The braw Aelif walked into his shared office space to Esme leaning over Rileus' shoulder, reading. He tried not to think much about it-the closeness that the image gave was a rank lie. His betrothed didn't like his cousin much. But part of him hurt, knowing that she could be that easy with someone she didn't care for because it meant that she could do the same for him. Moments like this always brought out the reminder that she wasn't likely to stay. And they were still no closer to the end than when this trap was first sprung on them. She didn't want to have this conversation anymore, but all that left him with was the daily reminder that he was trapped in a game he couldn't win. He didn't want to force her to stay, to steal her destiny.

With some effort he put it aside. "What are you reading?"

Esme shifted to mumbling the words out loud, fighting against his distraction, but Rileus spoke up. "Its the most recent letter from your favorite man. Intercepted it this morning. It's clear that he doesn't approve of your betrothed and promises to free you of the burden, soon."

The braw Prince forced himself to remain calm. "Do you think he's responsible for the Seeded Wife, or not?"

"I don't know. And I'm not sure an escort and tail are enough to protect Esme, either. And you going along may just enrage the man."

"But is he here?"

Esme looked up, finally. "I doubt that very much. These aren't the words of someone who has seen you with his own eyes, but one who desires to. He would have to be exceptionally deceptive to keep it this strongly in longing to catch a glimpse of you."

"Is there going to be any official action?" Althalos stayed so still for this question. He should have sat, instead. He felt lightheaded.

"Yes. I'm sending our uncle with whatever choice words Grandfather will have for the man's head. I may drag the Eldest in on it as well, as this is against a bondmaid."

Esme frowned. "Would it be easier if I gave up my morning walks?"

"I don't want you to give up a damn thing, my dear. I hate that there's risk, but I've allowed it thus far. I'm not taking that from you." He said it in his normal careless manner, refusing to allow himself the fear he felt her first day out. He had his edge anyway, a way to trail her without being there. This he had ensured himself.

Rileus had not been told that much yet, so his cocked head--clearly asking that question in silence. Althalos gave his cousin a nearly imperceptible nod as he took a seat. For once, his Princess missed it-and he was grateful. Without that knowledge, they could continue on under the same tensions as ever until she bore him a child.

Cluelessness comes with it's own drives where the importance of remaining on a given topic is lost on the ones left out. Esme straightened back up while dismissing the disturbing letter and spoke. "Well, since that is settled, I assume that this is a good a time as ever to address what other options you may pursue in the Shards than the guild?"

"By all means. What other ill can there be in the Shards than the guild?" Rileus said this with his usual smirk, of course.

"Theives aren't smugglers." She retorted that quickly before moving around near Althalos, sitting down close enough for their knees to touch. "I assume you lumped them together, no? They aren't Toughs, either. Our power was built on staying out of the more dangerous enterprises and by cumulative affect. A gang of toughs harming a thief in a turf war was taken out by the entirety of the guild. That's happened at least once in my lifetime that I participated in. No choice, that time-it was my assigned partner that was killed."

That caused the Heir's Heir to grimace. "Wait, how many of these thrice-cursed groups would you place in the Shards?"

"Relative, Rileus." Esme gave a gentle tap on the table for her no, but not harsh enough to merit full dissent. "A gang of Toughs could be extortionists or they could be the sons of households along a stretch of the Shards who would rather be playing some sport, but are there to keep the extortionist off their patch of turf-or anything between the two. No guarantee that going after a given gang would give you better control if you're taking out it's best saviors."

"What else is there, then?" Althalos moved his leg against hers as Rileus asked the question-whether merely because they were close or because he was being his usual carnal self, who knew? She just hoped he would keep his distractions to a minimum.

"The Knackers of the Shards are different from the rest of the city, and they are all but owned by the different factions. The Priests of Glenmoire are as much Toughs as Priests. Probably would be a better way to navigate the Shards if you wanted to civilize crime. All 'Skirthouses are not fully free-will. Three streets: Twillling, Falthame, and Beiroot? No one goes down them save those that belong there." She paused there to glare at her bethrothed as that move was no accident. "I suspect Beiroot to be where much of the street apothics come from-some good, some bad. No one knows what is going on in the other two. The Dames are 'skirts without a house, and are mostly free-banded together for some protection against abuse. The Flips are unsanctioned magic wielders-none of any real power, though. Scurriers might be grouped, but they're mostly unhoused citizens that are avoiding the rest. Frankly, those are the ones who should become Lady Fane's apprentices, but they never make it. Various groups tap into them for their lowest ranks."

"Which groups are the most dangerous?" Trust the Firstborn to want this distinction due to how tame half of her list had sounded.

"Depends on what you mean. They're all dangerous, even the good ones-just as all three of us can be dangerous. But I assume you mean which ones are holding the Shards back from being just more of your controlled city with a handful of louts, here and there? The Smugglers: they're a network that spans all the nations, not all locals, an empire unto themselves. To truly get them, you're going to need aid from other nations. Beiroot needs the barrier. You've never been able to push the Shards back within a block of their base before they do whatever they can to take back their street. One end of Falthame opens up into the rest of the city, and I've still never seen anyone go down that street from the city's end, for comparison. Some Toughs are a holdout, but you need more information from people that interact withthem. But everyone who believes in the Gods at all gives deference to the Priests."

Rileus harrumphed to himself before speaking out. "Why didn't you cover this last time?"

Esme shrugged. "You asked the wrong questions-that and a method change that close to my being here would get me blamed. There comes a point where there is no more blame on being bought out their care."

Althalos looked at his betrothed, and was gaining hints of things that did not add up to what she openly spoke of: he couldn't tell if it was just knowing the woman, the bond, or something else. "What are you holding back, Esme?"

Since Althalos had left Rileus asking the questions, this one startled her a tad, causing her to look at him quite unguardedly until she bowed her head almost in submission to him. "A survey of the Shards is needed. There are streets not laid down by your ancestor's hands in there. All your maps in here are too old. But it cannot come from the guards as that will start whatever fight you've been avoiding to not directly go in and kill them all. And it should be an Aelfine, as Lady Fane can walk the Shards without anything but deference. Yes, a mapping of everything will upset some, but I'd actively seek out the priests as guards-a neutral enough party, as it is. Even having this new Aelfine be escorted to the priests by Lady Fane would be best."

"Do you know who Lady Fane is?" Althalos' eyebrows both struggled to reach his hairline at the thought of sending this woman into the Shards more often than her regular trips. Rileus simply looked lost in thought.

"No, never met her."

"She's an aunt, the king's only daughter. Has about two hundred years on us. And while she feels greatly for this city, her husband prefers the wilds of his own property. She makes it in for one scant week a year, most years. So it's going to take some serious cajoling to get her to come just to bring in another, any time soon."

"All the better. I want this as distanced from me as possible."

Rileus took back over with the questions-surprised her that he let All speak this long. "And how will this affect the thieves guilds?"

"They don't need the Shards. They already operate outside it, which is why you've noticed us at all. But yes, the more careless Thieves will fall as you take back your city. This will be leaner years if you have your way, Rileus."

"Well, the both of you, go on. I've got much to prepare, and it's close to when I normally kick your bondswain out."

This time, it was Esme that dragged them off to his little patch of land out in the homefarm as a reward and punishment of trying to stir her in the midst of their meeting. She may not have understood the draw of the place, but she wanted to experience it again.