Morning arrived with Pen wishing to borrow Dain's lenses having woken up between Tindel and Aethen. The two had a bit of fun teasing her but assured her they had all fallen in at the close of the tavern. She was enjoying breakfast when the guards came banging on the door. It appeared there was a guest at the manse that did not wish to be ignored. She had three guesses as to who, but only one came to mind.

"He seemed annoyed when we told him you were unavailable..." Tam said, free of his helm and gauntlets.

"Like he's never gone and done something stupid..." Pen said, still trying to see without wincing. "...It was either stupid or dangerous...and we both know which one your father would gripe about."

"Atar might still grumble about this. Get a bath and some of that nasty headache stuff, I'll delay our unwelcome guest a bit longer."

She smooched her song on the cheek and headed to be presentable.

Tam had arranged for the Viceroy to meet his mother in her office rather than her study. It clearly stated she meant business rather than receiving him as a guest. Ge'els looked her over with a frown, clear he had not wanted to deal with her.

"...Where is Crevan..." He demanded. "He is usually your shadow."

"He has been...Ill." Pen said, weighing her words with care. "I thought it best that he retire for a short while...he is unharmed." She frowned. "You are here for more than the "Concern" for a "friend". So cut to the chase."

"I was informed there was an...incident with a Navigator." He said. "

"Yes, strange that..." She said. "Considering the manse is warded against unauthorized portals." she fiddled with the ink pen on the desk, the sharp nib an easy weapon. "...my guests acted in self-defense, there wasn't much left..."

The Aen Elle leaned forward, tilted his head slightly.

"I know what you were Lady Thorn..." He threatened.

She heard his implied threat to expose her to the other courts. He did not know that her allies knew exactly what she had been. Nuada had to be open with them in order for Pen to be formally recognized as High Queen. He must have thought her a mere consort rather than a ruler in her own right.

"Then you know very well what I am capable of." She hissed. "...The fact that his majesty is still alive should tell you the lengths I will go to defend those dear to me. Now think of what I will do to defend my people."

"I will have..."

Pen slammed the ink pen into the desk, nib first to emphasize her point. She wasn't going to let him

"Do have a care about what you say...you are not in your court but in mine. You should know there are more deadly things in this court than a Higher Vampire...ones I assure you are as old as you and just as...refined."

Pen reached to the shelf, A "lady Sarah" rose was in a small vase. It would do perfectly. The poor bastard wouldn't know the difference since he'd never get near the private courtyard where the actual bestial roses grew.

"Take this, for example, used to grow around towers where they held princesses...It grows on the bones and blood of princes. I have several of these roses, and I like to feed it arrogant assholes...so do take care not to be one..."

He was watching the way she was handling the rose, casually like the thorns did not matter.

"...Idle threats..."

She reached into a drawer and plunked the skull of the last victim of the roses on the desktop.

"This was the last one to run into them, made for some nice blooms," She played with the rose in her hand. "This is one of them..."

She watched him pale a bit, he didn't believe her yet. It also indicated he had come to make threats rather than concern for one of the navigators. She reached forward and tucked the bloom into his tunic.

"Think upon it if you feel like threatening me again..." She rose completely and headed out effectively ending the meeting.

When Nuada heard of it he laughed. He knew well the difference between the blooms, as did most of his court. Those that didn't usually found themselves with some nasty thorn pricks and ill from the venom. He noticed the Viceroy's face, he was insulted that he'd brushed off Pen's threat in a trivial manner.

"They were a gift from Lord Jareth when she established her court." Nuada said. "and I should make you aware you threatened my Queen."

"You should learn to control her..."

Nuada smirked. "I learned long ago never to attempt such, either as my subject or my wife."

The viceroy's frown told of more trouble to come.