Helena was sorting out some of her affairs in the capital. Although she had abandoned her school with her students a few months ago, the building was still standing. It needed to be run, to be kept clean. Helena wasn't against allowing a few people to settle down inside, living there, so long as they ensured that everything was kept shipshape, and orderly. It wasn't practical for her to keep on sending down Kane knights to check things out, they were military men and women and had better things to do. Besides, there was nothing quite like checking out things for herself. She was half way to the building when the Annabeth would come across her. 

The elder's initial reaction was to ignore her. It might have seen as a curious reaction, given that their houses had once - albeit very briefly, been united by marriage. Annabeth wasn't supposed to be going anywhere near the Kanes though. To the outside world, the old marshals of the south had cut their ties almost as soon as Astor had died, his sister to fend for herself. It was harsh, but not unbelievable coming from them.

As Annabeth approached, the elder's eyes would widen. She had been hoping/expecting, the younger woman to scurry on past, and pretend that they hadn't seen one another. She didn't. It took all of the marchioness' self-control not to roll her eyes. "I had better hope this is something urgent." Would come the clipped reply. There would be no other greeting. To the untrained eye, it could at least look like some leftover bitterness from the separation. Helena would look around, looking for somewhere more secluded for the two of them to discuss whatever it was that had caused Annabeth to come up here in such a fashion. She found it eventually in the form of a small square, by a well. There didn't seem to be any passersby there, or at least not as many. "Come along then."

Regardless of whether or not Annabeth followed, Helena would begin to move away. 

Annabeth did move towards Helena when there wasn't anybody about so hardly anybody, well nobody was looking in their direction anyway. She know they told her not to talk to them but it would look odd for Annabeth if she wasn't friendly towards people. She had mostly been hoping she would have heard something from Tybalt by now in regards to names she can look into, however, at the moment in time, she hasn't heard much if anything from him.

knowing him, he is either still compelling a list of names or something popped up that is more important so it can't wait. When Helena suggested following her, Annabeth waited a couple of seconds before she followed as she didn't want it to look like she was following the woman. When will this woman realise that all she does is try, however, Annabeth concluded that people will never see her for the effort she put in.

When they got safe distance, "i have been listening to conversations when I am out and about and I have got a list of people who could be looked into."

The elder would glance around, hoping that Annabeth with her younger eyes, and ears would do the same, ensuring that they were moderately safe. After doing so, she would gesture for the girl to say whatever it was that was on her mind. 

It was a definite surprise - albeit a pleasant one - to discover that Annabeth had actually come up with something. Helena wasn't entirely sure about how Tybalt saw matters, but the elder Kane had thought that if they could only escape disaster where the young woman was concerned, then they would be doing alright.

"Well that's good. No Rainecourts I hope?" The elder Kane had been left somewhat scarred by the number of royals over the years, some closer to the crown than others, who had been accused, and found guilty of treason of one kind or another. It was far from impossible that there would be a few voices, too close to the queen for comfort, who would be whispering in the shadows. Helena wasn't too sure that either she, nor her son, would have it in them to face yet another bout of betrayals on that front.

With a shake of the head, she concentrated on the matter at hand. "I trust that you've kept safe?"

Annabeth would indeed keep her ears and eyes open to make sure that they were safe to talk. "Thankfully they are not raincourts. One is Countess Simonne Rosenburg and the other is her younger brother Derick Woods. Simonne is recently married, I don't know if her husband shares the same views as his wife." She explained in Annabeth's opinion surly her husband might know his wife pov on the matter at hand, however, she has no proof and she can't go around following people without risking being spotted.

When Helena asked if she had been keeping safe, one of the reasons she was allowed to do this task is because she wanted to prove herself, even though both Helena and Tylbalt wanted her to be safe and not put her in a position where she is more in danger. However, they had to conclude that if they want her to grow they need her to do things that scare them.

"Yes, I have been keeping safe." She also knows that when they say safe they are asking if she has been keeping out of trouble and hasn't made any other bad choices.

The names that Annabeth mentioned to Helena meant nothing to the elder. She hadn't been plugged into the social scene of Lorendale in over 15 years, and much of that which she had known had died off at this point. All the same, the woman took it to be a good sign that she plainly had no idea who they were. Had she known, they would have had to be of some standing, and importance within the nation. If all of the conspirators could be confined to the lower ranks of the nobility, or even commoners without much authority, this whole affair should have been easy, and relatively painless to sort out. At least in the marchioness' mind.

"I'll see to it that their names are given to Tybalt. He can put them under surveillance." Helena didn't know all of the details of how her son was operating things, but she knew enough to be able to say as much as she had. Any letters they had heading in and out of the palace would be read, and carefully re-sealed, those whom they interacted with would be considered people of potential interest. Their movements would be monitored. If there was a plot, it would be uncovered.

Helena nodded, a rare sign of approval at Annabeth's statement. "Good. Take care that you do. Mistakes are easily made, even by the best of us, and I wouldn't expect any mercy from traitors." The debacle with Felicity many years ago was still an open wound to many within the Kane family.