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“How do you know the two of them have the strongest magics?”

“It’s a given. Everybody knows.”

“How?”

Ilmr waggled her head. “For example, when the Powers That Be offered a contest to determine who would create the court enforcer, Maeve and Serafina were the only two who entered. The other queens knew it would be pointless to compete against them.”

Vidar sighed. “Can you recall when it became common knowledge that the two of them were too powerful to challenge?”

He suspected the assumption was old enough to have taken on its own mythos.

And so long as Maeve and Serafina were never challenged, they’d continue to enjoy the honors they’d come to expect without having to do a thing to earn them.

Vidar knew all about that. The divine world was rife with similar scenarios.

Ilmr chewed while she thought, then took a long drink of persimmon wine.

“I think it was sometime during the creation of the mounds. Maeve and Serafina produced vast homelands with innovative townships, palaces with minds of their own, lands and oceans whose beauty defies description by the most gifted of poets.” She cut a piece of meat free from a rib, then added, “Or so I’m told. ”

“You’ve not been asked to visit?” She shook her head. “Ever?”

“No. I’m… ah. They wouldn’t say I’m a friend.”

“Which of the queens would you say are friends?”

Ilmr set her fork down, drew in a deep breath that made her bosom heave noticeably and looked away.

“I suppose, if pressed, I must confess that I have no friends among the queens,” she said.

“I see. Have you ever been friends with any of them in the past and had disagreements that estranged you?”

Again, she shook her head. “No. I can’t say even that.”

“Looking at it from another perspective. If not friends, might you say you have allies among the queens?”

“Vidar! These questions are growing both tiresome and humiliating.” She picked up a nearby pillow and smashed it into the settee as if she wanted to annihilate it.

“Please forgive me, Your Highness. Of course, I find it distasteful to ask questions that make you uncomfortable. My intention is to discern what pieces fit into the puzzle that may cause your power to rise like a chitterhawk taking flight.”

Ilmr’s fit of temper quickly receded upon hearing her future regard compared to a chitterhawk taking flight. Could it be that Vidar was not only a potential lover, but also a potential Counsellor of State?

She sniffed as she spent a few moments compulsively folding and refolding her napkin.

“Well, I suppose I’m the one who should ask for pardon.

” That was a difficult sentence for Ilmr. If she’d ever asked for someone’s pardon before, she wouldn’t be able to recall when or where.

“If you’re able to plan a path to raise my standing, the least I can do is provide information. Please proceed.”

Vidar offered a beguiling smile. “Very well. I have some ideas about where to begin a campaign to alter the way you’re regarded.”

Ilmr brightened immediately. “You do? Vidar. Are you a master of charms? Because I think it would take intimate knowledge of deep sorceries for such a drastic change.”

“I’m not saying it could be brought about overnight. But day by day. Your climb can begin now. If you wish.”

“Oh! I do wish! Tell me how to proceed.”

Vidar reached for a rib as he said, “Tell me your understanding of the order of queens by power.”

“Alright. I think it would be Maeve, Serafina, Enya, Dames Blanches, Femke, Arantxa.” Looking down at her lap, subdued as if ashamed, she added, “Then me.” Her eyes came up to meet his.

“I almost forgot. There’s also Evangeline, Diarmuid’s wife, but I didn’t mention her because she’s been queen for such a short time and is only recently fae.

It might seem that her close relation to Maeve would improve her status, but I haven’t noticed that. Yet.”

“She’s an unknown factor.”

“Yes. Exactly.”

“Does she have friends and allies among the queens?”

“Indeed, she does! Serafina became her mentor. The rumor in my court was that it stuck in Maeve’s craw. Knowing something about Maeve, I suspect that she didn’t want to mentor Evangeline, but didn’t want anyone else to do it either. Especially not the queen she sees as her principal rival.”

With his quick mind, Vidar had memorized the queens’ names in order as she’d spoken them. “Would you say that Maeve and Serafina are friends? Or allies?”

With a shake of her head, which Vidar was coming to understand was a habit, she said, “More like rivals. Of course, all the queens are friendly with Maeve if she speaks. I’d say she enjoys being looked up to, but doesn’t care if she’s actually liked.

The only one of us who might be called her friend would be Enya.

In some ways, that makes sense. They’re neighbors and, though Enya’s territory can’t compare to Maeve’s in terms of space or wealth, she’s powerful because she’s backed by her wild band of brothers.

None but the gods would challenge them.”

She noticed Vidar’s smirk at that last thought and imagined he was pleased that she and other fae knew their place.

“I’m not an authority on fae business, but my understanding is that the territories were established at about the same time?”

“That’s right. They were. Our families then went to war to establish who would rule.

Of course, there was no question that the head of each family would be female as laid out by the Bradesmeorn Spiritual Pact.

When the wars came to an end, which usually meant the families who cared less about power surrendered, the oldest daughter of each victorious family became queen.

The bestowment of royalty somehow increased our magical ability tenfold.

Or more. If I’m remembering correctly, that was an unexpected but glorious surprise.

Thinking we would keep our former enemies close, we all chose to give the embattled noble status. ”

“A wise strategy in some ways. But I can imagine it also requires a lot of oversight.”

With a huff, she raised her glass to her lips, but spoke before she drank. “Well. What doesn’t?”

“An excellent point. And since then, none of the queens has abdicated?”

Ilmr laughed and tossed her head like a young girl. “Out of the question.”

“Yes. I see that. When did it become apparent that some queens had more status than others?”

Ilmr tossed her napkin on the table, poured herself another half glass of wine, and rose to pace. Thinking back so far was hard work.

“At first, I think we considered each other equals. But gradually, over time, Maeve emerged as regnant.”

“If you could also remember why, it would be helpful.”

“In the beginning, our territories were established by boundaries. We had space, but not much else.”

“By space, you mean land.”

“Yes. Land and water. It was up to the queens to bring forth everything that’s made fae rulers among magic kind.

” The queen drank like it was dinner instead of lunch, then poured herself some more.

She tilted the bottle toward Vidar in invitation, but he declined.

Looking at her wine glass, she said, “Vineyards. Buildings. Towns. Orchards. Farms.” She stopped to wave her hand in the air.

“Palaces. Wealth and luxurious living. As issues arose, we, the queens and our advisors, recognized that we needed rules governing trade. Imports and exports. So, we eventually agreed on shared currency, ownership of property. Things like that.”

“Reasonable.”

“Yes. And eventually, the Powers stepped in with a solution for adjudicating behavior that discourages the destruction of what we’ve built.”

“The magistrate’s court.”

She nodded and rose to claim another bottle of wine from the lunch table.

“That seems to have worked out,” Vidar said as she again offered to refill his crystal stem.

“No one can argue that it’s been the best solution so far. Did you know the magistrate is the mother of Maeve’s daughter-in-law?”

“I did not know that.” Ilmr nodded. Vidar changed the subject. “Do you still have advisors you trust?”

It was her turn to smirk. She waved a full glass in the air as if to punctuate her answer.

“I have advisors. I feel that I can trust them so long as I can see them and am aware of everything they’re doing publicly and privately.

In short, the answer is no. When they’re out of my sight…

” She let that thought hang in the air, her meaning clear.

“Hmmm.” It was not a word, but still carried a sense of understanding and acknowledgement. “I hope this is not too personal a question.”

She met his gaze, feeling almost eager to hear this question of a personal nature. Few in her court would dare to be curious about her private thoughts. She lowered then raised her eyelids slowly. “I’ll allow it.”

“Good.” He smiled.

“To a point.”

His smile broadened. “Understood. My question concerns family. I can’t help but notice that you’re the only one of the queens who doesn’t have children.”

He took the fact that her expression didn’t change as a sign that he hadn’t trod into eel-filled waters.

“I didn’t hear a question.” Her smile said she was enjoying the dialogue.

Vidar grinned, liking that she wasn’t sensitive about the subject. “Right you are, Your Highness. Is there a reason why you’ve chosen to keep your family size trim?”

She laughed. “For a god who spends so much time alone, you have a masterful way with words.”

“Demigod,” he corrected.

“Yes, Sir Demigod.” If you’re finished, let’s sit by the brazier.

The two left the remains of lunch behind except for the full glass of wine Ilmr carried with her.

Once again settled and facing each other, Ilmr said, “I’ve not heard the call of motherhood.

Observing others over time has only served to reinforce my choice.

The other queens spend so much of their resources, including time, trying to sort out problems caused by their children.

They’re in constant disputes with each other and members of noble families that threaten the peace and stability of their realms. Not to mention schemes to try and snatch queenship from their mothers.

It seems to me that life is hard enough without the self-imposed burden of ungrateful offspring. ”

The intricacy of that analysis impressed Vidar. He’d fallen in love with Ilmr the first time he’d seen her. But romantic love can often exist without either respect or admiration. Happily, both those qualities were steadily growing in Vidar’s estimation of the queen as their afternoon played out.

“Certainly an astute observation, Your Highness. It seems you are freed up to focus your energies elsewhere.”

The queen’s mind instantly went to the enjoyment of her favorite pursuits: riding in the wilds, keeping company with only her wolves, and doing needlework while listening to her ladies-in-waiting gossip.

She did enjoy the court sessions at Tregeagle, but those were brief and only eight times in a year.

Most of her time was spent hearing complaints and requests by members of her court.

Everyone wanted something. No one ever thought to say, “And how are you this fine day, Your Highness?”

Coming back to the moment at hand, she said, “I wish that were true, Vidar. But sadly, too little of my time can be called my own. Being queen comes with obligations that are always going for insurmountable.”

He chuckled, enjoying the unique way she expressed thoughts. “Of course, Your Highness, but you’ve carried that with grace for a very long time. Seeing life through the eyes of distress is relatively recent if I’m understanding correctly?”

“You are.”

“So, if we were to find a way to reorder the perceived order of queens, your more typical point of view would be restored.”

“I suppose so. Yes. Are you suggesting that’s possible?”

Ilmr had no reason to believe it was possible to rise in rank. Yet the notion seemed to instantly inflate her spirit. What she felt in response to Vidar’s question could only be called excitement.