| "Her resolves weakening or something?" Sigin asks gently.
"Well, it's like this," Astra 3 murmurs. "I doubt….and doubt seriously
that she's wavering, but….. Let's face it, my sister may profess to not
want her children….but wants to see if a relationship will develop between
herself and Fred 2. She KNOWS that Fred 2's not going to give up his children
for her sake…..and YET…..still wants to have a relationship with the man.
"I know she's not really like me," Astra 3 chuckles. "Because I never
made the decisions she made….nor did I grow up like she did…..We're similar
though in a few details."
"She doesn't want to admit it," Demifox Synizn guesses. "But the little
ones have begun to capture her heart…..like your young ones captured your
hearts?"
"That might be it," Fred 3 nods. "And probably true if Fred 2 and Astra
2's relationship deepens to love and leads to marriage. If they do marry…..Astra
2 will become their mother….professed desires to the contrary."
"Like I said, I don't think she knows it yet," Astra 3 smiles softly.
"And if it does, it'll probably be a touching thing to behold. If not,
then so be it….it's none of our business."
But interesting to watch, a small part of Astra 3 whispers to herself.
She tells that part to mind it's own business.
"Well," Fred the manfox says after a bit. "Alicia is talking to Astra
1 about what I'm looking for her to do. Frankly, at first I wanted one
of you other people to do it, but……"
"Should be interesting seeing her being a diplomat," Fred 3 says
in a neutral voice.
"Yeah," the manfox laughs. "I definitely saw that same look on Dredrick's
face when I broached the idea with him during that break Malachi called.
Frankly, he'd rather see Astra 1 given the boot … penniless….and a few
other things. I've got the feeling that beyond the fact that Astra 1 deeply
offended the old war horse's sense of honor….."
"She also made him angry when she hurt his son," Sigin sighs.
"He can forgive perhaps one or the other, but both? No."
"I'm trying to bring him around, but……." Fred sighs, shaking his furry
head sadly.
The others sigh in sadness.
"While I can understand some of what she did……I don't think much of
what she said during the conference….about you and the manimals." Astra
3 sighs. "That and a few other things she said just turned me off…..as
Probe is prone to say."
The Golem whistles and looks up at the sky, pretending not to hear that.
"She also 'turned off' Queen Astra," Fred sighs. "I mean…I and my Pack
were the ones insulted…..I don't see why you guys can't forgive her!"
"We don't really hold it against her, Fred." Fred 3 says gently. "But
it's just that…..we didn't like what she did….and it's hard to forget and
all that…. You know about breaches of etiquette and honor."
"At least we were able to calm down Astra!" Astra 3 murmurs…drawing
nods and sighs of relief from the others. "For a second there….she looked
like she wanted to do something drastic. At least she saw that Astra 1
had just made a faux pas….and not something worthy of banishment or stripping
of her royal title or something really silly. "
The others chuckle at the silliness of that thought.
-
 "Uh, here comes our wet
nurses," the AI says with some discomfort, feelings something like tha
outsider…..
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