“Matriarch. First in Line for Matriach greets you.”

The Matriarch remained silent and aloof as she prepared herself to relax before looking up at Gwenvair with carefully neutral eyes.

“Yes, First in Line.”

Gwenvair bowed once again and remained bowed, “I seek audience bearing gifts.”

Her mother, always the epitome of a perfect politician, maintained her decorum but Gwenvair new she had her attention. The Matriarch nodded gracefully.

Gwenvair stood when the Matriarch accepted her request, “I bring a gift from the eccentric.”

This time, the Matriarch was not able to quite control her surprise, excitement coming through. She did respond with another soft nod as she brought out her obscure, setting it on the table between them before turning it on. The obscure quickly shifted from simple to full, the surroundings fizzing to nothing as all sights and sound disappeared behind the fuzz of distortion impossible to see through. With that, the Matriarch retreated and her mother quickly leaned forward, waving to the other side of the table to have them sit.

Gwenvair pulled Kilniara with her and sat at the table. Kilniara proved a bit more recalcitrant, but both Gwenvair and her mother proved impatient in their insistence and quickly urged her to sit before Gwenvair turned to look at her mother.

“I… believe the eccentric offers us another…”

Her mother stared at her while Gwenvair paused, patient, but excited. Gwenvair wrestled with her words before she finally began again.

“I am uncertain, and I believe the eccentric is as well, but… could I ask some questions first, to verify?”

Her mother nodded, “Yes. What is it?”

Gwenvair nodded back, “The first Queens, the successful ones; who were their sisters?”

Her mother knit her eyebrows with some confusion, “You should know them. It is part of all of our studies.”

Gwenvair nodded, “Yes, that is why I believe I know, but I must be certain. The first Queens, the sisters were ulvan?”

Her mother paused at that, thoughtful. She began rattling off Queens and their sisters, pausing every once and a while but began to nod slowly as she went. About three quarters the way through the list, her mother paused.

“Hmm… the first non-ulvan sister was Enulian, sister of Queen Talagan, Queen of Algandanar. Then…”

Her mother trailed off again, naming names for a bit before naming other non-ulvan sisters with increasing frequency until the last dozen or so had many non-ulvan sisters. Her mother trailed off as she stared at her daughter.

“You don’t think…”

Gwenvair breathed deeply, “When were the first troubles reported.”

Her mother quickly shook her head, “Long after Queen Talagan.”

Gwenvair replied just as abruptly, “Not clan troubles, but of a weakness in the Queens.”

That brought her mother up short and she paused once more, “Still… long after Talagan?”

Gwenvair nodded, “Long after Talagan when multiple sisters were non-ulvan, but… which Queens were shown as weakest.”

Her mother immediately began listing names, quickly as leaves slipping through the wind, starting the list of the weakest to the strongest. As she continued, Gwenvair noticed her mother beginning to slow, growing ever and ever more thoughtful before looking at Gwenvair.

“The weakest Queens all had multiple non-ulvan sisters.”

Gwenvair nodded, “But even Queens with only one non-ulvan sister…”

Her mother nodded, cautious in her agreement, “Still… weak compared to …”

Gwenvair smiled, also nodding, “Yes.”

Her mother fell silent, staring deeply at Gwenvair before sitting back, “Possibly, but still circumstantial and ultimately useless because we know nothing nor how to resolve the strength of our Queens.”

Gwenvair quickly shook her head, “No. Have only ulvan sisters.”

Her mother paused, then narrowed her eyes, “Our clan… is too small for such now.”

Gwenvair nodded, “True, but the best answer, I believe, comes from the eccentric, although a solution may be… impossible. Kilniara, please explain to mother what happened this morning?”

Kilniara jumped and stared at Gwenvair before looking away with some embarrassment, “I… I’m…” Kilniara stopped and firmed her resolve, looking up at both of them before turning to Gwenvair with certainty.

“I am sorry, once again, Gwenvair. I had…”

Gwenvair smiled and brought a hand to Kilniara’s arm, “The apologies are done. Let us seek advice and wisdom … and a solution! Just say it simply.”

Kilniara saw Gwenvair’s happy smile and she breathed deeply before nodding and turning to her Queen’s mother, “This morning… when I saw Gwenvair with Joe, I was jealous.”

Her mother gasped, sitting up straight and staring back and forth between Gwenvair and Kilniara. He shock lasted only a short time before she quickly leaned back forward, now deeply invested in the conversation.

“How!? What? Sh…”

Gwenvair remained silent but looked to Kilniara with encouragement. Kilniara took a deep breath before continuing.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“I just… I do not understand… well… I do not understand your surprise. I am surprised Gwenvair is not jealous.”

Gwenvair grew confused with that, even her mother knitting her normally smooth forehead. Her mother proved quickest to question.

“What do you mean?”

Kilniara sighed, letting out a small puff of exasperation before throwing her hands up, “How can you not be jealous if you see your man in the arms of another?”

Gwenvair shook her head but her Mother spoke quickest, “But she is your family? Why would you be jealous?”

Kilniara frowned, “We… just are.”

Her mother replied, “But how?”

Kilniara’s frown grew, “I don’t know… we just… that is the way … well, at least the Acokzau are this way, and Joe seemed to say his people were the same.”

“But, why would you be jealous of fami…”

Gwenvair interrupted her mother, having Heard Kilniara, “She cannot say. It is… simply the way of the other Kin… or, at least Joe’s people and the Acokzau.”

Her mother grew quiet, then continued, “Explain more, if you can.”

Kilniara shrugged, but Gwenvair nodded, “Kilniara described the jealousy similarly to how I may feel if Telnia were to attempt to seduce Joe… secretly.”

Even as Gwenvair finished the idea, her mother bristled, the atmosphere dipping to frigid levels even as her mother’s Presence billowed without control. Her mother struggled for a moment before she finally regained control. Kilniara, despite the pressure of mother’s Presence, immediately spoke up.

“That! That’s what I feel!”

That gave her mother pause, and the two ulvan stared at one another, thoughtful. Her mother looked back to Kilniara, much more thoughtful.

“You do not see my daughter as your sister? As family?”

Kilniara frowned, struggling to reply, “I… yes… I wish to… I want to, more than anything… and even now, she is like a sister I never had. But she is only that, a sister. If… if she were Acokzau, we each would seek out our own man and settle with him as our own. I could… would never seek to take her man from her and she must never do the same to me.”

The two ulvan fell deeply silent at that, lost in thought for several moments before Gwenvair sighed. Her sigh brought her mother’s attention to the moment and her mother smiled before reaching across to grasp her hand, squeezing it.

“We have found a clue, finally. A clue!”

Gwenvair smiled, “And now a solution, if we may.”

Her mother raised an eyebrow, “The smile seems… too certain.”

Gwenvair quickly nodded, “Remove the jealousy!”

Her mother quirked an eyebrow but frowned, “I… fear … Kilniara?”

Kilniara quickly nodded, “I don’t mind. It is… Joe would be against this if it was forced, both Gwenvair and I know this, but … if I accept it…”

Her mother nodded, “I do… not believe that would be very wise?”

Gwenvair frowned, cocking her head in confusion, “Why? It would... it should work!”

Her mother smiled, “In this situation, I believe you are correct. It would work very well. But, if you remove jealousy, how would you react to Telnia sneaking in?”

Mother’s smile disappeared, even as she finished the sentence, and her voice deepened to a guttural growl. Gwenvair struggled to keep her own anger muzzled, taking a deep breath to pull it in before looking over to see Kilniara generally unaffected. Huh… why… why is she…

“Kilniara? Why does Telnia not cause you jealousy?”

Kilniara giggled at that and she shook her head, “Because Joe rejected her, firmly. He wants nothing to do with her and has no desire for her, so I have no fear of her.”

“But… then… you fear me?”

Kilniara grew shy at that, turning away. Gwenvair came closer and wrapped an arm around her, “Do yo… you do! You fear… that I will steal Joe from you!”

Kilniara’s breath shuddered before she nodded and looked up at Gwenvair with tear filled eyes. Both Gwenvair and her mother grew silent at that, staring at Kilniara with consternation.

“But… I would never steal him from you.”

Kilniara smiled, “But if he finds you more desirous than me?”

Gwenvair’s thoughts paused at that, and she stared down at Kilniara, “Do… acokzau do that?”

Kilniara gasped out, a single chuckle of bitterness, “Of course.”

“And base?”

Kilniara looked up at Gwenvair cautiously, “We… would have to ask, but I am certain base are this way, yes.”

Gwenvair and her mother stared at one another. The room fell silent as all three fell deep in thought before her mother slapped the table and sat forward.

“Then, we seek two resolutions. An equal desire between the sisters and … somehow to remove jealousy.”

Gwenvair nodded, “But not remove jealousy for… oh! Remove jealousy only for our family!”

Gwenvair noticed Kilniara looked up at that, hopeful while she looked between the two clanners. Her mother was more introspective, thoughtfully pealing back the idea Gwenvair had given, inspecting it carefully. Kilniara and Gwenvair grew quiet, watching her mother think deeply before she finally nodded cautiously at the end.

Kilniara’s relief was great, while Gwenvair simply smiled brilliantly, “Are you certain?”

Her mother nodded more firmly this time, “As certain as what has been found. But, we must understand the jealousy of those without Queens… non-ulvans much more carefully to correctly understand and resolve it. It may be wise to… have this as one of your Cautions as Queen.”

Gwenvair raised an eyebrow at that, nodding, “I had not considered that, but… Joe was quite adamant that jealousy kills trust… he also stated that it kills relationships and marriages.”

Gwenvair’s statement caused her mother to grow quite sober, “Truly? He said this?”

Gwenvair nodded and Kilniara replied, “He’s right. At least amongst my peoples.”

Her mother glanced at Kilniara, “Then, it would probably be very wise, for both you, your sisters, and Joe. And keep it simple. That will allow your Caution to be a great one, giving you much more control.”

Gwenvair smiled at that, “It’s not much more simple than no jealousy between family with Joe’s effort to maintain balance.”

“Hmm… combining them… still… very simple.”

Gwenvair frowned, “Should I separate them? I do not wish to use two Cautions on this?”

Her mother shook her head, “I agree. It would be unwise to use two Cautions, but then we must tie these to a single caution much better than this poorly worded phrase.”

Gwenvair chuckled, “I am… brainstorming, as Joe says.”

Kilniara giggled, “Yes. This would be brain storming. Maybe I could help? What is a caution?”

Gwenvair glanced at Kilniara and smiled, “It is a blessing a Queen gains. She is offered some leniency in creating a strong family, firmly tied to one another. Much of the family foundation is strongly formed and changes very slowly or poorly. These foundations are chosen cautiously with careful consideration between a Queen and her man. This makes the family strong. Cautions, however, allow a Queen to exercise flexibility in maintaining the family for the benefit of the family such that it does not break the family if the area may prove powerful or crippling to some. A Caution allows the Queen to have more control and care in maintaining the family in these specific areas, as chosen by the Queen and her family.”

Kilniara nodded, grasping the concept easily enough, if not truly understanding the depths of the ramifications, “Then… it would be wise to speak to Joe of this.”

Gwenvair laughed, “Of course, but planning is always wise as well.”

Kilniara nodded, “Then… let’s resolve this jealousy issue wisely. Hopefully your mother can offer us clues.”

Gwenvair put a hand down on Kilniara’s, “Our mother, Kilniara. Our mother.”

Kilniara blushed, looking up at Gwenvair with surprise before looking over at Gwenvair’s mother with trepidation. Her mother, however, simply nodded and smiled with approval. Gwenvair chuckled to Hear Kilinara’s gleeful shock and cautious hope. I am already Hearing her so well… this… Gwenvair pushed her own hope towards Kilniara, and when she looked up at Gwenvair with surprised eyes, Gwenvair’s hope and glee only grew. She Heard me!

The rest of her mother’s break was spent in intense and joyful conversation before she had to leave to return to court although her mother did leave her privacy for them. The two girls continued as well, deep in thought struggling to find solutions and both were surprised when her mother returned what seemed only a few moments later but a glance out the window proved it was well into evening, the sun already touching the horizon.

Her mother joined them, and they lost themselves in the discussion once again, the evening and night punctuated by growling frustration, restrained anger, excited possibilities, and gleeful solutions. Their conversation lasted well past midnight, the excitement of the two ulvan too contagious for Kilniara to resist. They did not stop until they had formed the basis of a possible solution. Even then, their conversation lasted another half a Great Bell until they all headed to her mother’s villa and the two girls spent the evening in Gwenvair’s old room, exhaustion taking them quite quickly.

* * *