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Cicero was entirely unperturbed by the apparent discomfort of their hosts. Indeed, he thought to himself as he took another sip of the so graciously proffered wine if anyone had cause to be offended it was him. Family by marriage if not by blood and here were Iris and Aimias keeping secrets that could cost him his job if he weren’t careful. The man at least seemed to be able to put on more of a front of hospitality, but before he could answer the question Cicero had directed to him, Iris had interjected, and the spymaster turned his gaze to her with a blank look in place.
“Well, that is sad news. You didn’t mention that, Elysia” he said, turning to his wife though it was more for show than anything because he didn’t think the woman would neglect to tell him such a thing. That Elysia’s response to her cousin suggested she was also unaware had Cicero tilt his head a fraction. Her and Iris were close, and not usually ones to be without something to say to one another, even if there was nothing of value to say at all. Odd, that Iris would not reach out to family in such a dire situation. And yet also convenient.
“I’m glad to hear she is on the mend, and I hope your time away hasn’t been too costly, Aimias.”
There was, after all, much going on in the capital, and it couldn’t have been an easy thing for the chief advisor to step away from his young charge. Things such as betrothals might happen. There was a suspicious quirk of the master informer’s lips at Elysia’s little outburst, but it was by far the most honest appraisal in the room. Iris’ response too bland, and though Aimias tried to shape his words into something approving, his tone suggested quite the opposite. Cicero didn’t add his opinion as to the match; it didn’t matter after all, but he did glance askance at Aimias’ assessment of the young Princess.
“A good head on her shoulders? Let us hope it remains there. The mood in the city is not the most amiable right now. If your daughter is out of danger, I would make haste to return my Lord” he observed mildly. “I know how you care for the Xanthos family.”
He sat back then, only moving to reach for a fig and some crumbly, salty cheese from a platter that a servant was offering around. It was good, and Cicero relaxed, content to let their hosts fill the silence and risk exposing their duplicity further, or let it linger and add to an already strange and questionable atmosphere.
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Cicero was entirely unperturbed by the apparent discomfort of their hosts. Indeed, he thought to himself as he took another sip of the so graciously proffered wine if anyone had cause to be offended it was him. Family by marriage if not by blood and here were Iris and Aimias keeping secrets that could cost him his job if he weren’t careful. The man at least seemed to be able to put on more of a front of hospitality, but before he could answer the question Cicero had directed to him, Iris had interjected, and the spymaster turned his gaze to her with a blank look in place.
“Well, that is sad news. You didn’t mention that, Elysia” he said, turning to his wife though it was more for show than anything because he didn’t think the woman would neglect to tell him such a thing. That Elysia’s response to her cousin suggested she was also unaware had Cicero tilt his head a fraction. Her and Iris were close, and not usually ones to be without something to say to one another, even if there was nothing of value to say at all. Odd, that Iris would not reach out to family in such a dire situation. And yet also convenient.
“I’m glad to hear she is on the mend, and I hope your time away hasn’t been too costly, Aimias.”
There was, after all, much going on in the capital, and it couldn’t have been an easy thing for the chief advisor to step away from his young charge. Things such as betrothals might happen. There was a suspicious quirk of the master informer’s lips at Elysia’s little outburst, but it was by far the most honest appraisal in the room. Iris’ response too bland, and though Aimias tried to shape his words into something approving, his tone suggested quite the opposite. Cicero didn’t add his opinion as to the match; it didn’t matter after all, but he did glance askance at Aimias’ assessment of the young Princess.
“A good head on her shoulders? Let us hope it remains there. The mood in the city is not the most amiable right now. If your daughter is out of danger, I would make haste to return my Lord” he observed mildly. “I know how you care for the Xanthos family.”
He sat back then, only moving to reach for a fig and some crumbly, salty cheese from a platter that a servant was offering around. It was good, and Cicero relaxed, content to let their hosts fill the silence and risk exposing their duplicity further, or let it linger and add to an already strange and questionable atmosphere.
Cicero was entirely unperturbed by the apparent discomfort of their hosts. Indeed, he thought to himself as he took another sip of the so graciously proffered wine if anyone had cause to be offended it was him. Family by marriage if not by blood and here were Iris and Aimias keeping secrets that could cost him his job if he weren’t careful. The man at least seemed to be able to put on more of a front of hospitality, but before he could answer the question Cicero had directed to him, Iris had interjected, and the spymaster turned his gaze to her with a blank look in place.
“Well, that is sad news. You didn’t mention that, Elysia” he said, turning to his wife though it was more for show than anything because he didn’t think the woman would neglect to tell him such a thing. That Elysia’s response to her cousin suggested she was also unaware had Cicero tilt his head a fraction. Her and Iris were close, and not usually ones to be without something to say to one another, even if there was nothing of value to say at all. Odd, that Iris would not reach out to family in such a dire situation. And yet also convenient.
“I’m glad to hear she is on the mend, and I hope your time away hasn’t been too costly, Aimias.”
There was, after all, much going on in the capital, and it couldn’t have been an easy thing for the chief advisor to step away from his young charge. Things such as betrothals might happen. There was a suspicious quirk of the master informer’s lips at Elysia’s little outburst, but it was by far the most honest appraisal in the room. Iris’ response too bland, and though Aimias tried to shape his words into something approving, his tone suggested quite the opposite. Cicero didn’t add his opinion as to the match; it didn’t matter after all, but he did glance askance at Aimias’ assessment of the young Princess.
“A good head on her shoulders? Let us hope it remains there. The mood in the city is not the most amiable right now. If your daughter is out of danger, I would make haste to return my Lord” he observed mildly. “I know how you care for the Xanthos family.”
He sat back then, only moving to reach for a fig and some crumbly, salty cheese from a platter that a servant was offering around. It was good, and Cicero relaxed, content to let their hosts fill the silence and risk exposing their duplicity further, or let it linger and add to an already strange and questionable atmosphere.
Iris was already tired of this entire affair, but she knew that she had to hold her tongue and make it seem like she enjoyed the company. Despite her prickly nature, she was silently happy to see her cousin, though felt stuck with the situation she had found herself in. Where she would have normally confided in the older woman, as Elysia was very much one of the closest people to her. Elysia had been around since the moment she had been born, and it was hard not to find ways to confide in the one constant in her life. Even after Elysia had married Cicero, the effort was still made to keep that connection open.
All of her frustration was simply because there was no way to tell the truth here. Not without putting so many lives, including all of them in this room, at risk. Elias was not a kind man. She may have thought so at first, but she did not think so now.
Swallowing hard, Iris glanced away slightly, "At the time, my mind was simply on making it back here in time to see what I could do to help her," Iris admitted to Elysia. The truth, by all accounts. "And once I was here, I didn't leave her side," she continued on, settling her hands in her lap. She didn't quite desire wine the way she had a few minutes before. She completely ignored Cicero's jabbing comment that Elysia hadn't told him about the illness. Frankly, she had been too anxious and unsure that even she could do anything to help the girl that she hadn't thought of asking for help.
But she had been so frail and scared. So tired and terrified that she could not breathe properly. Truthfully, Iris had hardly slept or ate herself, never actually wanting to leave her side just in case she drifted into Hades' grip when Iris wasn't paying attention.
The talk quickly shifted to Elias and Emilia, and Iris clamped down on her feelings there. Elias would ruin Emilia, that much was for sure. But she had hope that Persephone upstairs could change the course of that fate before it was too late. Iris frowned at Elysia when she touched Iris' forehead, her green gaze uncertain. "You know that Elias and I do not have a great history," Iris murmured softly, glancing away from her cousin now. "What he is doing sickens me. I do not agree with the union, but what am I able to do about it, Elysia? What are any of us to do about it?" Her words were spoken only to Elysia, her attention mostly on her.
But Cicero was quickly frustrating her at the quiet accusations that he was throwing Aimias' way. That was unfair, truly. The coldness with which Cicero seemed to look at the world, at least from her perspective. Aimias had more than just the Xanthos to look after now. Phillipa was out of danger. Out of danger and out of Aetaea now that Persephone and her entourage had appeared. It had been the first thing that Iris and Aimias had done. Sent her away where she would be much safer.
It was true, even Aetaea was no longer safe. Nowhere was.
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Iris was already tired of this entire affair, but she knew that she had to hold her tongue and make it seem like she enjoyed the company. Despite her prickly nature, she was silently happy to see her cousin, though felt stuck with the situation she had found herself in. Where she would have normally confided in the older woman, as Elysia was very much one of the closest people to her. Elysia had been around since the moment she had been born, and it was hard not to find ways to confide in the one constant in her life. Even after Elysia had married Cicero, the effort was still made to keep that connection open.
All of her frustration was simply because there was no way to tell the truth here. Not without putting so many lives, including all of them in this room, at risk. Elias was not a kind man. She may have thought so at first, but she did not think so now.
Swallowing hard, Iris glanced away slightly, "At the time, my mind was simply on making it back here in time to see what I could do to help her," Iris admitted to Elysia. The truth, by all accounts. "And once I was here, I didn't leave her side," she continued on, settling her hands in her lap. She didn't quite desire wine the way she had a few minutes before. She completely ignored Cicero's jabbing comment that Elysia hadn't told him about the illness. Frankly, she had been too anxious and unsure that even she could do anything to help the girl that she hadn't thought of asking for help.
But she had been so frail and scared. So tired and terrified that she could not breathe properly. Truthfully, Iris had hardly slept or ate herself, never actually wanting to leave her side just in case she drifted into Hades' grip when Iris wasn't paying attention.
The talk quickly shifted to Elias and Emilia, and Iris clamped down on her feelings there. Elias would ruin Emilia, that much was for sure. But she had hope that Persephone upstairs could change the course of that fate before it was too late. Iris frowned at Elysia when she touched Iris' forehead, her green gaze uncertain. "You know that Elias and I do not have a great history," Iris murmured softly, glancing away from her cousin now. "What he is doing sickens me. I do not agree with the union, but what am I able to do about it, Elysia? What are any of us to do about it?" Her words were spoken only to Elysia, her attention mostly on her.
But Cicero was quickly frustrating her at the quiet accusations that he was throwing Aimias' way. That was unfair, truly. The coldness with which Cicero seemed to look at the world, at least from her perspective. Aimias had more than just the Xanthos to look after now. Phillipa was out of danger. Out of danger and out of Aetaea now that Persephone and her entourage had appeared. It had been the first thing that Iris and Aimias had done. Sent her away where she would be much safer.
It was true, even Aetaea was no longer safe. Nowhere was.
Iris was already tired of this entire affair, but she knew that she had to hold her tongue and make it seem like she enjoyed the company. Despite her prickly nature, she was silently happy to see her cousin, though felt stuck with the situation she had found herself in. Where she would have normally confided in the older woman, as Elysia was very much one of the closest people to her. Elysia had been around since the moment she had been born, and it was hard not to find ways to confide in the one constant in her life. Even after Elysia had married Cicero, the effort was still made to keep that connection open.
All of her frustration was simply because there was no way to tell the truth here. Not without putting so many lives, including all of them in this room, at risk. Elias was not a kind man. She may have thought so at first, but she did not think so now.
Swallowing hard, Iris glanced away slightly, "At the time, my mind was simply on making it back here in time to see what I could do to help her," Iris admitted to Elysia. The truth, by all accounts. "And once I was here, I didn't leave her side," she continued on, settling her hands in her lap. She didn't quite desire wine the way she had a few minutes before. She completely ignored Cicero's jabbing comment that Elysia hadn't told him about the illness. Frankly, she had been too anxious and unsure that even she could do anything to help the girl that she hadn't thought of asking for help.
But she had been so frail and scared. So tired and terrified that she could not breathe properly. Truthfully, Iris had hardly slept or ate herself, never actually wanting to leave her side just in case she drifted into Hades' grip when Iris wasn't paying attention.
The talk quickly shifted to Elias and Emilia, and Iris clamped down on her feelings there. Elias would ruin Emilia, that much was for sure. But she had hope that Persephone upstairs could change the course of that fate before it was too late. Iris frowned at Elysia when she touched Iris' forehead, her green gaze uncertain. "You know that Elias and I do not have a great history," Iris murmured softly, glancing away from her cousin now. "What he is doing sickens me. I do not agree with the union, but what am I able to do about it, Elysia? What are any of us to do about it?" Her words were spoken only to Elysia, her attention mostly on her.
But Cicero was quickly frustrating her at the quiet accusations that he was throwing Aimias' way. That was unfair, truly. The coldness with which Cicero seemed to look at the world, at least from her perspective. Aimias had more than just the Xanthos to look after now. Phillipa was out of danger. Out of danger and out of Aetaea now that Persephone and her entourage had appeared. It had been the first thing that Iris and Aimias had done. Sent her away where she would be much safer.
It was true, even Aetaea was no longer safe. Nowhere was.
The visit was as awkward and stilted as any visit could be. Iris was at her most high strung and though she took great pains to hide it, Elysia knew her well. Aimias, too, looked not at all easy and then, of course, there was the fact that Elysia knew for a fact what secret the two were keeping. It made everything so...complicated. Normally she and Cicero would stay for quite a while but as it was so terribly evident that Iris wanted her to leave...Elysia didn’t. Not to drive her cousin insane but to throw her off the scent. She intended to, and did stay as long as they usually did.
She invited herself and her husband to a meal - banking on Iris having no true reason to refuse. The meal was...still awkward. Afterwards, though, was where Elysia broke tradition. Generally she’d stay overnight but this time, she did let herself and Cicero be pushed out. After all, she didn’t want to make Iris too uncomfortable with having to ready a guest room or to go too great of lengths of hiding the runaway queen.
Honestly it actually made Elysia a little ill. Why had the queen been so foolish as to come to some place so painfully obvious, knowing she was being actively hunted? Ah well.
As she and Cicero were getting back into their carriage, she sat down and sighed unhappily. “That went well,” she said without the accompanying victory of that fact. She wished it’d gone horrendously. The carriage rolled on, taking the two of them home and leaving her cousin and her cousin’s husband with the queen to wonder…had they escaped detection...or not. And would they now move Persephone? Elysia hoped so...but it was unlikely. Now all she had to do was brush up on her lying skills.
Though, she mused as she chewed the end of her thumbnail. Maybe she wouldn’t lie and just hope that Persephone fled. She was still undecided even now.
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The visit was as awkward and stilted as any visit could be. Iris was at her most high strung and though she took great pains to hide it, Elysia knew her well. Aimias, too, looked not at all easy and then, of course, there was the fact that Elysia knew for a fact what secret the two were keeping. It made everything so...complicated. Normally she and Cicero would stay for quite a while but as it was so terribly evident that Iris wanted her to leave...Elysia didn’t. Not to drive her cousin insane but to throw her off the scent. She intended to, and did stay as long as they usually did.
She invited herself and her husband to a meal - banking on Iris having no true reason to refuse. The meal was...still awkward. Afterwards, though, was where Elysia broke tradition. Generally she’d stay overnight but this time, she did let herself and Cicero be pushed out. After all, she didn’t want to make Iris too uncomfortable with having to ready a guest room or to go too great of lengths of hiding the runaway queen.
Honestly it actually made Elysia a little ill. Why had the queen been so foolish as to come to some place so painfully obvious, knowing she was being actively hunted? Ah well.
As she and Cicero were getting back into their carriage, she sat down and sighed unhappily. “That went well,” she said without the accompanying victory of that fact. She wished it’d gone horrendously. The carriage rolled on, taking the two of them home and leaving her cousin and her cousin’s husband with the queen to wonder…had they escaped detection...or not. And would they now move Persephone? Elysia hoped so...but it was unlikely. Now all she had to do was brush up on her lying skills.
Though, she mused as she chewed the end of her thumbnail. Maybe she wouldn’t lie and just hope that Persephone fled. She was still undecided even now.
The visit was as awkward and stilted as any visit could be. Iris was at her most high strung and though she took great pains to hide it, Elysia knew her well. Aimias, too, looked not at all easy and then, of course, there was the fact that Elysia knew for a fact what secret the two were keeping. It made everything so...complicated. Normally she and Cicero would stay for quite a while but as it was so terribly evident that Iris wanted her to leave...Elysia didn’t. Not to drive her cousin insane but to throw her off the scent. She intended to, and did stay as long as they usually did.
She invited herself and her husband to a meal - banking on Iris having no true reason to refuse. The meal was...still awkward. Afterwards, though, was where Elysia broke tradition. Generally she’d stay overnight but this time, she did let herself and Cicero be pushed out. After all, she didn’t want to make Iris too uncomfortable with having to ready a guest room or to go too great of lengths of hiding the runaway queen.
Honestly it actually made Elysia a little ill. Why had the queen been so foolish as to come to some place so painfully obvious, knowing she was being actively hunted? Ah well.
As she and Cicero were getting back into their carriage, she sat down and sighed unhappily. “That went well,” she said without the accompanying victory of that fact. She wished it’d gone horrendously. The carriage rolled on, taking the two of them home and leaving her cousin and her cousin’s husband with the queen to wonder…had they escaped detection...or not. And would they now move Persephone? Elysia hoped so...but it was unlikely. Now all she had to do was brush up on her lying skills.
Though, she mused as she chewed the end of her thumbnail. Maybe she wouldn’t lie and just hope that Persephone fled. She was still undecided even now.
