Judith sidled back into the feast hall, her hands tucked behind her back, looking entirely too casual, almost nervous, as if she had just wandered in to see what was going on and might dart out again at a too-loud bang from the high table. If either Starling or Niabheara had seen that expression, they would have gone up the nearest tree and stayed there until she disappeared again: it was, most assuredly, the surest sign that Judith was up to no good. They would have been wrong in this case; Judith actually was nervous.

She found Umar--it was hard to miss him, really--and moved in close, gesturing him to come with her.

Umar frowned at his captain as he stood up, squinting at her in question. "What is the matter, Captain?" he asked, when he got close enough to speak to her.

"We have a situation," she said soberly. "Details when we're away from the crowd." Her eyes shifted aside. "Concerning the granddaughter," she added, sounding embarrassed.

"Ah," Umar replied. He nodded, serious, folding his hands behind his back. "Of course."

He waited until they had left the room, and then looked to her again. "What is it? Have they found her?"

The captain shifted from foot to foot, quite as if she had left something cooking in another room and now smelled smoke. "We don't know. What we've found," she said, "is some sort of feckin' portal or hole or summat in the place where the little girl used to play and so far no one over the age of about twelve can get into it. Madame Jones's girls can go in and out all day long, it seems, but Meg's all but cracked her skull tryin' with no luck. Her husband can't get in, I can't get in."

Umar frowned. "Well, if none of you can get in, I doubt that i can," he pointed out. "Or did you want me to try to expand it?"

"It's not a matter of size, it's just that it seems to stop existin' whenever an adult tries to look for it, and no one wants to send a child in there," she said. "So I want to try this one last thing. Nothin' personal, but you a virgin, Rafat?"

Umar blinked. "Ah. That seems very personal, does it not?" he asked. "I suppose I am the only one in the castle, around here, yes?"

"You or the Queen, and I don't credit that woman with the brains of the egg she doubtless hatched from." She cut her hand through the air. "Look, if it's virgin thing, fine, we can find that out in three heartbeats. If it's the child thing we'll find out what the outer limit of 'child' is and see if El and Bram can make it through."

Umar chuckled. "Very well," he said. "You know, that is not exactly the sort of question I expected to hear from you. Ever."