the girl. She was someone who would cuss and fight, breaking the patterns for a noblewoman and set out to adventure on her own, and would reportedly pick her own lovers from time to time rather than be a maidenly lady in waiting just quietly expecting her Lord to pick her a husband in time."</strong>She shook her head.<strong>"If it wasn't painting the house itself with a tarred brush as well I would suspect they finally decided to try and rid themselves of her and paint it as a deal gone wrong or something similar, but in all honesty I cannot believe it. Ann might have been rushing, but she wasn't one to make <em>stupid</em> decisions as much as <em>radically opposed to tradition</em>, I'd say. If anything I'd say she was chaos unleashed, rather than someone sliding down a path to evil. Of course, being as she was a cousin twice removed, that's saying something."</strong>She looked at Tehr quietly at this point.