And meanwhile, you don't even ask, or give her a chance to express her opinions.  Very good.

"I suppose it does befall me, at this point in the lineup, to describe my own relationship with you, Keltham."

"When I ascended to this throne, I promised myself I wouldn't die of old age on it.  That, after all, would mean that I'd played my reign far too safely, and lost out on a lot of the fun."

"I'd be pleased to lose my crown and my head to the person you could become.  Someday.  Sometime in my eighties, perhaps."

"Not this Keltham, though.  That would be absurd and embarrassing."

"And meanwhile, Carissa is, I fear, due some punishment for her failure.  But I will take personal charge of it, and ensure that her due punishment does not weaken her.  And before you think to object, be told that such as Carissa Sevar cannot be allowed to punish herself, which is the alternative."

"It seems I must take charge of your Carissa, for a time, then.  She does need a keeper.  But I'll keep her properly owned by you, awaiting her true owner's return.  I haven't forgotten the compact you forced me to sign, after all, that if an untampered truthspell ever shows Carissa to love me more than you, she's to be delivered to your ownership in chains."

She's leaving out a very great deal about their relationship, her and Keltham and Carissa.  But there are secrets she must yet keep, for how they chain into other secrets to one aware of tropes.

Oh, and the last line of course is for the Osirians' benefit.  What must they be thinking, now?

And meanwhile, you don't even ask, or give her a chance to express her opinions.  Very good.

"I suppose it does befall me, at this point in the lineup, to describe my own relationship with you, Keltham."

"When I ascended to this throne, I promised myself I wouldn't die of old age on it.  That, after all, would mean that I'd played my reign far too safely, and lost out on most of the fun."

"I'd be pleased to lose my head and crown to the person you could become.  Someday.  Sometime in my eighties, perhaps."

"Not this Keltham, though.  That would be absurd and embarrassing."

"And meanwhile, Carissa is, I fear, due some punishment for her failure.  But I will take personal care of it, and ensure that her due punishment does not weaken her.  And before you think to object, be told that such as Carissa Sevar cannot be allowed to punish herself, which is the alternative."

"It seems I must take charge of your Carissa, then, for a time.  She does need a keeper.  But I'll keep her properly owned by you, awaiting her true owner's return.  I haven't forgotten the compact you forced me to sign, after all, that if an untampered truthspell ever shows Carissa to love me more than you, she's to be delivered to your ownership in chains."

She's leaving out a very great deal about their relationship, her and Keltham and Carissa.  But there are secrets she must yet keep, for how they chain into other secrets to one aware of tropes.

Oh, and the last line of course is for the Osirians' benefit.  What must they be thinking, now?

And meanwhile, you don't even ask, or give her a chance to express her opinions.  Very good.

"I suppose it does befall me, at this point in the lineup, to describe my own relationship with you, Keltham."

"When I ascended to this throne, I promised myself I wouldn't die of old age on it.  That, after all, would mean that I'd played my reign far too safely, and lost out on most of the fun."

"I'd be pleased to lose my head and crown to the person you could become.  Someday.  Sometime in my eighties, perhaps."

"Not this Keltham, though.  That would be absurd and embarrassing."

"And meanwhile, Carissa is, I fear, due some punishment for her failure.  But I will take personal care of it, and ensure that her due punishment does not weaken her.  And before you think to object, be told that such as Carissa Sevar cannot be allowed to punish herself, which is the alternative."

"It seems I must take charge of your Carissa, for a time.  She does need a keeper.  But I'll keep her properly owned by you, awaiting her true master's return.  I haven't forgotten the compact you forced me to sign, after all, that if an untampered truthspell ever shows Carissa to love me more than you, she's to be delivered to your ownership in chains."

She's leaving out a very great deal about their relationship, her and Keltham and Carissa.  But there are secrets Abrogail must yet keep, for how they chain into other secrets to one aware of tropes.

Oh, and the last line of course is for the Osirians' benefit.  What must they be thinking, now?

And meanwhile, you don't even ask, or give her a chance to express her opinions.  Very good.

"I suppose it does befall me, at this point in the lineup, to describe my own relationship with you, Keltham."

"When I ascended to this throne, I promised myself I wouldn't die of old age on it.  That, after all, would mean that I'd played my reign far too safely, and lost out on most of the fun."

"I'd be pleased to lose my head and crown to the person you could become.  Someday.  Sometime in my eighties, perhaps."

"Not this Keltham, though.  That would be absurd and embarrassing."

"And meanwhile, Carissa is, I fear, due some punishment for her failure.  But I will take personal care of it, and ensure that her due punishment does not weaken her.  And before you think to object, be told that such as Carissa Sevar cannot be allowed to punish herself, which is the alternative."

"So I shall take charge of your Carissa, for a time.  She does need a keeper.  But I'll keep her properly owned by you, awaiting her true master's return.  I haven't forgotten the compact you forced me to sign, after all, that if an untampered truthspell ever shows Carissa to love me more than you, she's to be delivered to your ownership in chains."

She's leaving out a very great deal about their relationship, her and Keltham and Carissa.  But there are secrets Abrogail must yet keep, for how they chain into other secrets to one aware of tropes.

Oh, and the last line of course is for the Osirians' benefit.  What must they be thinking, now?

And meanwhile, you don't even ask, or give her a chance to express her opinions.  Very good.

"I suppose it does befall me, at this point in the lineup, to describe my own relationship with you, Keltham."

"When I ascended to this throne, I promised myself I wouldn't die of old age on it.  That, after all, would mean that I'd played my reign far too safely, and lost out on most of the fun."

"It would be fitting for me to lose my head and crown to the person you could become.  Someday.  Sometime in my eighties, perhaps."

"Not this Keltham, though.  That would be absurd and embarrassing."

"And meanwhile, Carissa is, I fear, due some punishment for her failure.  But I will take personal care of it, and ensure that her due punishment does not weaken her.  And before you think to object, be told that such as Carissa Sevar cannot be allowed to punish herself, which is the alternative."

"So I shall take charge of your Carissa, for a time.  She does need a keeper.  But I'll keep her properly owned by you, awaiting her true master's return.  I haven't forgotten the compact you forced me to sign, after all, that if an untampered truthspell ever shows Carissa to love me more than you, she's to be delivered to your ownership in chains."

She's leaving out a very great deal about their relationship, her and Keltham and Carissa.  But there are secrets Abrogail must yet keep, for how they chain into other secrets to one aware of tropes.

Oh, and the last line of course is for the Osirians' benefit.  What must they be thinking, now?

And meanwhile, you don't even ask, or give her a chance to express her opinions.  Very good.

"I suppose it does befall me, at this point in the lineup, to describe my own relationship with you, Keltham."

"When I ascended to this throne, I promised myself I wouldn't die of old age on it.  That, after all, would mean that I'd played my reign far too safely, and lost out on most of the fun."

"It would be fitting for me to lose my head and crown to the person you could become.  Someday.  Sometime in my sixties, perhaps."

"Not this Keltham, though.  That would be absurd and embarrassing."

"And meanwhile, Carissa is, I fear, due some punishment for her failure.  But I will take personal care of it, and ensure that her due punishment does not weaken her.  And before you think to object, be told that such as Carissa Sevar cannot be allowed to punish herself, which is the alternative."

"So I shall take charge of your Carissa, for a time.  She does need a keeper.  But I'll keep her properly owned by you, awaiting her true master's return.  I haven't forgotten the compact you forced me to sign, after all, that if an untampered truthspell ever shows Carissa to love me more than you, she's to be delivered to your ownership in chains."

She's leaving out a very great deal about their relationship, her and Keltham and Carissa.  But there are secrets Abrogail must yet keep, for how they chain into other secrets to one aware of tropes.

Oh, and the last line of course is for the Osirians' benefit.  What must they be thinking, now?

And meanwhile, you don't even ask, or give her a chance to express her opinions.  Very good.

"I suppose it does befall me, at this point in the lineup, to describe my own relationship with you, Keltham."

"When I ascended to this throne, I promised myself I wouldn't die of old age on it.  That, after all, would mean that I'd played my reign far too safely, and lost out on most of the fun."

"It would be fitting for me to lose my head and crown to the person you could become.  Someday.  Sometime in my sixties, perhaps."

"Not this Keltham, though.  That would be absurd and embarrassing."

"And meanwhile, Carissa is due some punishment for her failure.  But I will take personal care of it, and ensure that her due punishment does not weaken her.  And before you think to object, be told that such as Carissa Sevar cannot be allowed to punish herself, which is the alternative."

"So I shall take charge of your Carissa, for a time.  She does need a keeper.  But I'll keep her properly owned by you, awaiting her true master's return.  I haven't forgotten the compact you forced me to sign, after all, that if an untampered truthspell ever shows Carissa to love me more than you, she's to be delivered to your ownership in chains."

She's leaving out a very great deal about their relationship, her and Keltham and Carissa.  But there are secrets Abrogail must yet keep, for how they chain into other secrets to one aware of tropes.

Oh, and the last line of course is for the Osirians' benefit.  What must they be thinking, now?