[h2]Royal Box[/h2]

Maletha shifted uncertainly, but with Elisandre stretching an arm back to wrap around her, and the child nodded. "Okay, I want to hear it."

"You [i]really[/i] fought the Midnight Hunt?" The prince, quiet as he had been until now and focused on the tournament preparations, turned his disbelieving gaze over to Gertrude, "And you [i]won[/i]? This sounds more like some fey ploy to me."

"Enrich!"

[hr]

While Tyaethe would have liked to jump to the defence of the order – and, surely, [i]her[/i] testimony would be more persuasive; if nothing else she had fought the Hunt [i]twice[/i] – the sudden weight pressing against her chest was a distraction. A very [i]embarrassing[/i] one. "I didn't think you'd [i]do[/i] it…"

But the vampire made no move to shove her off, giving Gretchen all the time she wanted to try and puzzle out the beating, as well as she could hear it. Fast, [i]far[/i] too fast, but that was a given for any vampire – yet, once past that, distinctly [i]uneven,[/i] not just skipping but generally sticking to an odd [i]three[/i] beat pattern more often than not. Then there was the sound of… something.

"Only one?" Haizea's voice dipped in disappointment, but then she brightened up, "Well, I just need to make sure it's the right time to join in!"

[@Octo]