The next morning started early enough that the sun had only just made an appearance, and Idelle had to drag herself out of bed and into her clothes before heading out with Sabena and four others from the Guard to stand watch as Aelga held a row of meetings with important nobles from Holmley and cities further south. Though Idelle found this the worst part of the job, she listened closely as some of the barons discussed the fears and worries they had about the insistent Glastonbex invasion. She learned from their conversations that the fire mages from down south had made a few miles worth of ground, taking over the entirety of Avonford, and that small battalions of Earth Druids and Water Mages had joined the fight via skirmishes that got as far into Wynherst as they could before having to retreat. The barons were finding their cities attacked by Glastonbex troops regularly, and though they could defend themselves behind their walls, the threat was only going to be driven up the longer they were allowed to reach so far into Wynherst.

Aelga, unable to do much at the moment, could only soothe their fears and assure them she was doing all she could. While they didn't seem impressed with the truth of what she said, they seemed willing to let her calm their fears and turn to pleasant topics. Aelga was so good at conversing, as if she was made to listen and ask the perfect questions. Her voice was light and cheerful, and even though she still wore the heavy black mourning attire for her brother, she seemed able to make everyone feel just a bit better about their own situations.

Finally, near midday, Aelga retired to her rooms to rest, and Idelle had two of her women go with her while the rest were allowed a break. Idelle herself took off toward the library in the upper balconies of the castle, wanting to get in a few hours of studying before she had to be back at the barracks to conduct agility drills. After chatting with Walliam a few days ago, she'd found she was woefully ignorant of tactics and knowledge on the city and the people in the castle. To be able to protect Aelga, she needed to know every nook and cranny of the castle, and about the nobles and servants who occupied it. Reynard was an obvious research topic, but she needed to know about the relationships between the rest of the staff and friends that Aelga kept near her. Were they connected to Reynard? Lived near the border? Had anyone expressed any anger with the royal family recently? They were all questions that haunted her at night until she'd made a point to make time to read through the extensive records and books in the large library. Torran had shown her where it was, and she was already rolling her shoulders to prepare for the long span of sitting down, hunched over the pages...

"Captain!"

Idelle turned as a page boy came puffing to a stop at her side. He grimaced, his cheeks still chubby with youth and deep red from running. "Her Majesty requests you join her in her rooms," he said.

Fear spiked in Idelle's chest. "Did she say if anything was the matter?"

The page shrugged. "She didn't seem upset or afraid. Only, she wanted me to find you as soon as possible. Said she had something to tell you."

Idelle dismissed the page boy and made her way to Aelga's living chambers. It was about a ten minute walk, and she used it to calm her pounding heart and still her breathing. While she was sure there was nothing the matter, being summoned not a handful of minutes after last seeing Aelga felt wrong. No matter that no one seemed worried as she passed them-- and surely they would be if Aelga had run into danger-- Idelle still felt like something was lurking in the shadows, whispering warnings into her ear.

Once she reached Aelga's room she saw that she'd put the Guards outside the door. Before Idelle could even say anything, the taller of the two, a woman named Bellia, shrugged and shook her head. They had no idea why Idelle was here, either.

With a smart rap on the wood, Idelle waited until Aelga gave her permission to enter, and then slid in and shut the door behind her.

Aelga sat on a chair by the long row of windows that looked out over the inner ward. Sunlight cascaded through her red hair, lighting it up into hues of gold and ember. She worked at a large piece of embroidery on a screen in front of her, calm as a shaded lake. Idelle stepped forward, eyebrow raised.

"You wanted me?" Idelle asked, not knowing what to do with her arms so folding them across her chest. It made her look obstinate, but really it was to hide that she felt uncomfortable among all the lace and velvet and gold tassels that drowned Aelga's room. There was no mistaking this as anything but the private receiving room of a queen, with carpets multiples inches thick that felt like clouds, and deep purple tapestries on every wall. Chairs, massive and heavily padded, filled the empty places, and carved wooden tables held trinkets and crafts that Idelle had never seen before in her life. The fireplace burned away cheerfully, even though it was big enough to stand in and probably cost a fortune to keep going all day. The luxury and wealth felt suffocating, and Idelle had to fight not to drop her eyes on the one spot of plain flagstone between the wall and the carpets.

Aelga pushed aside her embroidery and patted the chair beside her. Idelle crossed over, sitting on the cushion and realizing just how faded her leggings were in comparison to the peacock blue satin of Aelga's gown. "Yes, I wanted to let you know that I've decided to let Queen Yseult's bodyguard have a little more freedom."

Idelle's head jerked back before she could help it. A million thoughts flooded her mind but she only managed to choke out, "W-what?"

Aelga's eyebrows pulled together and she cupped her hands in her lap, but otherwise she acted as if they were talking about whether she should have bread or porridge with breakfast. "Yes, I think that he's proven to us that he does not wish me any immediate harm," she said. "He caught me last night and was very kind about asking if I was all right or hurt in any way."

Idelle let out a quasi-laugh, not sure she was hearing correctly. "He's the bodyguard of the woman who would love to see every single member of your family destroyed. There's no way that he should be allowed to freely roam--"

"The longer he stays cooped up with the queen in her rooms, the more time she has to give him orders and make plans against me," Aelga said.

This, finally, was a reasonable argument. It still didn't merit letting Thellamy out, but it at least made some sense. "That may be true, but she could have him spy on us if we free him."

Aelga held her hands out, palm upward. "And what would he find? Nothing. They most likely know the layout of the castle and the rotations of the guards. He would have nothing else to see except any meetings I might have with advisors, and he would obviously not be allowed near those."

Idelle twisted her mouth. "Your Majesty, I just think we shouldn't..."

"I appreciate that you are only trying to do your job," Aelga said, "but I really think we could do more good than harm by letting him out. He could be our key to Yseult, if we can show him that we are kind and understanding. He wouldn't be allowed in certain parts of the castle, but he also would see that we're extending some trust to him by not giving him an escort. Perhaps he'd return that trust."

"It's too risky, in my eyes."

Aelga slapped her hands down on her lap, her jaw tight and her nose crinkled. Idelle had never seen her mad before, but it seemed this was it. And directed at Idelle, no less.

"Why will no one listen to me?" she asked, jumping to her feet and grabbing her skirt in both hands. She kept her back to Idelle, but her shoulders hunched forward and she paced back and forth. "I feel like I'm talking to the wind, because everyone will just do what they want anyway! It's like no one thinks I can possibly have any good ideas."

The silence after her outburst was almost as physical as a blanket being tossed on a fire. The embarrassment rolled off Aelga, though she also held a hard line on her lips in a sign of defiance. She wasn't used to speaking her mind, but the crown was changing that.

Idelle waited a moment to make sure that Aelga had said all she was going to, and then stood up to reach Aelga's side. "I don't mean it that way," she said.

"Oh, I'm sure none of you do," Aelga said, her words spit out. "You all just think, 'Oh, Aelga, she's just a pretty princess who knows nothing but foreign languages and dances. How could she possibly know anything about strategy? We're the experts!'. Well, I'll have you know Aengus didn't leave me high and dry. He made sure I knew something about leadership."

Idelle bit her bottom lip and shifted. In a way, Aelga was right. Many of her councilors and soldiers had decades of experience, far beyond what Aelga might have learned from a tutor. These were men and women who had experienced the world and knew what to expect. Even Idelle, though she hadn't realized it until just now, had viewed Aelga as more of a precious item to be guarded and shielded, then a queen who could make decisions and think. True, Aelga relied heavily on her council at the time, but she would need to think on her own and make decisions that others would follow, even if they didn't agree. It pained Idelle that she'd thought that way, comparing Aelga to a small puppy to be coddled, because it felt too much like how the Guard had treated her at the beginning. A young little girl, stepping out of her bounds and not knowing what she was doing.