Word was soon everywhere that there was a rift between the king and the queen. Rei was perfectly used to court gossip. There was just no help for that. It was just a part of court life. And she'd been the subject of many rumors. She was her father's heiress, and his hostess, so there was bound to be plenty about her. However, she found this particular piece terribly distasteful.
"Just what do people find so exciting about my life?"she asked, irritably.
She knew she should never have flown off on the topic like she did, and she didn't know why she did it.
"You're their queen. They're bound to want to know about you. Besides, I heard that there hasn't been such a thing here, for ages! It's almost a novelty!"said Deimos.
Rei looked puzzled.
"A novelty?"
"It is almost a novelty at this court, Madam! The late king kept no mistresses, and when the king was still crown prince, he wasn't married yet."
"Now that is what really is a novelty. He was only awfully discreet, I'm sure."
"You should take on the roles of queen, wife, and mistress!"Deimos told her.
"What?!"
"You're a queen perfectly, Madam. Everyone agrees on that! The wife, uh, and the mistress, not at all."
"Because I'm not a mistress!"
"You should learn to be one!"added Phobos. "Kind of."
"I am not a courtesan! Do you mean I should learn to be one?! I saw and heard enough of them, thank you. I've always thought it was demeaning. Men talk so much of honor, well, I may not be a man, but I do believe that we have honor, too!"
"I don't mean you would be any man's mistress. I mean, you could be somewhat like your own husband's mistress. Then there would be no need for your husband to need any other women. Men must be comforted. That's what they keep mistresses for."
"What do you know about husbands, sister?"asked Phobos.
Deimos almost jumped and almost lost her balance and had to grab the back of a chair.
"Nothing! It's only sense I'm making out of it. If you were all together, then you'd be perfect."Deimos spoke hastily.
Neither Rei nor Phobos seemed to hear her last sentence or care for it for that matter. They only stared at her.
"There wouldn't by any chance to be enough money for new dresses, would there, Phobos?"asked Rei, while still staring at Deimos.
"Yes, Madam."
"And I want to dictate a letter I'd like to send."
Phobos was about to pull a sheet of paper toward her, and get her pen, when Rei shook her head.
"I was hoping she wouldn't follow, and she didn't."said Rei, as she pulled the paper away from Phobos. "What is Deimos talking about?"
"I don't know."answered Phobos.
She was just as perplexed.
"You asked Deimos what she knew about husbands? And come to think of it, she does seem a bit too knowledgeable for a maid. All she said...about different roles."
"I asked because I've thought so she did seem a bit knowledgeable, too."
They sat thinking for a while.
"Do you think-"they both began at the same time.
"Oh, you go ahead."said Rei.
"Er, no, Your Majesty should finish first."
They both knew Deimos was a little fast and liked to flirt, but…
"She's never asked me for permission to marry. I would grant it without hesitating."
"Things she might have picked up around court."said Phobos. "She's an excellent eavesdropper. That lady she dismissed, if she didn't have such sharp hearing, the lady would still be here."
"Dismissed?"
Rei frowned. Phobos had forgotten Rei didn't know. And definitely not why.
"She'd become a little careless in her duties."
Rei nodded. It was up to Deimos as her mistress of the household, after all, to hire or dismiss any of the staff, if she thought they were unfit for their post.
"What I said was only so she wouldn't follow, but thinking it over, I think I would like some new dresses, after all."she brightened up. "And we'll really have to get Deimos. I'd like to go over with her, an inventory of my jewels. Among other things."
"Should I bring you the crown jewels, as well, Madam?"asked Deimos.
"No. Just my own jewels. The crown jewels are too much for state occasions."
"A little ostentatious."suggestested Phobos.
"I guess so. But this isn't mine."
Rei picked up a necklace. It wasn't quite like any necklace she'd seen before. It was much longer, but fit like a choker, around the throat.
"This one isn't mine. Does it also belong to the crown jewels?"
Deimos checked her list.
"No. It looks like it belonged to the late queen. I've seen some of ladies here wear necklaces like those. They're called bib necklaces."
Phobos giggled at that.
"I think they can be worn as coronets, as well."Deimos continued, ignoring her sister.
Rei tried it on.
"Something between a choker and an actual necklace."she said. "They seem to have been a favorite of hers, because there are lots."
An idea occurred to Deimos.
"Then there's no better time for you to buy new dresses! We'll just have to get the dressmaker here. I think I know what you should wear with them."
Phobos went to her sister's room just before retiring. She stood at the door to make sure Deimos wouldn't leave.
"The queen and I were intrigued at your…knowledge, sister."she said.
"Knowledge? About what? You shouldn't be so intrigued, Phobos. I've usually been the wisest of us two."
"You seemed so confident in giving the queen advice. So knowledgeable husbands. One would almost think you had one."
"What? But of course I don't!"
"Do you have something like one?"asked Phobos.
"Of course not! Just like Her Majesty said, I do have my honor! And my reputation!"
Deimos sounded furious.
"I sound knowledgeable because I listen to people who are. You do learn useful things eavesdropping. Eavesdroppers usually hear not just amusing, but highly useful things. And practical, too. Remember I was the one who found out for sure that the king was keeping no current mistress. Do you suppose I knocked on his door and asked?"
"Well, no."
"You see?"