Scout hated to admit it, because she tried to stay up to date with what her family members were doing while she was busy herself, but the young woman didn't quite know what her grandmother had been up to. The newly promoted Advisor of Law had been happy to receive Helena's invitation and would of course join her grandmother. She had been surprised to hear that Helena wanted to meet in the city, instead of at Kane Manor or Birkhall, but she would never turn down an invitation from her grandmother or the opportunity to go to the city.

The blonde walked onto the town square and recognised her grandmother immediately. With a smile on her face, she approached the woman, curtsying politely (or giving Helena a kiss, depending on what was deemed appropriate). "I am so happy to see you", she said, the smile still on her face although there were cracks in it. The last time she had spoken with Helena, everything had seemed much easier and nicer. Astor had still been alive, and things hadn't been as difficult. "I am so sorry for not talking to you sooner. It's no excuse, but I've been so incredibly busy. I hope you and the children are doing alright?"

Helena would afford a smile, and for once - she must have been getting older, soppier - because she wouldn't even object to a kiss. She had missed her granddaughter, more than she cared to say. She had missed Tybalt too, but that was something which she would never, ever admit to. The Kane lands may only be three days ride away from the capital, but with every passing season, it seemed to be just that little bit further away, especially when the rest of her family had chosen to take up residence in Loren. Those thoughts were quickly forgotten about, replaced instead by the matters at hand. She would be a little bit careful hereon out, Astor hadn't been buried all that long after all.

"The children are fine. Enjoying the summer climate and the festivities. It is orange season after all." All Kanes would know just what that meant. A harvest, a giant one at that, followed of course by the Hotspurs. Helena fully intended to drag her descendants back to their homelands for that. "I understand that you're busy. It seems as if this nation is doing everything that it can to collapse on itself. I don't understand it. I don't. Things were all so much simpler when I was your age." The elder would glance away and look around for only a brief moment. "Shall we go for a walk? Perhaps there is some place that we can find to settle down and talk for a little while?" 

Scout could very well understand why Helena preferred the Kane lands. She did as well. Birkhall seemed cold, somehow, and although she was grateful that her uncle let her stay there for a while, she didn't much like the place. Perhaps it had to do with Felicity's presence. The two of them didn't get along well.

She let her grandmother talk without interrupting her in between the two topics, something that she had been paying attention to lately. She then nodded when Helena suggested settling down somewhere. They were near the teaplace where Scout and Florina had met. "A few streets from here is a tea shop. We can go there and have a cup of tea." She would wait to hear if Helena agrees, and if she did, she would start walking.

"It is indeed orange season", she said, returning to the topic. She sighed softly. "I'm looking forward to the Hotspurs. Let us hope the kingdom allows me that time off, so I can attend. I will make sure to make time." She looked at her grandmother. She knew how much she valued getting the family together for it. "The kingdom is indeed not doing great. I still can't believe we captured an Eldouir. It's only a matter of time before the others come to reclaim her." It would be a nerve wrecking time until then, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.

Tea sounded nice. "Oh yes. That will do." Plain, and sophisticated at the same time. That was exactly the sort of thing which would appeal to Helena Kane. She would allow Scout to lead the way. Trusting her granddaughter's judgement about the matter. The opportunity to sit down, and sort of relax would be very much welcome.

The mention of an Eldouir earned a wrinkled nose of disgust from the elder. "Oh I heard. I can't understand the need for a trial. They're traitors, through and through. Spare us all the time, and Hiram the opportunity to rescue her." Helena was of a generation, and a household which deemed traitors, no matter their reasoning or whoever might be pulling their strings, traitors. They were not to be pitied. No attempts were be made to understand them. They were to be killed with neither ceremony, nor mercy. "Send Hiram the head, that way it will save him the journey." 

Helena thought about matters for a brief moment. "I heard about your promotion. I assume it is one?" The announcement had been made a few days ago, only just after the elder had made her way back to Loren. "Things are so complicated these days. New positions being created, and done away with every other day. I don't know why they bother." 

She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but her grandmother seemed different. On edge, maybe, or fed up? It appeared that the current situation in Lorendale was bothering her, but Scout could hardly blame her for that. It made her anxious as well. What would happen was unpredictable and scary, even. Eldouir, political conflict, and even on a personal level there was a lot going on for Scout.

As they were walking, Scout mentioned Elena and her fear of the Eldouir coming for their blood. Scout nodded when her grandmother spoke. She could understand where she was coming from, and to a degree she agreed, but she also felt like giving the queen the opportunity to sentence Elena to death would be a good move, politically. It would gain the people's trust. She couldn't help but laugh when her grandmother coldly and calmly suggested they send Elena's head to Hiram. "You keep surprising me", she said when her soft laughter had ended. "I don't think he would find peace in that, but it would certainly save him some time." Because it sas just hypothetical talk, she didn't continue talking about it much longer. Helena changed the subject anyway.

"Thank you. It certainly is a promotion. I'm now more of an advisor than I was before", she responded with a polite nod of her head, although it sounded like her grandmother thought a position had been created just for her, while in reality she was taking over from Lady Saelim. "I can't help but notice you seem doubtful of the crown's motives and motivation. Did something happen?" She was just asking to be sure. She knew her grandmother had more knowledge of what the kingdom had been before, and she wondered what Helena was thinking. "Things are changing, you're right about that. If it's for the better or not, is to be seen, still. I will always work towards the greater good, but things have become increasingly difficult, yes."

They would arrive at the tea place, and the younger woman would hold the door open for her grandmother so she could enter the establishment.

Helena was often grouchy. She'd reached an age where it was impossible for her not to compare the current state of things with how she had known them in her youth. The world was definitely a more complicated place. There were so many other nations to take into account. So much strife within the gifted, and non-gifted, and for once, it wasn't very easy to pick out who was right, and who was wrong. For someone who liked things simple, and black and white, and was inclined to see the world like that, it was a headache.

When the words "peace", and "Hiram" were brought up in the same sentence, Helena would let out a disdainful huff at the notion. "I doubt he cares." How long had Elena been a captive now? Some time. That spoke volumes to Helena. "When Felicity was taken by Coheed, your uncle was galloping to her rescue within the day. He bungled it, as always, of course, but the intention was there." The elder was still fuming about that debacle, even all these years down. It had been humiliating to have to go first to Raine, and then to Cassian to help dig her remaining son, and his spouse out of the mess they had created. "If the Eldouir wanted, they could be here within a heartbeat. They're not, and I doubt them to be the types to come up with elaborate schemes, mindless brutes that they are..." 

When they were at the at the tea room. Helena would settle down, before continuing with their discussion. 

She would wait until Scout had settled, before continuing. "It's not the crown that I have concerns with." Helena shook her head. That would be nearly sacrilegious to the Kane household. "-But I've seen a lot of this world. I don't think I can recall a period quite as troubled as the one over the past decade or so." Julius' departure perhaps had come close... Even so, there had been many Rainecourts put in the ground over the past few years that it was difficult for her to understand just where things were heading. At least it seemed as if Scout still had her head screwed on tight. Always for the greater good. "Good. That's the duty of we Kanes, to do whatever we can. No matter the cost."

Scout knew this story, and she understood why her grandmother was so annoyed by it. It had been a whole thing, and Hiram's rise to power had almost taken a very drastic form here. "Still, I like to tell myself that they do actually have a plan, just so I'm not caught by surprise." Most of their plans revolved around just killing whoever stood in their way, though, she thought as she looked down at her enchanted ring. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it.

They settled down in the tea shop, and Scout greeted the maid. She ordered a pot of tea after discussing with Helena what kind of tea she would like. Then they continued.

Scout nodded, again understanding her grandmother. They were living through very troubled times. She was grateful that she was now an actual advisor, which was indeed what the Kanes saw as their duty.

"My friend, Lady Florina Bellerose, has become Advisor of Gifted. I will be working together with her as well, and advise the queen about what should be done about certain Gifted, but I fear things will only become more difficult now that there's this Rainecourt Keep in Coheed. I can't imagine that Gifted will leave Lotendale voluntarily." She sighed softly, looking up when the maid returned with the tea.

"What is even more important than the Gifted stuff, is that we figure out who it was exactly that tried to ruin the queen's reputation, and to prevent things like that from happening in the future. Even if people doubt the queen, uncertainty and fear shouldn't be spread around like that. And I'll be the first to defend Her Majesty if something like that letter were ever to repeat itself."

It was easier to think of the Eldouir as mad beasts. Helena took a comfort in that much. Although on balance, she knew that her granddaughter was likely right with her caution.

The woman accepted her hot drink politely. She quite enjoyed the taste of tea. Scout at the very least had good taste. It was more than the elder could say about her uncle. He would have had them in a tavern drinking ale with the common soldiery. Yes, he had certainly done it before. 

The name of the woman mentioned was unknown to Helena. Oh well, at the rate the kingdom burned through its officials, there would be a new one come Aestas. The mention of the Rainecourt Keep in Coheed of all places caused Helena to stiffen. "Yes, I heard about that. One of the reasons that I have come up north is to discuss matters with Remiel Allemeade . He cares for gifted. His home, and those under his care are being guarded by Kane men as we speak. If we can combine our efforts, and make a safe and guarded place for gifted, within our own borders, I hope that will be more appealing to those seeking shelter, than risking a trip abroad" 

The elder raised an eyebrow at Scout's mention of discovering just where, and why someone would have tried to ruin the monarch's reputation. "Have you not been keeping up to date with your uncle's investigations?" Helena questioned. It wasn't a reproach, so much as some genuine surprise. The elder herself had found herself roped into the whole mess some time ago thanks to Annabeth's curious actions, and it seemed odd to her that Scout, who worked in the same palace as Tybalt, wouldn't have been privy to at least some of what was going on as well. 

Remiel's name made Scout feel conflicted. Remiel and Scout had been through rocky times, and she wasn't sure where the two of them were standing. The last time she had seen her, his girlfriend had tried to kill the Huntsman and the King. "One of the benefits of Coheed is that anti-Gifted would have to travel if they are planning on attacking the Keep. Although guarded, Allemeade Keep is within our own borders." She paused a moment. "In my opinion, Rainecourt Keep feels like getting rid of the Gifted, but Allemeade Keep could turn out to be a weak spot, too. If our guard is let down even just a moment, a lot of Gifted would be exposed to danger." She knew she had to think about those matters, but they discouraged her, too.

"I know uncle Tybalt is investigating the letter and anti-monarchy sentiments, but I don't know any specifics", she explained. Maybe she hadn't asked, and that's why she felt like she didn't know, but she didn't get to talk to Tybalt as often as she wished. Palace life was busy. "I ought to ask him about it, but sometimes the line between being professional and being his niece is a difficult one to thread." She smiled softly. "I don't wish to overstep boundaries, and ask about information that isn't mine to know." Although in this case, she doubted he would mind.

Helena nodded slowly upon listening to her granddaughter's words. "Naturally, of course Coheed remains a land of unwashed barbarians." The Kane family had been battling the hordes for centuries. For the elder, it had cost her a husband, and four of her five children. One of them was Scout's mother. Naturally, there was more than a little bitterness involved. "If they get it into their heads to turn their blades against those seeking refuge there, we won't be able to reach them in time." The thought of such an event caused her stomach to turn. "They have already proven that, on occasion, when those brutes put their mind to it, they can overcome gifteds." Felicity had had some with her when she'd been taken. 

"Oh, it's Tybalt. I wouldn't worry about any of that." The Kane household had never been terribly formal. Past a certain point in their lives, one which Scout had reached. They were all equals, more or less at least. True, there were thinks such as rank, and standing which existed, but fundamentally, in Helena's mind. Scout, and Tybalt were uncle, and niece, before they were advisor of the Law and Commander of the Royal Legion. "The military and the law go hand in hand, after all. The laws that you create, he will be the one to help enforce." 

It was a polite prod, a push in the direction which Helena felt they should have been going in. "In these uncertain times, family is the one thing that we have to rely on. Your uncle may be an idiot, but his heart is in the right place, and he will try to help you." 

While Nevermere felt like Cambria and Coheed were part of Nevermere, and in extension Lotendale as well, the people in Lorendale didn't feel the same about those former kingdoms as Nevermereans did. They didn't consider them incorporated yet, and still saw them as barbarians and savages. The Kane's would have an even harder time to see them as sophisticated citizens because they had history with Coheed. Felicity had been taken by Coheed, Helena's children had fought them, and Scout had been injured during a battle against Coheed. So Scout agreed and nodded upon hearing what Helena said about Coheed.

"They are definitely a people to look out for. I fear that if they were to turn their blades against the Gifted, that her majesty will be blamed for poor planning." She sometimes felt as if Iliana was blamed for everything, while Cassian was safe and sound back in Nevermere.

Her grandmother was right, it was Tybalt. She chuckled when Helena called her son an idiot. Scout didn't feel like he was, but she knew Helena liked to call him that. "I will make sure to ask him about the investigation the next time I see him", she assured the elder.

She then hesitated. "Grandmother, can I ask you something?"

The mention of Cambria, and Coheed definitely soured Helena's mood. They were cruel, and twisted brutes. That was a simple fact of life which nobody within the Kane household would ever allow themselves to forget. "Mark my words, when the wind blows against Nevermere, even if it's just softly, and only for an instant, these nations they think they have pacified will take their swords back in their hands, and turn on them." It wasn't something which Helena was convinced that she would ever see. Nevermere was still very powerful, and they were allies of course of Lorendale, but one day, eventually things would change. Then they would find themselves remembering that they had a savage beast on their doorsteps.

"All Men want their freedom. I know I would..." The elder muttered, her gaze found the drink before her. She starred at it, as if she were capable of seeing all of Terra Nova hidden within the tea.

The woman's reaction to her calling Tybalt an idiot earned a raised eyebrow. To Helena he was. Yet, he was also the only one of her five children who had somehow managed to blunder through life, and everything that it had thrown at them. He was the only one still with her. 

Scout's hesitation wasn't entirely lost on Helena. It spiked her curiosity, not that she would let it slow. The elder adjusted her hold on the pommel of her cane. "Of course. Whatever it may be, you can certainly ask. Although I do reserve the right not to answer." 

Scout didn't want to agree out loud, because she felt like in her position, she couldn't agree to it, but she did agree. She too feared Coheed and Cambria would turn against Lorendale and Nevermere when they realised they were trusted enough to not be suspected of doing so. "I will be working together with the Advisor of Gifted. I'm curious to hear what she thinks about it." What would Florina think? She hadn't been to Coheed, as far as Scout knew, but she must know the stories.

After she had asked her question, she took a sip of her tea in anticipation of her grandmother answering. When she told her yes, she took a breath. "How did you deal with grandfather dying?" There was little more to the question, at least out loud, but Helena would know this was about Astor. "I- I don't think I ever told the family, but I was pregnant and lost the baby a few weeks before Astor passed away." She stared at her tea. "I don't know where to look for a new husband, or how long I should grieve before doing so..." These were questions she would have asked her mother, had she still been alive. Talking to Tybalt about it was too awkward, and although it was still awkward talking to Helena about it, it was her best bet.