✔ Mrs Mandray

26. Tea Fixes Everything

Isabella

Elain was still staring at her even as she conversed with Nesta. Her plea for a conversation about Tomas having gone unheard. Isabella knew what she would say. The rumors she would try and address and quite frankly Isabella was not in the right head space to deal with them right now. Elain must have seen that exhaustion in her eyes for she had just nodded.

Tea fixes everything, Elain had declared when she saw her tears. Finally leaving her be after her dramatic interruption when she strode into the kitchen and interrupted Cassian's stories about all the meetings he screwed up. It was sweet of him to comfort her so but also concerning considering the amount of times he unintentionally insulted one of Rhys ministers. Not to mention the times where Cassian had intentionally insulted Rhys' ministers.

Looking at them now in the sitting room the Feyre's family couldn't be more different than the Queens and human traditions. Rank was always enforced here, even in the peace of our own homes the husband had the final say and the Queens still had their families bow or courtesy to them.

It has Isabella on edge, watching Rhys and Morrigan sip tea and converse like normal everyday people. As if they weren't the leaders of an entire country. Were they even called countries?

"What's got you frowning?" Azriel raises a brow at her from where he's leant against the mantle of the fireplace. Isabella nearly curses the male out when he question draws Cassian's attention back to her. She had finally got the overprotective bat to stop worrying.

Even Morrigan had stopped listening to Rhys in favour of staring at her curiously. Isabella clears her throat, buying herself a second time as she takes note that her sisters are still stuck in conversation with one another.

"I was just thinking about the differences in our cultures." Morrigan stiffens, glancing at Cassian who seems to be dreading bad news. But it is Rhys who has perked up, "I thought we were rather similar in the fact we have Seven High Lords and you have Six Queens, the female counterpart to our male leaders. So to speak."

"And yet we have one less ruler than you." Isabella arches a brow, eagerly seeking out an intellectual conversation that she rarely gets from her husband. "We're arguably at a disadvantage."

"But your Queens are united as one." Rhys leans forward, bracing his arms on his knees. "Does that not make up for the missing Queen?"

"That or the winnowing power they apparently have certainly makes up for it." Morrigan grumbled and Isabella finally looked away from Rhys. There was an odd look in the female's eyes and Isabella stiffened at the judgement she could feel prickling at her skin.

"Oh," Feyre exclaims, tittering over with a hesitant smile. "You haven't been properly introduced."

Morrigan's smile shifted into something welcoming and warm, if a bit forced, when Feyre appeared by her side. Isabella smiled politely for the sake of her sister, shifting her gaze to Nesta in silent conversation.

Help me.

Nesta narrowed her eyes. I wasn't aware there was a threat.

Isabella flared her nostrils slightly, tilting her head. Don't play coy and back me up.

Her twin rolls her eyes. Oh fine you big baby.

The exchange was over in a matter of seconds but Azriel was staring at her curiously when Nesta came to stand by her side at the settee. Isabella stared back at the male, gaze hard as Nesta stared expectantly at a now nervous Feyre.

"This is Lady Morrigan," Feyre perked up and Morrigan rose to her feet, offering her hand in greeting. "Please, just Mor. There's no need to be so formal."