Mirana hadn't meant to interrupt Casiphia and Ilosovic, but it was hard to do otherwise. Their romance hadn't flagged in the slightest since he had become part of the household at the White Castle, and it seemed at any moment not given over to official court duty they were either offering snarky commentary on whatever was happening around them, or nestled together somewhere. The Queen thought this was a good solution to the problem of keeping Stayne contained, rather than making other residents of the castle nervous, and of course she was delighted to see her lady-in-waiting so content.
This time she found them in the library, and she was sitting in his lap while they looked at a book of paintings.
"Ahem. My dears," Mirana said. "Have you seen Alice? There has been, um, an incident, and I believe she is the one who can best address it."
"I haven't seen her since breakfast, Your Majesty," Casiphia said, trying pointlessly to sit up straighter and smooth out her dress. "Have you tried the millinery?"
"I have, and Tarrant is there without her," the queen said. "It all becomes more perplexing by the moment."
"Shall we help find her?" Casiphia turned to Stayne, who tried to hide a sigh.
"Certainly, my love, we will do what we can," he said, setting the book aside with perhaps a louder thump than was strictly warranted.
"The book will be still be here," Casiphia whispered. "I'm certain we will be able to find our place again."
"Of course," he said, planting a kiss on top of her head to remind himself why exactly it was he was jumping to the whims of Mirana. Not that she wasn't an immeasurable improvement over her sister in all ways, but he would never feel quite comfortable being at the whims of royalty ever again. Casiphia was a different story—she regularly brought out the most chivalrous side of him—and besides, she had ways of thanking him for his services that were more than appreciated.
But there was no time to consider any of that now, as Mirana was already flitting down the hallway and they had to scramble to catch up with her. As they passed the doorway to the kitchens, Nivens McTwisp, dapper as always in a blue-checked waistcoat, popped his head out and joined the procession.
Alice, as it turned out, was in the armoury, talking with the weapons master as he ground even sharper the fine edge of the Vorpal sword.
The queen and Alice embraced, and Mirana said, "I am glad to find you doing this, my dear. I have a problem—or something that might become a problem—and you are just the person to assist me with it."
Looking curiously at the group, Alice said, "Of course, Mirana. And the rest of you. I hope this hasn't anything to do with loyalties in the kingdom."
"Nothing like that," Mirana said. "I don't believe. Come, let us settle in a room somewhere and discuss this like the civilized persons we are."
Soon the six of them were seated in a comfortable sitting room with cups of tea (there were always cups of tea), and while Casiphia was disappointed at losing her place in Ilosovic's lap, she sat next to him on a divan and pressed her leg as close to his as she was able. Meanwhile Tarrant was looking longingly at Alice, separated from him by the arms of their chairs, and Nivens was looking uncomfortable at all of this expressed affection. Mirana arranged her skirts about her, causing her chair to disappear almost completely beneath them, and began her explanation.
