"What if there is anyone else around here whom he has kept or is keeping as a mistress."Rei exclaimed.

She had come close to being tricked once. What if she had been? Except with someone else.

"Perhaps if she's in your household, you should dismiss her, but she might not be. He might keep her, or them, somewhere else. Besides, what difference does it make?"asked Deimos.

"It might just be best."shrugged Phobos.

"Just what do you two have in your brains that you could suggest it's best or that it makes any difference that I be made a fool of in that way! The entire court might be laughing behind my back and you think it's best!"

"But they aren't laughing behind your back. You already know. And why would they laugh? All men keep mistresses."Phobos pointed out.

"And it's in your best interest that he does keep mistresses. If he does keep them, that would mean that he would expect a little less from you."an idea occurring to Deimos.

"What do you mean?"asked Rei.

"He might prefer to spend his nights with them. Wouldn't that be better? It can't be too pleasing to be forced to share a bed with a man you don't like, much less love."

Rei turned to her.

"Just what would you know?"she demanded. "You're not married yet as far as I know."

"Not us, but you are. And you're certainly anything but happy with him. Don't you even sometimes go out of your way to avoid him? How hard must it be when you must sleep with him?"wondered Deimos aloud. "Now you can have someone substitute for you."she sounded as though the idea suddenly occurred to her.

"You were anything but a happy bride. Both before and after."put in Phobos. "You don't particularly like married life, do you? So why should it matter?"

Rei thought about what they were saying, and decided they were right. What did it matter to her what he did?

"You're right."Rei finally said. "It doesn't matter."

Phobos and Deimos glanced at each other.

"We will simply forget this."she said firmly. "However, I will tell you this, ther will be no maîtresse-en-titre at my court."

"She's not maîtresse-en-titre. As far as we know, no one is."Deimos told her.

Rei found the idea of Jadeite's keeping a mistress upsetting. But Phobos and Deimos were right, she reminded herself firmly. It shouldn't matter. The truth was, though, she found it more difficult than she would have thought. She was not a physically cold woman, and would sometimes find herself admiring her husband's handsome features.

Deimos said that there was no maîtresse-en-titre. And there never will be, Rei told herself. Not while she was queen. Because it would be humiliating for her, Rei told herself firmly. No other reason.

"I think we depressed her a little bit."Phobos said to Deimos.

"I think so. But I think it might have been a good thing that that Izolda told her about it. It might even work to Her Majesty's advantage. Izolda was probably only thinking of herself, but she might soon find out she wished she had kept quiet."said Deimos.

"I hope so. And I hope you really were right in that there is no maîtresse-en-titre."

"Not as far as we know, but there might be if we don't do something. You know as well as I do that Her Majesty is only pretending. I think in spite of herself, she does love him. Otherwise, she wouldn't be so upset, would she? That wasn't just anger or anything, that was jealousy. And she would only get jealous because she thinks she doesn't matter to him."

Both of them were very fond of Rei. Between the two of them, they might just hatch something up to help.

"We'll just have to keep our eyes and ears open."

No one noticed anything different the next morning. Rei decided she would not give any indication that there was anything wrong. It wasn't only until breakfast, as she sat before Jadeite, that she seemed to be unable to do so.

"You seem upset this morning."said Jadeite at breakfast.

"That's very perceptive of you."she said coldly.

"You just seem tense and you haven't eaten."

"I found out just why you had a list drawn up for me to choose who I would take into my household!"she blurted out. "Were you disappointed? I suppose you were. Or wait, let me rephrase that, I don't suppose, you were, but that you are."

Jadeite looked puzzled.

"I didn't put the list together. Izolda did. Just as she prepared your rooms and everything else."

"What do you take me for? You had her put the name of the girl who was at the ball last night."

Now he not only looked puzzled, but was really puzzled.

"There were a lot of girls at the ball."

"And you would know!"

Now she wasn't just talking in a cold voice, but almost seemed in a temper.

"The one wearing the black and green dress. The one with the wavy black hair, green eyes, and the black fan."

He remembered.

"The Earl of Jarl's daughter, I think, you mean."

"A mere earl's daughter!"she exclaimed, throwing down her napkin, and approaching him.

Before he could say anything, she slapped him hard, turned her back on him, and left the room as fast she could.

Phobos and Deimos hurried into her boudoir. They always helped Rei prepare for the day. They found her sitting in her favorite chair, and could see that more than angry, she looked sad and hurt. They certainly weren't expecting to find her like this. Her make up was running down her cheeks. Clearly, at some point she must have been crying.

"Madam!"exclaimed Deimos. "You look so upset. Are you feeling unwell?"

"It was the Earl of Jarl's daughter."Rei told them. "Imagine that. An earl's daughter."

Putting one hand over her eyes, she turned away from them. How she really hated to cry in front of other people!

"Who?"asked Deimos.

"I think she must mean the girl Izolda pointed out."Phobos answered. "But you must remember that you are the queen, Madam."

"My mother was also the queen. Only she was a queen just in name. It was always those mistresses my father kept who ruled the court, remember? My mother was only there to bear him sons. That's what I'm here for, as well."she sounded resentful.

Phobos and Deimos looked at each other.

"But he really does care for you, I'm sure."

If only that could be true, but no. No matter what she thought, it wasn't true. She might as well just had stayed at her father's court.

"I think we should go back to my father's court. The three of us."she sighed. "I'm almost wishing we had never left."

"We can't go back, Madam. The only way would be if you're in disgrace."

"I already am in disgrace, Phobos! I'm being made a fool of! What made me think it would be different? That he would be different? It's exactly like it was at my father's court! I still carry out the same duties, don't I? The only difference is him! And he's no different!"