Just be as honest as you can without saying any that could get you executed

"Christopher of Alsera. My dad is a Lord, my mum died just after I was born." You mechanically inform, Aurora drummed her fingers on her knee and stared at you. "I met Princess Anastasia at my debutante ball and she offered to sponsor me at the academy." You figure mentioning the **** Contract would not be ideal suggestion. "We exchanged letters for two years and then," you hesitated, Anastasia had said her parent hadn't cared about her absence while she and Isabelle came to visit you but had she actually given the details, "she came to collect me from my fathers estate and brought me to the capital."

Aurora kept drumming her fingers staring at you. The silence between the two of you stretch and you grew increasingly uncomfortable.

Shifting in your seat you wondering if she was expecting you to mention the **** Contract. If she knew about it you not mentioning it would mean you were hiding something from the Queen to favour her daughter. That seemed hopeful and the longer the silence stretched the less it felt likely.

You opened your mouth to speak again when you were cut off. "Would you like something to drink?" The Queen snapped the fingers that had been drumming and a cabinet opened to the left of the fireplace. On it was a collection of various bottles, containers, glasses and cups. You know this dance and stand up walking over to it.

There are more than a dozen options to chose from and you get the feeling there is a right choice here. You reach your perception out to the Queen trying to gauge her reaction as you reach for each choice. She doesn't react to any of them. Her focus is on you not the possible drinks. That is worse, it means there is a right choice and she isn't giving it away.

Feeling a desire to find the most alcoholic option your hand nears a bottle when she speaks. "What you do I ordered your execution?"

Your hand freezes. There is no change in her that your can sense but she is the Queen so significantly more experienced, she might have a way so conceal gathering magic. "Probably jump out the window." You say looking over to it. A single glass pane that a quick check confirms an enchantment. You didn't recognise the magic so don't know if your disintegration will work on it but you also figure there isn't much that can survive something trying to outrun light slamming into it.

"It's survived far worse than you." The amusement in her voice does make you think she might be joking.

"Maybe but I doubt it's survived something as sacred as me." You respond. You were perfectly aware that you are powerful but like, you aren't fighting a building full of people, or an entire kingdom for that matter.

Aurora lets out a chuckle. "That one." As she speaks a ceramic container rattles gently. You open it and see dried leaves. You'd never encountered a tea, or maybe coffee, analogy in this world so maybe it was new to this world, or just really unpopular. You see a small metal kettle, it's spout has a filter and a small cage for the tea analogy. You scoop in some leaves and pour in the water. Holding the base in your hand you use magic to heat the metal and simmer the water. You spin the kettle a little to get the leaves flavour spread out.

You smell the water. It smells like tea, though you can only remember tea smelling kinda like well dried leaves so you aren't much of judge. As you pour the flavoured water into the cups you note that Aurora hasn't reacted to this at all. With two cup of tea analogy you really hope you got this right. Putting them on a small tray you also put on something that looks like milk but can't see anything that would be sweet and smelling everything to find might be a little weird.

You carry the tray to Aurora and set it on the small table between the two lounges. She doesn't take a cup but stares at you. You look at the tray and lean do to take it back to the drinks cabinet to find the sweetener when she sighs. "Magic ruins the flavour." She picks up her tea and has a sip turning her lips up in dislike. "My daughter hasn't taught you much despite her wanting you to act like the son of a Duke."

You freeze still bent to grab the tray. "Aaaahhhh."

Aurora smiles at your response. "So are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Your question?" You are still bent over reaching for the tray.

"Who are you? Don't make me repeat myself again." Aurora's expression darkened and you swallowed reflexively.

"Ahhhh I'm Christopher?" You aren't sure what she is getting and you tone reflects it.

Aurora sigh and puts the tray back down. "Sit." You unbend and hurry to sit opposite her. "Stop spying and come in." She said with a raised voice. There is a rummaging outside the door and a soft thud. Aurora shakes her head. "Ana."

The door slowly opens and a sheepish Anastasia is standing outside. "Yes Mother?" She doesn't look up to meet her mothers eyes. You are a little surprised Isabelle isn't with her. Maybe that soft thud was the sound of her running away. Not a bad decision really.

"Sit." Aurora said in the same tone she had used with you. Anastasia walks into the room her eyes still down. As she passes the door it slams shut making her jump. She hurries over and sits next to you. Aurora glares at the two of you. "Do you expect me to believe you met him at a debutante ball?"

"I did." Anastasia said more than a little petulantly.

"Ana." Aurora reprimands.

"Sorry Mother. I did meet him at the ball, he said that he would accept my sponsorship if I also sponsored Edin." Anastasia is wringing her hands as she speaks.

At the mention of Edin's name you see Aurora clench her jaw. "We aren't speaking about that boy." Aurora said with a dismissive wave. Anastasia shifts uncomfortably but you saw a bit of her normal will gather at her mothers words. Clearly Edin has already been a subject of their conversation and not happy ones.

"Christopher just wanted to come to the capital, I didn't know he was strong until this week." Anastasia said as her aura grew and wrapped protectively around you. "He is my friend and my responsibility, just like Edin." Her being defensive of you was somewhat endearing but the absence of the **** Contract from her words, meaning she hadn't told her mother the reason she thought you were friends really only reminded you of its existence.

"Just like Edin?" Aurora asked leaning back and drumming her fingers slowly. "Ana, Christopher is not another of your pets." you aren't sure if you should feel good or bad about that. "Christopher I need to talk to my daughter in private." The door opens and you stand then hesitate. Isabelle is out there. "Now." You swallow your fear and walk outside with the door slamming behind you.

Isabelle isn't here but she might show up. You could go for a wonder around but who knows how long the Mother Daughter talk will take. On the other hand Isabelle is more likely to come here to spy so if you aren't here it's less likely you'd run into her.