"I believe we have never formally met before," Hereon's mother said.

I decided right then that I was going to refer to her as Anemoi from now on.

Her name still felt strange in my head. Not the kind of strange that felt completely foreign, but the kind that lingered at the edge of recognition. The Anemoi were wind gods, if I remembered correctly. It was a name tied to something light, something untouchable, something that moved freely without restraint. Looking at her now, though, none of that really fit. There was nothing light about her presence. If anything, it felt heavy, grounded, and almost suffocating in a way that made you straighten your back without even realizing it. Calling her a wind god felt like calling a storm gentle just because it moved through the air.

"I believe so too. Although, this isn't the first time we've met," Myrcella replied, her tone calm, almost soft, like she was easing into the conversation instead of challenging it.

"Well, we have crossed paths, yes," Anemoi said, her lips curving slightly, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "But back then, I didn't think your position was enough for me to even notice you."

There was no hesitation in the way she said it and no attempt to soften the blow or dress it up nicely.

"As someone who now holds a house of her own, I have to make sure I form the right connections," she continued. "You understand how that works. So, you certainly weren't one of them."

That was it. Straight to the point. With no unnecessary words and no pretending otherwise. For a second, I almost wondered if I misheard her, but the silence that followed made it clear that she meant exactly what she said. Subtlety clearly wasn't part of her style.

"Well, I wasn't really considered a candidate to become King back then, so it's only understandable," Myrcella said gently, her smile never wavering, as if she had just been told something completely normal instead of being dismissed outright.

That response alone said a lot. Most people would've at least flinched a little.

Anemoi's smile widened at that, though something about it felt a bit sharper now. After a short pause, she spoke again, and this time the weight of her words settled in a lot heavier.

"To be honest, I'm quite doubtful that your rule is going to be successful. I don't really know your full capabilities yet," she went on. "But I do know that you're talented, and you have enough charisma to draw people in. Naturally, that's gained you a lot of support."

She let that sit for a moment, just long enough to make it feel like she was giving credit where it was due.

"But those alone aren't enough to rule a country," she continued, her gaze sharpening just slightly. "You can be as talented as you want, but in the end, if that's all you rely on, then you'll run this country dry until it collapses under your own glory."

Myrcella didn't react the way most people would. Her smile stayed exactly the same. It was almost unsettling how unaffected she looked, like the words had just passed right through her without leaving a mark.

"I don't intend to rule this kingdom with talent alone," she said calmly. "If that's what you're worried about, then I can assure you, that won't be the case."

She paused for a brief moment, just enough to shift the direction of the conversation.

"But… don't you find it a bit strange?" she added, her tone still polite, though there was a quiet firmness underneath it now. "You oppose my rule this much, yet you yourself are a woman ruling a house."

That landed differently. Not aggressive, not confrontational, but pointed enough that it couldn't be ignored.

Anemoi went quiet.

For a moment, the surrounding felt still even with the celebration around, like even the air was waiting to see how she'd respond. When she finally spoke, her voice carried a slight edge to it, something just a bit more elevated than before.

"I don't oppose you simply because you're a woman," she said. "That may be a part of it, but it's not the main reason."

Her gaze held steady and unwavering.

"I just can't see the daughter of that person accomplishing anything," she continued, her tone dipping slightly, almost like she was recalling something unpleasant. "Considering everything she's done to this country, and how it all ended in failure."

She didn't need to clarify who she meant. The way she said "she" made it obvious. It was the Queen.

"Meriona is talented," Anemoi went on, her voice steady again. "Very talented. More than talented than what you are now, in fact. Enough that I couldn't reach her level."

That alone sounded like reluctant acknowledgment.

"That's why she became Queen," she added. "The King chose her."

"But do you know something?" she continued, her eyes narrowing just a fraction. "It was supposed to be me who would become Queen."

That caught me completely off guard.

That was... a piece of history I hadn't heard before, just casually dropped into the conversation like it wasn't a big deal. She wasn't just any noble. She had been that close to the throne.

"But instead," she continued, her voice tightening just slightly, "I ended up as the wife of a backwater noble."

There was clear disdain in the way she said it.

"A man who did nothing but act like a deadbeat," she said. "He wasted funds like they meant nothing and made people suffer because of it. He was scum."

No hesitation there either.

"Thankfully, none of his blood runs in my children," she added, almost casually, like she was commenting on the weather. "I took the liberty of impregnating myself using specimens from men who actually had proper qualifications."

That was… a statement.

"I had no intention of bearing children from that man," she went on. "Fortunately, he never found out. He died without ever realizing that none of the children were his, and that his bloodline would never continue."

Hearing that felt like being handed information I wasn't supposed to have. I hadn't even looked into Hereon's family that deeply, and now I was hearing this like it was part of casual conversation. Either she trusted the situation, or she just didn't care anymore.

"Well," Anemoi said after a moment, her tone settling back into something more neutral, "as much as I'd like to support you as Queen, I just can't see it right now."

At least she was being consistent.

"So if you want to prove yourself, then do as you please," she continued. "If I find your performance satisfactory, then I'll follow your rule wholeheartedly."

That part, surprisingly, sounded genuine.

"I'll keep that in mind," Myrcella replied.

Even after everything that had just been said, she didn't shift even a little. Her composure held firm, like a wall that didn't crack no matter how many times you hit it. That same calm smile stayed on her face, unchanged, steady, and almost stubborn in how consistent it was.

At this point, it almost felt intentional.

Like no matter what was thrown at her, that expression wasn't going anywhere.