Nuada frowned as he left the meeting with the Aen Elle, Pen had been right about their arrogance and their contempt for humanity. He had thought he was extreme in his dislike of humanity as a whole. He also now knew why they had been banished back to their own world.

They had been raiding on their way to the High Court, capturing Enclaves. He had brought up that fact only to have it dismissed as a trivial thing. He could not have them doing this, the humans had more dangerous weapons than they had when last they came to the world.

"...I'd give the order, but that would only mean "civil" war." He said to Pen over lunch. "It would not go well..."

"No, it wouldn't. There are still factions that only need a spark to set the world on fire...their raids maybe that spark..." Pen said. "and I remember where I saw the Sage's name...in the linage Lochain compiled..."

"Which line?"

"That I do not remember, It has been ages since I studied it whole." She said. "I do know that there is a line of Elder blood, but I do not know if it came from the Sidhe or Aen Elle before their banishment."

He decided to change the subject, He would not press her until she had access to her archives in the Freehold.

"...Their raids will be a problem, Humans have guns." He said. "...Shields and armor will not stop bullets." He rubbed his chest, where the bullet scar was. "...They will have to come to the freehold to learn to remove them."

"Yes, and deal with humans..." Pen said. "They will not beg though, I know that. I will make sure if the cirugens go abroad they are accompanied at all times."

"You didn't have to leave this morning." He said. "You had every right to sit beside me."

"I know, but the initial meeting had to go well." She said. "And the sharp edge of my tongue would not have helped."

"No, Dain's did not either. Though the off-hand way he insulted them was amusing."

Pen knew that he'd have held it until they least expected it.

"The one about Elderberries and hamsters or the Gerbil in bad places..."

"Elderberries and hamsters, though I didn't know you could translate that into old tongue..."

She could easily see her son deadpanning while saying that.

"The sage definitely heard it before somewhere, he near broke into a smile when Dain said it."

She smiled. "Well, they've had some contact with the world."

Nuada smiled as well. "I have a few hours before I have to be king again..."

She moved to sit in his lap, a few hours would be just right.

In The Guest quarters of the castle...

Ge'els frowned as he paced, the Lord DeRosin's sharp tongue had not endeared him to those of council. The seemingly blind Singer had an uncanny air about him like he could see into a soul and know the measure of someone.

"...I have never been so insulted." Ge'els hissed. "And by a blind male..."

Crevan frowned, he knew well enough of "Gideon" DeRosin. The half-Sidhe was a skilled healer and a powerful seer. He'd had first-hand experience of both.

"...It was unwise to insult his mother." Crevan said. "She speaks our tongue better than most of the court."

He wasn't about to tell Ge'els that she could also swear better than half the riders in their company.

"...What was that noise this morning."

Crevan smiled, making it seem like one of his tics. The Viceroy held little stock in song, preferring paint and charcoal.

"That was a Life Singer..." Crevan said. "They are descended from the Aen Saevherne left behind, or so I assume. Lady DeRosin is their head, and since she was at council I can wager that it was her who was singing up the sun."

Ge'els frowned deeper, having another reason to dislike her.

"...There will be several of them at the feast tonight." Crevan said.

Ge'els was still pacing a few hours later.

Nuada left Pen sleeping, stretching to once again be king. She would join him when she woke. He left instructions with his servants to let her wake on her own. In his opinion, she spent too much time at the Manse, but he would not deign the twins their mother. He was about to step out when he heard her wake.

"...Going to be king again." She said coming up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Unfortunately, I agreed to a feast..."

She made a noise, which meant court clothes and court manners. Two things she tended to avoid when possible.

"...I would rather not they know you as queen yet." He said. "I sent for formal guild clothes before lunch, they should be here soon. As Head of the guild you can vanish as you like, you would not be able to as queen." he reminded her. "and I wish to show you off tonight..."

"So the emeralds or the Garnets?"

"The garnets, with the jet." He said. "I wish them to know you belong to me, and mine to command." He turned and kissed her. "I will send for the servants to dress you...I will see you at the feast."

She released him and let him go off to his duties.

Pen appeared in the hall dressed in a near-black dress, matching the deep red of the garnets that made up her jewelry. A netting of jet beads with cabochons of garnets covered her hair, along with the coronet set with ivory, garnet and jet beads. The hall went silent as she entered, she looked like one of the Sidhe ladies save for her ears. Tam rose to escort her to the table.

"...Atar suggested this didn't he?" Tam said in a low voice.

"Yes, and I am armed..."

A smile tugged at his lips, "Wits or steel?"

"Yes..."

He bit back a bark of laughter. He set her between Dain and himself. It meant she was seated next to members of the delegation. This was going to be an adventurous meal.

#

It had taken every ounce of Pen's patience to sit while the Viceroy insulted near everyone at the table, the cooks and servants. Tam quietly pried the eating knife from her fingers, reminding her that it was dull.

"...It will just hurt more..." She growled under her breath.

"An a lot messier..." Dain said, echoing his mother's distaste "The carving knife would be better..."

Nuada knew his wife and sons were near their limit for being insulted.

"Lady DeRosin, Master Gideon, would be so kind as to sing for us..." He asked.

Pen looked at Dain and nodded. Both rose and moved to the center of the hall.

Pen and Dain did not perform together often, but for the Court, this would be a treat. She conferred with him for a few moments then she launched into "Banks of the Lee". She noticed the Sage was finding his meal interesting. The song struck a chord, one she needed to pluck again.

She looked at Dain and continued with "Mo Ghille Mear". Pen sang the first lines solo. Some of the other Singers in the hall came to join in, some of them had their instruments. The noble guests began to pound the tables, singing with them. The whole hall rang with the song, one of the few the whole court knew. It showed the unity of the Court, Pen stood before the Aen Elle guest and sang the last lines as she sang the first alone.

The last Pen had chosen, was "Misty mountains of home" The song spoke of home, the mountains and fields, hearing their native tongue. the Homes of the Aen Sidhe, the people of the hills and mountains. These were the people the Aen Elle had abandoned, subjugated as much as humans and left them to be slaughtered by said humans. With the final notes, she turned on her heel and marched out of the hall, with the Singer's following.

Nuada was a bit stunned, those songs had gotten a point across. He saw the Viceroy's face twist as if he'd been insulted. Oh yes, the Aen Elle guests had been insulted. He coughed to gain his composer back, he shuddered to think if Pen and the others had chosen to channel power through their voices this night. They could have brought the hall to ruble.

"...I want that bitch bared..." Ge'els hissed.

"Good luck with that..." Tam said under his breath.

"...You pushed her past insult, be thankful she only used words this night." Nuada said. "...Lady DeRosin is the head of her guild, a Guild of healers...It is never good to insult one who knows how you go together, they could just as easily take you apart." He rose. "...Gentlemen this dinner is concluded..."

He left, heading out to find Pen before she found a bottle. Sprits tended to make her tongue sharper after a feast.

Pen hadn't gone searching for Wine, but her favorite ginger soda. She knew she'd not stop at the single drink she usually drank after preforming. She was sitting in the window seat when Nuada caught up to her. She had shed her dress and finery in simple clothes again.

"...an interesting set." He said, pouring himself some of the drink. "...Love and home..."

She shifted so he could sit behind her and she could lean into him.

"...Things the Aen Elle abandoned and were banished for." She said. "The sage was effected, I suspect he lived in the Aen Sidhe world before the banishment."

"...I gave them a warning, considering you could take the viceroy apart with a few notes." He said as she leaned into him. "I think you should stay in the Court of Thorns for a little while until we can hammer out a reasonable agreement." He looked out the window with her. "...And I agree with Dain, the carving knife would be less messy."

"So we agree, the Singer, in the dining hall, with the carving knife..."

He laughed, she had shown him how to play clue over a few days they were snowed in at the Court of thorns. They used it now and again to mentally "dispose" of troublesome courtiers.

"No, let us make it in the garden...more places to hide the body."

"Excellent..."

They watched the dawn come, trading ways to make the Viceroy disappear without much fuss.