Heart of Leoth: [HAITUS]

Part XVIII ~ Fara

Delphine of Hirath swished into the room with Wyllan a few steps behind her. She wore her usual colours of deep green and gold, her red hair loose about her shoulders in great snake-like waves. She threw a brief glance at Fara as she came toward Valdr, curtseying low and graceful.

"Majesty," she purred at Valdr, before inclining her head vaguely in Fara's direction. "My lady." This was said in a different voice.

Wyllan dipped into a quick bow before rising to full height, glancing at her with a flicker of unease. She considered giving him a reassuring smile but was given Valdr's and Ravol's presence, it was not wise. So she centred herself, kept her face expressionless. It was Ravol who spoke first.

"My Lady Dacian, we apologise for interrupting your first dawn abed with your husband," Ravol began smoothly. "But there has been a development concerning the Queen consort and as you, it seems, were the last person to speak to her we wonder if you may have some idea about her state of mind."

She looked at Valdr, a small laugh of incredulity bubbling up from her throat. "Her state of mind? However, should I know her state of mind?"

Valdr leaned into the gilded seat which was not quite a throne but not quite a chair either, his head resting casually on his upturned hand, fingers playing over his lips. The solar was hot despite the chill she had tasted in the air this morning. The glass windows reflected the heat and light around the bright room in curtains of brilliant white gold.

"You spoke to the princess at the feast last night, yes?" Ravol pressed. "After which she was seen to flee the great hall."

Delphine stood taller, lifting her chin. "Flee? I did not see her flee the great hall, no. As for our discourse, I merely welcomed the princess to Prissia and offered her my friendship should she ever need a sympathetic ear."

"I had not been aware you had any capacity for sympathy, Lady Delphine." Fara was unable to stop herself from saying.

Delphine swung her gaze toward her, a smirk threatening to break free from her pink slash of a mouth.

"Oh, there is much you do not know about me, your grace," Delphine said. "I only hope now that I shall be spending much more time here at court on account of my husband, we shall be able to overcome the misunderstandings of the past and learn more about each other. Forge a friendship perhaps. We have much in common after all." Delphine looked at Valdr and then Wyllan, gracing him with a simpering look.

"If we might focus on the Queen consort," Ravol interjected. "You offered her welcome and counsel, and tell us, how did the queen seem?"

Delphine cocked her head to the side. "Perhaps if you tell me what has befallen our new queen, Lord Ravol, I may be better equipped to aid with your enquiry. As it is I am quite at a loss as to how my very brief converse with her majesty is of such great import. Or how it is connected to her state of mind." Delphine looked again at Valdr, who said nothing. When Ravol looked at him, a question on his face, Valdr made the faintest of gestures with a blink and a flick of his finger.

"The Queen consort was not found in her chamber this morning." Ravol told her. "In fact, she has not been seen by anyone since she fled the great hall. And it seems you were the last to speak with her."

This caused a visible note of unease to creep over her features.

"Now do you see why your conversation is important, my lady?" Ravel added

Delphine blinked rapidly a few times before turning to Valdr. "My king, you cannot think I have anything to do with the Zybarian's disappearance."

"Your queen's disappearance," Fara corrected.