They await your address.

...Of course.

Good morning.

We... it is...

Where is our Lord Chancellor?

A good question.

Gentlemen, allow us to formally introduce ourself: we are Csevet Aisava, secretary to Edrehasivar VII. To our right is Thara Celehar, his chosen interpreter.

And now that you know who we are, we hope you will understand our confusion at Lord Chavar's absence.

Lord Chavar is occupied with the task His Serenity appointed him——the appointment of the Witnesses for the Wisdom of Choharo.

And this task prevents him from completing the other duties of his station?

We cannot claim to speak for Lord Chavar, Mer Celehar.

His Serenity would see the day's business begun.

The available budget will only cover half that sum, Bromar.

Thankfully, His Late Serenity had your office draft a new budget to account for the lack. Or have you already forgotten?

We have not forgotten, but as you said, Bromar, the revision of the budget was the will of Varenechibel, and he did not sign the proposal into law before his untimely passing.

So? Have him sign it.

His Serenity wishes to know why the Anmur'theileian across the Evresartha requires such a drastic increase in funds.

We are at war with the steppe people, Serenity.

...Does he think we have never read a book? Don't say that.

Nazhmorhathverasheisei, yes.

The—— (ASTOUNDED SCOFF) Perhaps you have heard, then, of how the Anmur'theileian is the sole line of defense between the raiders and your subjects in the badlands.

Your father attempted to broker peace, but they refused all solutions——no matter the benefit.

His Serenity would appreciate examples of these attempts.

Crop assistance, well-digging rights——we even tried to return their dead to them before it was discovered that there weren't really dead to return after all.

Forgive him, he has forgotten the full details. For years, the steppes people claimed that we had stolen their dead from them. Your father ordered the Anmur'theileian to be searched——quite thoroughly, we might add——for remains that may have been stashed away during construction.

So His Late Serenity believed there was good reason for the search?

Ah, yes, they have a habit of leaving the deceased up in high places, you see.

For the vultures.

And the Anmur'theileian was one such high place. Or had been one.

Yes, Serenity.

...Meaning that, in essence, it was built atop their ulimeire.

In a sense, Mer Celehar.

Ah! 'Yes, Serenity.' Slip of the tongue, you see.

We can make no progress until we have seen the budget for ourself.

His Serenity will review the proposed increases once copies of the appropriate documents have been drawn up.

Our secretaries will handle it, if there are no objections.

None here.

There are additional reports that would serve His Serenity to have. We will submit those as well.

Call for a recess. We are done.

Gentlemen, His Serenity believes that we are done for the day. We will reconvene according to the established schedule. Good day.

Thara? Art well?

You cannot call us that here.

...An it please you, Serenity, we would take our leave now.

Serenity. If we may.

Yes, Berenar?

We... would like to thank you. For sitting through that whole ordeal.

No, no. Is duty.

Ah! So you do speak some Ethuverazhin, then?

Corazhas Ethuverazhin? No.

Ha. Yes, it really is a language of its own, isn't it?

Now that you have seen us all at our worst, it is only fair you should get to see... well, perhaps not at our best, but at least as people. (BEAT) We are hosting a dinner party at our apartments. An you are willing to join, it would please us greatly.

Dinner? Would the other Witnesses take this as a showing of undue favour?

Ah... bad manners, would not be. If you want, can do.

Hmm. Is not too fast? Your house will not be... unhappy?

Not at all. Our wife would very much like to meet you, in fact.

With your permission, Serenity, we would also like to invite the Archduchess Vedero.

Oh! If she... if she wants.

We are sure she will be glad for an opportunity to meet you outside the Untheileian, Serenity.

We are happy you come.

We are glad to do our duty, Serenity.

Of course.

——At which point, Eiru looks up at the trapeze artist and says, 'My word, darling, does that man know he's on the ceiling?'

Actually, we believe you were in attendance for that one, Archduchess.

Were we?

We suppose you were quite little at the time. It was the year their mazai cast a sea of stars across the Rohethadeise ballrooms.

Ah, yes. We had forgotten.

If only they had saved such a performance for when you were just a bit older. We would have liked to know how accurate their illusion was.

Hm. Quite unfortunate that they did not, yes.

Stars of mazai is...

...much beautiful, we think. Our goddess is Cstheio Caireizhasan.

Forgive us, but——goddess, singular? We did not realise the Barizheise custom was henotheistic.

Heno...?

It means to worship only one of the gods.

Oh! No, no, we misspeak. (IN BARIZHIN) The Lady of Stars holds our fate in her hands. We pray to her most often among the Seven Great Gods.

Ah! A pleasure as always, Berenar.

Good evening! Dach'osmer, Lord Chancellor.

You'll have to forgive our son, Berenar——he's under the weather tonight. We hope that Dach'osmer Tethimar makes up for the absence.

Goodness. Is the boy alright?

The boy is perhaps still smarting from Osmin Erimin's sudden rejection.

Poor Nurevis.

He will forget it all very soon, we are certain.

Serenity! (HE PROSTRATES HIMSELF) Forgive us, we were not told you would be here.

Rise.

Serenity, allow us to introduce Eschevis Tethimar, son of the Duke Tethimel.

His Serenity is pleased to make your acquaintance, Dach'osmer.

And we are pleased to make his.

Unfortunately we know not the proper form to greet you in Barizhin.

Archduchess, it is always an honour.

Quite.

Now, what was the topic? We do so hate to intrude on a conversation and not even know what it was.

Oh! Let's see... I believe it was the stars, yes?

Ah! So you share your sister's inclinations, Serenity? How fortuitous.

You like stars, Archduchess?

Yes.

You should hear her speak of them, Serenity. She has the soul of a poet, we should think.

Please, excuse us.

Oh dear. She usually loves to discuss such things. Perhaps it is still too soon.

So, Berenar, how long have you been in Tethimar's pocket?

I——Archduchess, we fear we do not know what you mean.

You cannot possibly think we are so unobservant.

...We ask for your forgiveness, Archduchess, for we did not extend an invitation to Tethimar at all.

We somehow doubt even Chavar would be so bold to give Nurevis' invitation away without a single word to the hosts.

Er. Admittedly, the invitation was for 'Lord Chancellor and Guest'. We did not think there was anyone Chavar might invite who was not, on some level, already a welcome addition.

Well, he quite proved you wrong, didn't he?

Archduchess...

We recognise that the Corazhas will never need to see us as little more than a piece on a gameboard, but we must continue to live the life that you choose for us!

It was our design to have you speak to your brother, Archduchess. Not Eschevis Tethimar.

So you confess to having designs?

Yes.

With all due respect to His Serenity, Archduchess, we are a servant of the Drazhada. Right now, that is you.

We are not the head of house.

No, the one who holds that honour is a frightened child who does not speak the language, nor knows a soul at court but——an we may speak plainly——two men of ill repute and the Zhasanai. You are a scholar, Archduchess, and an immensely competent one at that. Were circumstances different, we would be proud to serve you as Ethuverazhid Zhas. Instead, we will do the next best thing.

...We see.

He is still a boy. You are his older sister. For the sake of our country, lead him.

Before the Celehada get there first.

Serenity, we...regret the way we have spoken to you tonight.

Regret? For why?

We know ourself to be... we were never the personable one.

What we mean to say is that we have acted in a way unbecoming of our house. We felt... ambushed.

Er. Caught, ensnared, trapped.

Oh. Like fish in creek.

Trap you, we do not want. You say 'no', is fine. We do not be mad.

You are not the one who concerns us, Serenity.

His Serenity would appreciate some clarity on that statement.

Eschevis Tethimar believes himself engaged to us.

What? How would a man come to think that?

...His Serenity would appreciate some clarity on that statement as well.

We think that Papa——that our father drafted the marriage contracts shortly before he left. He was able to hold out for a better match for quite some time, but the situation in the north finally turned his hand.

But no contract was ever signed?

No. But everyone knew.

Not we.

...And now we have told you, and you will be honour-bound to follow his promise through. Brilliant.

You tell us what?

His Serenity would like his sister to know that he has enjoyed her company greatly tonight, and that he is glad to speak with her over nothing of import nor interest.

We... yes. We too are grateful.

...And he says that next time you meet, he would like to hear about the stars.

...Furthermore, we have already lost a month's time to this endless argument, and still neither Berenar nor Pashavar have presented a solution which does not create as many problems as it solves!

He says, with no solution of his own to offer.

If the Witness for the Judiciate will permit us to speak, he may find that we do, in fact, have our own solution to offer.

Oh? Is it to give the land to the Doreshada?

Berenar, please.

What? It is the idea he presented the last three times.

Oh, let him say whatever it is he plans to say. Then we may at last be released from this room.

Their use of the land was uncontested for a century until the Nelozho township instigated this farce! It is theirs by right!

Wasn't there that business a few years ago regarding the Deshehada's tenant-farmers squatting on their ancestral land? Odd... we cannot remember you so fervently defending the pretense of adverse possession in that matter.

Gentlemen, gentlemen! Can we please admit that you are both wrong and get on with it?

An easy thing to say when one represents the faction taking the bribe money, Pashavar.

Oh? Are we making accusations now? At last, we may recognise yourself and Berenar for the poachers you are.

Thank you.

We wished to say... this behaviour is... it does not fit.

We are ones who govern, yes? Not ones who bicker. Bickering is privilege for the common man. It is not ours.

See? Even his Serenity thinks this has gone on too long.

He, er... he says——

No.

Thank you, Celehar, but we know what he says.

Dach'osmer Pashavar. We believe you were correct about something. Both other Witnesses are wrong.

You are also wrong. Everyone in this room is wrong.

Serenity——

We will not reward being wrong. We reject all claims.

River belongs to avar of Thu-Cethor. Is not——should not be question. Rivers in Ethuveraz have always belonged to avarsin. We will not give to Doreshada, who use un... un-contested before only because they bribe avar's men. But land to west of river, Doreshada right is legitimate. Land to east, we say give to township.

Your word is law, Serenity.

Yes.

Well. With that matter brought to a close, we believe it is well past time to be done with today.

We will hear of Witnesses for Wisdom of Choharo, Lord Chancellor. Then day is done.

Of course, Serenity.

They are Witnessing.

Are there any specific questions? We fear we have missed something.

Is week six. Soon will be seven.

Then the Witnesses have required six weeks thus far. Nearly seven. We do not control the speed at which information reveals itself, Serenity. Nor do they.

Many of the secretaries have ceased taking notes. If he does have any information to deliver, it is not likely to leave this room in one piece.

Celehar. Please tell them that this meeting is finished.

His Serenity grants recess to the Corazhas. Thank you.

Serenity. If we may.

Day is done, Berenar.

And we thank you for that. But we have a final question. We fear it will deprive us of sleep if we do not at least try to ask it.

You are entirely correct in your assertions regarding our behaviour and we fully accept your decision to end the matter of Nelozho and the Doreshada here.

But do you?

Unbelievable! Completely and categorically unbelievable!

'Our niece, Osmin Baronin, is known to all around her as an individual of excellent character, and she is much beloved for both cleverness and good cheer.'

Oh, terrible.

Cleverness, good cheer. Both are good qualities, no?

Good qualities, yes. Especially for a girl of three years!

Eugh. Terrible.

Must I marry? Don't answer that.

Cheer up, Uncle. The Court must have at least one lady who is to thy liking. Thy move.

Is not matter of liking, of——of preference. Not my preference. Well, other than the michenoi. I do not want marrying one of those.

More for Idra, I suppose.

I beg your pardon!

What? Your uncle is the one who insists on playing regent——which is how future volumes of history will refer to Edrehasivar the Seventh, if he does not find someone to make him an heir of his own.

Csoru. Please.

Oh, very well. But I am not wrong.

Advance.

Well! I jest, and yet! You'll love this one, Idra: Paru Tethimin.

A much better option than Min Baronin, you must agree.

Tethimin? How close to Eschevis Tethimar?

She is his younger sister.

What——if I do not give him my sister, he thinks, give me his?

Any road to a Drazhar with those horrid Tethimadeise curls, I suppose. Turn him down and Idra will get the same offer in two years's time, mark my words.

Yes, because Paru Tethimin and I get along so well.

Thy move.

All those little playdates you and your sisters were forced into! You all looked so thoroughly miserable. Except Ino, of course.

Yes, Ino likes everybody.

Un-move thy Anmureisa, Idra, or die in three turns.

My——What? How dost thou know it is my Anmureisa?

Didst tell me just now.

...And I take thy general and all thy mazai, so it is Anmureisa or cavalier. Thy avar hides with bokhrat, yes?

Drat. I suppose that makes thee victor. Well played.

Un-move thy piece, is all right! Only witness here is Celehar, and he cares not. Dost care, Thara?

Is more fun this way. Canst win still.

Oh, Vedero and thee shall be insufferable together once she learns thou'rt good at this game.

My sister plays?

Like a python.

Father once referred to her as a reason to never learn the rules.

The only person who will still play against her is Csethiro, and they know one another's play styles too well to find it worthwhile.

Dach'osmin Ceredin. She must also be a strong player, then?

Oh, Csethiro's a nazhcreö. When she plays the Archduchess, each game depends on whether Csethiro can sniff out the python and uproot her before she strikes.

Interesting.

Thy avar is dead, (IN BARIZHIN) may the smoke carry his soul to dwell with the gods.

Good game! Another?

The other nohecharei will murder us in our sleep if we do not remind you of yours.

Our sleep? We will have it, Dazhis. Ten more minutes.

That's a lot of diagrams.

Mhm! They relax us.

Ah. Yes.

May we ask what you are doing, Serenity?

Will only be ten minutes, is promise.

We do not mean to hurry you. We are merely curious.

...Is puzzle. Or will be, when work is finished. Easy one.

What is word... needing, goal... object! Object of puzzle is to play melody. Press buttons to give value, then pulling lever sets it. As such:

Two tens, seven ones. Makes twenty seven. Now we set.

If all values are correct, turning crank will make music. But if value is wrong...

Reset! Must find first value and then start over. Good to train michen's ear for music, and to teach counting by tens and ones.

This is for children?

Mhm. Is for Ino——my cousin Sheveän is unhappy she plays with toys, not listens to tutor. Takes toys away. But learning toy, she cannot be unhappy. Gift from Zhas, insult to take away.

It must be complicated, making something for such a... such a special child.

Is fairly simple! More simple than version for older michenei. In that one, is rotary device at center. Makes order of petals or starting values of notes change on reset. Is like Corazhas.

Oh? How so?

Must make guesses over and over again. Who wants what? And in what order? And you only need it wrong once for the whole thing to... to be needing reset. Start from beginning. All progress gone.

Your first nohecharei did appear rather... worn out, we will say. What happened?

Argument. Is always argument, but this time every answer hurts someone. Hurts the law, or hurts the poor, or will lead good family to ruin. Hours of Witnesses arguing like michenei, no progress.

Ha. Yes, that sounds like the Corazhas.

When we make our choice——least bad for everyone, we hope——Lord Berenar comes to us and asks us are we satisfied with solution, what it means for people of Nelozho Township. Of course we are not satisfied they cannot afford feeding themselves!

But Berenar has no solution either, just asks us to find. And we are trying! We want good answer. But maybe is no good answer.

Surely the keeping of the indigent poor of Nelozho Township is beneath the concern of Ethuverazhid Zhas.

Beneath Varenechibel, perhaps.

Emperor is father to nation. Has duty to care for his people.

...Ah, but you are right, it grows late. We will put our work away.

Yes, very wise.

Rest well, Serenity.

...We are not late, are we?

No. Sit.

A day has passed. We have all eaten, slept. We are prepared to speak as government should?

We will take that as yes. Now, to resume business: Berenar.

Tell us of the poor of Nelozho.

Serenity? We thought your decision was made–

Our decision is made. But judgment is incomplete.

Their situation is dire, Serenity. Rain does not grace Nelozho as it once did. The manufactories in the next towns over release great clouds of steam, and so the rain falls on those towns and not on Nelozho.

Then they ought to build a manufactory.

...The manufactories also leech innumerable chemicals into the groundwater, causing what the locals call well-sickness. It is not what one would wish upon a child.

If this were not terrible enough, a few years ago the town's main granary exploded, as such structures are wont to do in conditions of drought. They are still struggling to recover from this tragedy, unable to grow enough rice to feed their families as it is harvested, never mind to store it for the off season.

And why is it, Berenar, that the granaries run empty? If we are to retread old ground, we ought to retread it thoroughly.

It is because there is no rain.

It is because they declaim crop rotation as an act of heresy!

That is their way, Pashavar. Would you prefer we root out the townsfolk and replace them with those you see fit?

No need! Their own religion will see to that, if they do not change their ways!

Pashavar, what is your secretary's name?

Pardon? It is Mer Rovelezh. Why?

Mer Rovelezh, you are freed from service for next ten minutes. Pashavar has time to interrupt, therefore he has time to write.

But–—but he is right, Serenity! Why must we bend backwards for a people who will not save themselves?

You know it is true, Berenar, you must! They claim to seek justice, yet they graze their beasts on Doreshadeise land! They fish in the river without permits, then wonder why the stewards of that water treat them as pests!

They cannot afford the permits!

Were permits paid, relationship between Nelozho and Doreshada would improve?

Yes! Easily! Definitively!

As would their relationship with the local government.

Ahh. We are glad you have said as such. Mer Aisava?

Principate will build bridge. Bridge will bring in tolls; money goes to poor of Nelozho. Permits are afforded, poaching goes down——relationship with both Doreshada and principate improves. As both Deshehar and Pashavar say it will, yes?

We are heard?

Yes. It is a strong compromise. None will disagree with that——or so we hope.

Matter is closed, then. Mer Aisava, what is next?

Serenity. The next order of business is a return to the Lord Chancellor and the Witnesses for the Wisdom of Choharo.

Did we not give our report yesterday?

Yes. But we ask for today's report, Lord Chancellor.

Serenity! It has been but one day!

We see. You will make your report at future meeting, then.

You have two days.

Pardon?!

Matter is closed. Mer Aisava?

We thank you for your invitation, sister.

Of course, Serenity.

Our nephew tells us you are a dab hand at bokh. He is still playing, then?

Yes! Yes, we play many games since my arrival.

And how would you evaluate his skills? Merrem Lorazho, the door, please.

Idra has much potential! We do looking at endgame problems together, where he is most weak——

We are going to get a drink. You two enjoy your bokh strategy.

Is remarkable work, that of the clocksmith's guild. We try to speak to you again, Merrem... Halezho, yes?

And Mer Halezh. We will try to remember.

We do not take the privilege of your time for granted, Serenity. We thank you.

It's 'endeavour'.

We will try to... endeavour?

No, no——'We will endeavour to remember.' See?

Ah. Means what?

To... to make an attempt. To resolve to achieve something.

...So, 'try'?

Mm, yes, but not quite. It is more polite.

Because needs more letters for spelling? Awful.

It is about the connotations, dear.

It is about having too many words with same meaning! Except no, secretly, meaning is different. But only a little. 'Hm, yes, not quite.' Elves! Tch.

Dach'osmin Ceredin! You have something to say?

Naught that demands your attention, Serenity, we assure you.

Hm. A shame.

Ah, Csethiro! It's been absolutely ages since we last saw you.

Two weeks?

As we said! Ages! As we recall, you used to haunt our sitting room at teatime twice a week at least. Has your father finally given you up for a lost cause?

An we did not know better, we would think you were trying to get under our skin, Csoru Zhasanai.

Hmph. We rather thought we were succeeding. You are the one who is trying.

Not 'endeavouring'?

We are content to be called endeavouring.

...We hear some of the old guard find you endeavouring as well, Serenity. A point in your favour, to be clear. Would it be unkind for us to ask how you are adjusting to the Court?

Not unkind. But we fear answer will not excite you.

Bore us, then.

Corazhas is... is Corazhas. We do not grow up speaking Ethuverazhin so they think we are witless. We should like to see them argue legal minutes in Barizhin.

'Minutiae'.

Your move.

Advance.

Damn.

It was a clever gamble, Dach'osmin.

Not clever enough.

Remind me never to play thy baby brother for money.

Why didn't you grow up speaking Ethuverazhin?

Ah. Our guardian thinking michenai should be seen, not heard. Better not seen also.

...Oh. We were not aware.

Is not so different at Court, no? Parents send michen to governess, tutor, foster family... (HE WAVES A HAND) But no matter.

One would think an imperial tutor obliged to teach his student the national language.

Your move.

Advance.

Alas, the hour grows late. We fear we must resign.

Good night, Edrehasivar.

...And finally, the witnesses for the Wisdom of Choharo request at least one week's time before the next report.

We thank you, Lord Chancellor.

Quite. Now, Mer Aisava, the next order of business is...?

Hold. Not yet.

Report says Wisdom of Choharo was serviced in Amalo.

We are afraid we do not catch your meaning, Serenity.

Witnesses have only spoken with those in Cetho.

You cannot possibly intend to send our judicial witnesses to Thu-Athamar!

We intend to see correct persons investigated, Lord Chancellor.

Well! Ignoring the assumption that the 'correct' persons are not right under our very noses, or indeed that any such persons exist, we must remind you, Serenity, that Thu-Athamar greatly values the freedom your father granted them. Sending Witnesses from the Court to oversee the Thu-Athamareise investigation would seem to say we think them either incapable or complicit!

Thu-Athamar is having his own investigation, then?

An the principate believes it assassination as you do, Serenity, they certainly would.

So you do not know. We see.

We cannot risk implication of immunity for Thu-Athamareisei. Is dangerous precedent. But we must consider further. Any other matters to discuss?

Serenity, if we may. We have received word from the Barizheise consulate in Cairado that the Great Avar of Barizhan may be planning a visit for the end of the year.

Dakh'avar does not travel, we thought.

That is correct, Serenity.

...Ah. Floor is yours, Bromar.

Have we considered writing to Prince Orchenis directly? He is thy cousin, after all.

You are very nearly finished, Idra. Focus is what?

The primary tool of the mazai.

Remember that.

And wouldn't an Amaleise culprit already know of any Thu-Athamareise investigators? Surely they are well-versed at avoiding them by now.

Prince Idra, please.

Sorry, Dazhis, we are simply——what in the world is Chavar thinking? The culprits could be covering up evidence as we speak!

Probably he is thinking, 'Good.' But Dazhis is right, Idra. Would better for thee to focus on thy tutor's assignment.

But we must be able to do something——!

We must be cats, take careful steps. Every person of Thu-Athamar is at risk. An Chavar have something to do with the crash, thou'rt at risk. An he did not, thou'rt at risk. Already Chavar commits treason because he is wanting michenzhas to control.

Take heart, Idra. Chavar takes bokhrat, knows our pieces, and we do not know his. But!

We can still win, if we are smart. Careful. Game is difficult, very difficult, but is not lost.

What about a piece that can be moved in secret? That should change the game, we think.

...Explain?

We are your Witness. But we need not Witness for you. (BEAT) Send us to Amalo, Serenity. We will better serve you there.

But you are needed here.

Serenity, we are useless here. Idle.

Useless? You are our translator!

And you have not required our service since Nelozho and the Doreshada. Serenity, you——

You cannot leave! We cannot do this without you! Do not——

I forget myself. Forgive me.

I——we will not order you to remain here if you wish it not. Would... be wise to do as you suggest. Is little we can do, and you are Witness for the Dead. We have dead in need of Witnessing.

What must we do, to——to——

——petition you? Oh, witless hobgoblin thou art, Maia, I... Thara, please, I cannot——

Thou canst.

To petition us you need only ask, and name your dead.

Then we petition you, Othala Celehar, to Witness for our father Nemera Drazhar, his sons Nemolis, Nazhira, and Ciris, for Mara Lilana, who was Wisdom of Choharo's pilot, and——and all others who are dead, if you can. We do not remember all their names. We are sorry.

You've given us more than enough, Serenity. We will do everything in our power to see the truth out.

We must speak to the dead before all else. It is easier to call them up with a member of the family at the Witnessing.

We will come.

Serenity, surely you agree a ban on news-reporting is an oppressive and unreasonable response to any moral shortcomings of the newspapermen.

We see treason, bigotry, lies. Where do newspapermen report news?

Lord Deshehar is cherry-picking the worst possible examples, Serenity. The people deserve to——

——know what goes on in their communities! What is to say this proposed Office of Censorship will not simply funnel propaganda to the principalities? And who is next, after the newspapermen? The operaneisei? Does our nation no longer value the freedom of expression?

He says, sitting in Vedero Drazhin's parlor, of all places! Mer nohecharis! Shall our loose-tongued friend here be dragged off to the reveth-atha?

No, Dach'osmerrem. Not unless he intends to commit treason.

Surely in that case he would earn the kiss of a sunblade, no?

Ah, but Dach'osmin, he cares so for the plight of the commons! Surely he would repudiate that ancestral right.

Brandy?

No thank you. We do not drink.

Your sword, Dach'osmin.

Oh! Right.

Is fashion? Or do you fight?

We fence, Serenity. So neither, really. It is sport. We have never had occasion to win a duel.

You are confident you win, then.

Entirely. I win nine matches in ten, and that's playing fair. In a duel I wouldn't be so foolish. What of you, Serenity? Do you fence?

Ah, no.

What of cards?

We can teach. And then you can have yet another game in which you are the superior player.

Ah, we are not so certain, Dach'osmin.

Nonsense. You will have beginner's luck at the very least. We imagine Noranamaro must be particularly fond of the Drazhada.

Is fair point.

We are Maia Drazhar, prelate to Mother of the Sure-Footed.

A pleasure, Othala.

What is word, ah... mix cards together?

To shuffle?

Yes. You shuffle, please.

This one is called 'Cynicism'. It uses a Barizheise deck, which means we take out the eights, nines, and tens. It can be played as a partner game——up to five teams of two——or as we play it now.

It starts with putting a single card face-up, as so:

Auspicious start.

No, no, you win that round. Three is worth ten, remember?

Oh.

It is strange to see you so... alone. Abandoned by the Celehada?

Word is strong, but...

Csoru is using you, Serenity.

For?

For power! Influence? Does it matter?

She is Zhasanai. Both of these things, she has already. We cannot give more. Less, perhaps, to be our friend. We cannot marry her. Fearing scandal, we do not even bring her into household, though she is kin and she is lonely.

Csoru will bring scandal down upon herself whatever you do. She always has. And to call her 'friend'! She speaks of cultivating you, Serenity. She wears you like a badge of her own talents.

Csoru is... strong personality. But she is kind, in her way, even when it hurts her. She takes her cousin into her household when he is disowned, against wishes of her father. She helps us much, when no one can pretend is for sake of her late husband's wishes, and if she thinks she is gardener...

Matters not. She is our first friend.

Serenity...

We thank you for warning, for we know it is well meaning. We promise, does not hurt our friendship.

'Our...'? Serenity, really.

I... That is... Pray do not take us to mean we want nothing to do with you. We greatly value your acquaintance! But please do not play the courtier with us. We get enough of that from everyone else.

We... we do not understand.

I mean... (SHE LAUGHS, FRUSTRATED) We've barely spoken. You cannot expect us to believe that you consider us a friend.

We apologise.

Hour grows late. Good night, Dach'osmin Ceredin.

Wait! I——

Much as I regret to say it, thou must marry her.

Must I?

Maia. Do not pretend to me 'twould be a hardship. Thou'rt fond of her, plain as day.

And? I am fond of thee and Idra! I am fond of thy cousin, and my nohecharei, and Mer Aisava!

We are honoured to be held so highly in Your Serenity's esteem. Lord Pashavar inquires after Your Serenity's availability for an evening meal. Is the twenty-third suitable?

Eugh. Having no way out? Yes, is suitable.

'It is suitable', how many times must I tell thee? And thou canst not marry me, or my cousin, or Mer Aisava, many as his virtues surely are——

Thank you, Zhasanai.

——and every other eligible lady of the Court either reviles thee, or thou she. Dach'osmin Ceredin is the only reasonable choice.

...Thank thee, Csoru.

Thinkst she would agree?

Maia...

Even Csethiro is not so brash as to turn down the emperor's proposal. So yes, we think she will find Edrehasivar perfectly agreeable.

But the same cannot be said for——

To His Serenity Edrehasivar VII, greetings and loyal good wishes.

The course of our investigation has led us to, of all places, the Opera. We write to you from one of Amalo's many opera houses, where The Siege of Tekharee provides an achingly inappropriate score for what we have discovered.

Before we continue, we ask you to forgive us if the ensuing dramatics read less as a report from Witness to Petitioner and more as a tale intended for the stage.

In our current circumstance, truth may be as fantastical as fiction.

It is within the labyrinthine underbelly of the Amaleise opera industry that we have uncovered some great scheme of questionable purpose.

While the wealthy of Amalo tend to their expensive fancies, a growing collective of workers conduct their business some few yards beneath them.

The operahouse's director is known for his radical sympathies, and allows secret meetings——attended by all manner of political malcontents——to be held in the back of house.

In pursuit of learning more about the Wisdom of Choharo's final flight, we have taken on temporary employment in the refitting department of the Amal-Athamareise Airship company, where nearly every worker seems able to quote Curnar by heart.

Our ignorance of their ideology was quick to earn us an invitation to one of these meetings. We found there a great deal of in-fighting——between men and women, between elves and Barizheisei, between the irreligious and the devout, between pacifists and self-styled revolutionaries.

Among these last, several individuals have caught our eye. They cannot all be embroiled in some grand conspiracy, for they cannot stand each other well enough for that. Many are likely guilty of no more than speaking ill of the dead...

...But others seem to know more than they tell, and do more than they brag about to their fellows.

One such man is an operaneisa we first found skulking about in the airship yard...

...in clothes that, in retrospect, may have been costumes stolen from his employer.

When we recognised his face in advertisement posters, we wondered what business a man like him could have with airmen...

...A thought which was echoed when we discovered him sneaking into the boxes of important opera-goers during intermission, including the Cambeshada and Tethimada.

Whatever game he plays, we are not yet privy to it. And he is far from the only one with suspect motivations.

Strategy, tragedy, treason. In the thick of it all, we continue to find ourself deeply grateful that we are your piece, Serenity. We shall progress the board as you see fit.

But what does it say?

Not fair! Let us read it, too!

Girls! Give her space! That means you, too, Dach'osmer!

But darling! It is from the emperor!

Csethiro, my beloved sister. Might I please see thy letter?

'To Dach'osmin Csethiro Ceredin, greetings: We fear this must be strange and awkward for you, as it is for... us...'

What next?

Canst not simply leave it there, my dear girl!

Oh, give it here.

Dach'osmin Ceredin, greetings... strange and awkward... 'We are sorry for that. We wish to be a good'——Oh!

A good what? A good what?!

Husband! Csethiro's going to be married!

Husband——!

Darling, I beg thee sit! Recall what the Csaiveiso said!

Sit? My Csethiro is to be Zhasan! I cannot possibly sit!

But it is not official as of yet.

She's right. This isn't a proposal, but rather an apology for a proposal to come. Sit, Father, and spare thyself the coronary stress until necessary.

Ceredel! A letter to you from Edrehasivar. What business have you with His Serenity?

Dost not seem so thrilled, Csethiro Zhasan.

He says he is sorry.

'We ask you to tell us when we offend or wound you, for we will not do so purposely, but only out of ignorance.' Yes, that was strange.

But I am the one who has wounded him.

Oh?

He called me his friend. And I told him I could not believe that.

Ouch.

I know.

So... saidst something to offend the man. And then he goes and proposes marriage to thee?

...Yes?

Take heart then, Csethiro! Hast found thy perfect match!

——cannot thank you enough for your help, Mer Pel-Thenhior. You will send the letter straightaway?

You as well. Good night, and——and stay safe.