{ scene } there is light in my lady's house
Much as she might prefer it at the moment, not all of her hours are spent with Amunet and Zari. (She teaches them her own native tongue, refreshing her own more-than-rusty Arabic in the process; they have no real need for English and she has no particular desire to teach it.) No, there are still duties she must attend to and promises she has to keep - she plays chess with Kethaigne in the mornings after breakfast (he takes her prickly and distracted demeanour in stride), attends to the requirements of her station, and certainly cannot be said to neglect her brother.
Still, even as she smiles on cue and never once drops a thread, behind it is a jaggedly sharp edge and she withdraws into the sanctuary of her own thoughts. She doesn't push it away, only layers years of experience in veiling herself over the top and turns her attention to her work, presently meeting with the court magi to be appraised of their progress.
The Brucolac is due tonight, isn't he? She hopes to see him better than the last time.