"I remember specifically telling you to stay out of it."
She didn't answer. She was staring at the window, or more precisely, at the lines that seemed to split the glass into equal panels, dark, precise, and straight. Behind it, she could see the blue sky, and the trees, and she could even hear the birds faintly. She listened to their singing, wondering if they were enjoying the fair weather.
"Philipa!"
She glanced over her shoulder. Her older brother was standing there, looking at her angrily. He had chased the maids away and closed the door, so it was just the two of them in her salon. The Crown Princess's chambers, or a pretty bird's majestic, shiny cage.
"You should have stayed quiet, Philipa!" he snapped, his anger rising. "Your meddling handed Andromea exactly what she wanted!"
