In Which Mona Lets the Scales Tip

October 9, 1179

"Welcome back." Anna greeted Mona with a quick hug and a pat on the shoulder. It was a little too familiar, but she supposed they were sort of friends by this point, having been living each other's lives for the better part of a year now. Besides, Anna was, for all intents and purposes, the princess. If she thought a hug was appropriate, then who was Mona to argue? "How was the trip?"

"Disappointingly dull, thank you very much." And that was without getting into the storms or the seasickness. She'd be feeling the waves beneath her feet for months. "At least Zareth let me go to shore with him when we docked and he had to check the ship."

"And at least you did retrieve it?"

"Oh, yes."

Anna's brow bent to a peak. "And?"

"Also disappointing. No treasure, no jewels... nothing. It's not even a great ship." And that to the point where she'd pitied those who'd had to man it for the return trip! "Devidra just wants to give it to my father."

"That's not surprising. What better way to get rid of the few lousy war ships Carvallon has than to donate them to some landlocked king's frivolous navy? Er, no offense to your father," Anna added hastily.

"None taken. It is frivolous." Mona tugged at a loose lock of hair. She supposed she ought to be insulted, seeing as she'd been the price of that navy, but by this point, she guessed she was over it. That wasn't her life any more. "And if all the lousy ships aren't accounted for, then Devidra has no choice but to give my father a good one." Good thing he'll never have much use of it, really.

"Mmm. Well, let's just hope Naroni doesn't agree to back any other nation at sea any time soon. It'll be years before they have the required forces anyway."

"I know. We don't even have a proper land-based army yet." Her sister Lily would no doubt be shipped away in exchange for supplemental soldiers. Not many people tended to move to Naroni on their own volition. "My father's a delusional fool. I love him, but he's a delusional fool. He thinks he and his kingdom are so much more than they actually are, and no one bothers to tell him off because they know he won't listen. At least Ietrin has a better grasp of reality--too good of one, perhaps."

"Whereas you're perfectly balanced between the two extremes?"

There was a hint of sarcasm there. It wasn't quite unmerited. "Of course not! But really, good luck finding someone who is."

"Point taken." Anna brushed a bit of fluff off of her sleeve, then brought her hands to a clasp. Mona didn't know her maid-turned-lady quite as well as she guessed to she ought to, but she'd noticed that that gesture tended to precede news. "And speaking of delusion and reality, there's something you should probably know."

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