Celine took the shells gratefully. It gave her hands something to do. "Thank you, they're so pretty. Well... no," she admitted to Adelpha's question. "But...um... they could. That's sort of why I needed to see you and Max- to tell you why-" She gulped. "Why my family moved here. Maybe, since we've known each other two months now, you might know a little. We did move here because of my health. And because of a house fire. Almost equally for both reasons, but the fire more." It might not make sense to Adelpha that the fire was the main reason they were here, because Celine had visited the springs a couple of times already. But it was true.

"I didn't want to tell you both in front of your parents. They might decide it's not a good thing for us to be friends. So I asked you both to come here, and if one or both of you decide you don't want to be my friend anymore, it's okay." Well, not okay. Celine was nervous enough already without thinking of facing a new life- and access to a new court- alone without friends. But there was always a chance, if only a small one, that she could make friends in court, and maybe some of them would get the idea of dangerous politics better than these two. But royals seemed to like to stick to their own kind.

"What I mean is," Celine fingered a particularly intricate and detailed little shell, though she could barely see it for the way unwanted tears blurred her vision. "I would almost expect you not to be my friends anymore. Being seen with me might hurt you too. My father's fellow ambassadors may hold a grudge against him for something. That's what we think, anyway. And if not- who knows? For all I know, we could have enemies here." She shivered in spite of the warm spring weather.

Truth be told, they could have political enemies- or at least those who didn't like her father's policies- in any court they visited.

"They- everyone- said it was a summer storm. We did have a huge downpour. Thunder and lightning and all. And it damaged several houses. And lightning can cause fire. But I don't know. All I know is Rhais got hurt- now she doesn't hear in one ear- and our house burned down, and it might be because of something no one wants to admit!" It made her angry and scared all at once.

Maybe Celine shouldn't have expected Adelpha to understand. She was willing to admit that that was her own fault. After all, how much did kids- even older ones like them- understand about politics in the first place?

"Not even I know all the reasons why." Celine admitted. "I just know people will sometimes do awful things when they hate something- or someone who had anything to do with what it is they don't like. But I don't think you would think it was silly if it was your house- you might be scared, too. And my father isn't a soldier- not like yours."

Still, for all that she could admit Adelpha seemed to be trying to make her feel better, Celine's face tingled and stung with shame, her voice soft with it.

Why did she ever bother trying to make herself heard? Not even her siblings always understood her (though they would about this). And maybe young people who were royals understood a little more about politics, but a lot of those young people would probably rather talk to a wall than to a middle class citizen like Celine of Acaris. In that way, Celine was used to usually being alone.

She sighed and tried to smile. At least Adelpha seemed to care, even if Celine couldn't quite shake the feeling that Adelpha didn't really understand how afraid she was. Then again, maybe Adelpha felt safe with a father who was a soldier.

Celine didn't have that comfort. But she couldn't be mad at Adelpha because Adelpha did. Celine was hurt and confused- she couldn't help it- but she wasn't angry.

"People might have tried to follow us here to Colchis. We don't know- but they could have. Or they could still be looking for us. But if you think your father can stop them, it might help me not to worry so much," she admitted, trying to smile bravely.

Except at night. Nothing ever stopped the nightmares. But even stopping a little of the worry would help.

She only hoped Max wouldn't laugh at her too. Somehow, that might make Celine feel even worse than Adelpha laughing did.

Celine had let Max hold her hand. Gods only knew why it still meant so much- but it had. Custom before a contest or not, letting him kiss her hand had somehow meant she'd given him a piece of herself. If he laughed at her, it might hurt forever.

"They could still come after any of you to get to me, if we are seen together," explained Celine, but she did see how Adelpha could have misinterpreted what she had said. "For that matter, I'm not sure I'm any safer in court just because the king's guards usually happen to be there. But there, I try not to worry. There might be something to be said for the phrase 'political asylum.'" Not that her family had really known exactly what caused the accident, but just the very thought of some sort of grudge between Celine's father and another of any Master Informer's employees was enough to make them think carefully.

She understood that Adelpha wanted to stay young, though probably for a different reason. She missed being young, too. All this fear and possible political danger made her wish she'd been born to another family sometimes.

"Sometimes I wish I were in a different family. I love my family, but it's hard not to wish my father weren't in politics. Maybe I could feel younger, too."

But deep inside, she knew she'd lost something of herself on the day the fire changed her life. It wasn't that Celine had ever been naive. but she wished she knew less. A lot less!

Adelpha offering to tell her father about Celine's problem made her feel better, though. Maybe there was no shame in being vulnerable.

Maybe being vulnerable had nothing to do with how strong a person was or wasn't.

Maybe she'd be more relaxed here in Colchis now, sooner rather than later, though she still felt as though she might have to be careful, at least for awhile.

Celine nodded. "That would help a lot. Thank you." She managed a smile even if it was still a bit shaky. But at least she knew now that there was no need for embarrassment. And if Adelpha could be this nice, maybe Max would still be her friend, too.Basil, she knew, was her friend anyway- they had known each other from a young age, and he understood her fears because his father had the same job as hers did.