"No!" Goneril blurted, and then looked a little ashamed of herself. "I mean. I'm a little embarrassed of the contents. In the sort of even-if-you-don't-read-them-I'm-afraid-it-will-seep-out sort of way."

"You think that I would read someone else's letter?" she said, as if Goneril had suggested she might also be the sort who would drown a sack of kittens. "But you do not need me to hold him to a promise. He is very honorable."

"No, no, no, it's not you. That's...I don't trust the letters to keep to themselves," Goneril answered. "That sounds silly." She scratched her head. "I've never written that kind of letter before." Then she looked down again. "I know he is. Will people really disapprove of me there?"

Fiona's eyebrows went up again as she considered that these must be some very intoxicating letters. "I do not think people will disapprove of you so much as they will disapprove of the countess for consorting with you," she said, very seriously. "It strikes me that people in the south seem more curious about your kind, whereas the traditional feeling in my north has been hostility. I would not allow either you or your brother if I thought you might be in any real danger, of course.'

"Well, from what I hear of Aquitaine, it is only understandable that they feel that way," Goneril said. "But I hope my brother and I can help to...soften that opinion, a little bit. Will it be...bad for Faolin?" she asked. "For him to associate with me?"

"Anyone who would like to make things difficult for my man will also have to deal with making things difficult for me," she said, not a little smugly. "We discussed this," she added, more frankly. "To be honest, it is very hard to say. The only difficulty we know for certain would be his lady sister. There's nothing I can do to keep them from talking behind his back, though."

"Well, I'm sure people talk anyhow," Goneril replied. "He is the Queensman. And I'm used to people talking." She rubbed at her hands. "His sister...is there anything I can do about that?" she asked. "Is she...winnable?"

"She has never been difficult to deal with but she is . . . I think you would say she is old-fashioned?" She frowned at the word, but could not immediately come up with a better one. "Very set on tradition. Aye, before we left Faolin said he was having some difficulty with her accepting the idea that he would be going south. She does not have much use for the Seelie."

"That's...I suppose it seems strange to me but I guess it's no different from an Englishman having no use for the French," Goneril replied. "Has she ever met the Seelie? Haven't your countries been, well, somewhat divided for a long time?" She pursed her lips. "What would be more scandalous? Her brother bringing home a Seelie girl or a human one?"

The queen managed not to smile at the very plaintive concern in the girl's voice. "I should not like to guess." She gave her a more sympathetic look. "Very likely bringing home a human girl. There is always a chance, after all, that a Seelie might still be one of our sort of women. But sometimes a little scandal is a welcome thing," she added, in an attempt at reassurance. "Besides, Faolin is a grown man whose concern should be my pleasure, not his lady sister's. For that matter, the lady sister should be more concerned with my pleasure, too. If I will have you, it is not for her to question me."