Playing politics.

"So." Madeleine says later. "It's been a couple of days, and you still revealed what you know about the plot against me."

Having just been towelled off by Elodie, the Dauphine stands over a workbench, glad only in a quilted dressing gown, the Sinnabarrovian emblem, the red mountains, on the breast. She fusses with thin lengths of wire, manipulating them into various shapes beneath a magnifying lens.

"Right..." you begin. In all truth, you had meant to tell Madeleine right after her meeting with Hjordis, but the interruption Kara and Robert's return had posed, and the attendant moral dilemma, had distracted you. You'd had time as you travelled to the coast, obviously, but given the... sensitive nature of Chancellor Bistodeau and Queen Camille's plot, and your unwilling involvement, you'd been waiting for a time when Kara wasn't around to broach the subject.

“During the royal visit to Copieux last year, I met with the Queen for a drink. Little did I know, she'd spiked it. I came to in her bedchamber. She didn't realise I was awake, but her plan was to, using potions and fertility amulets, reap my seed, pass our son off as your father's, so as to prevent you taking the throne.”

Madeleine's stopped fiddling with her wires now, has turned to face you straight on.

“When I am Queen, she's really going to be the first one into the tiger enclosure.” Madeleine says, her clipped tone belieing the fury roiling within. “She's earned it now, oh yes she has...”

“She didn't act alone.”

“The Chancellor?” Madeleine asks, though you imagine only for your nod of confirmation. “I'm not surprised. The only way he'd see me on the throne is sat on his lap. He'll get it the worst.”

You're loath to imagine a more painful fate than being torn apart by tigers, but you wouldn't put it past Madeleine to be able to come up with one.

“One question.” Madeleine says, more organised, more focused than usual. “You were in Sinnabarrow six, seven moons ago.”

“That's right.” you slur.

“And Camille, when I left the capital, didn't look remotely pregnant. How?”

“I, er... took care of it.” you tell her.

“Without her knowledge, I assume?” Madeleine surmises. “However did you do that?”

“I have my secret ways.” your vague response.

“Oh Edward...” Madeleine smiles, eyes flicking down just momentarily, taking in the black band the Allsire had provided you with. “That is becoming abundantly clear.”

“How will you deal with them?” you ask, hoping to shift the Dauphine's attention from your mysterious ways and means.

“Something to figure out when we're not being assailed by vicious brutes from the sea.” Madeleine says tamely. “But now that I know exactly who the snakes in the grass are, it should be that much easier to step around them, anticipate their movements.”

“If that was a stab at a hunting analogy, I'm afraid I'm as ill-equipped to understand it as you are to make it.” you say, making for the exit.