"Dear?"
The word was like a gentle hook, pulling Jasmine back from the grey fog of her own thoughts. Rosalind's gaze shifted, her sharp eyes softening into that particular, knowing look that only a mother can wield.Meanwhile, the ruling princess jolted in her seat, the suddenness of her mother's voice making her feel as though she had been caught trespassing somewhere she shouldn't have.
The Princess Mother gave a small, melodic chuckle. She took a slow, deliberate sip from her silver cup before setting it down. "I can recognize that expression, even if I were half-blind and miles away. I may have officially retired from the theater of state affairs, praise the gods, but I am still not demented. I see quite clearly in the matters I still choose to observe."
