"You are the very devil of a woman to find," said Neely, back in his usual glam so that he could move amongst the guests without being recognized and/or stabbed on sight. He tapped Barbara's shoulder. "You vanished. I even had the castle looking."

Barbara looked up, confused, at the glammed Neely. "Wait.. who.. oh." She said, when it clicked. "You should make your nose bulge more." She suggested. "Matt and I were at the College." She explained, stirring her porridge and narrowing her eyes. "Why did you want to find me?"

"Her Majesty is getting out of here this morning. The wedding's gone off. I assumed you'd be leaving," he said. "What did he say?"

"We leave when Judith leaves, unless you have some other way of getting around? Judith's not going until the baby's back." She added and started to eat her porridge. "He'll do it." She said after awhile. "He wants to know why there's a portal."

"Because the Empire thinks we're swimming in gold and/or things that can facilitate their taking over the three square yards of the world they haven't already fitted a flag on," he replied tightly. "Less the gold than the other thing, actually. They want to know if glamourie can be learned. Failing that, what do you think they'll try next?"

Barbara tilted her head and fluttered her eyes. "Well, I don't know Mister Teacher, will you please teach me more about the Aquitanean Empire?" She asked, breathily; letting her accent go thick. "Empires are so confusing. I'm so glad I've got you to teach me." Then she dropped the act and continued to eat her porridge.

"Please never do that voice again." He swung himself onto a bench, straddling it. "That's the long and short of it. They've been trying and apparently they've gotten close to accomplishing it."

"Don't treat me like I'm a dumb tallfolk." She replied, grabbing a roll and slathering honey and butter on it. "He wants to know what's behind it. Why it's there. When they're going to use it." She frowned at him. "Why were you searching for me in the castle if you thought I was going to be on the ship?" She asked.

"I wasn't. I was searching for breakfast." He took a roll himself. "I have no idea how much you know about Aquitaine, working with Judith. She's close-mouthed."

"You didn't answer." She replied. "I know a lot about Aquitaine and I learned before I met Judith." She took a bite out of her roll. "I'm from a world where we defeated Aquitaine. Or at least, our version of it. My world hasn't got magic or faeries, though."