[ alexandrie widens her eyes to affect the doe-like and frivolously excited look she'd worn a few months ago at the Tourney with a tone of voice to match. ]

You do not think the Grand Duke's headless corpse would look charmingly festive at court? [ a little thoughtful pout, ] Although I suppose his epaulets would be the highest point on him, which would be terribly gauche.

[ while lexie briefly arches her brows, little mention is made of the new title gwenaëlle has granted the empress of orlais-- another manner in which she and evie differ. while celene's reign has been quite excellent for the de la fontaine fortunes given their root in what the empress has been so encouraging in the development of, lexie has never had the national spirit of her twin. believing orlais to be a superior country in nearly all respects does not necessarily grant special reverence for its monarch.

(the bottle is here reacquired and partaken of with a rather grimly satisfied expression at its burn.) ]

Will there be a 'when this is over', do you think?

[ the dragon, the casual raise of the palace, the sudden holistic takeover of both capital and countryside of the only empire that might rival their own--which was currently under increasingly successful siege--were all rather convincing arguments to the contrary. she gestures with the bottle and then holds it back out towards gwen. ]

One in which we are not slaves, fugitives, or corpses, I mean.