The Other Witch; Wallflower

"Well Katherine, I have to admit I'm surprised you're not involved in this already.  I'd have thought this sort of thing was right up your alley.  Many would wonder why you hadn't tried it before?"
Braga didn't know that Katherine, princess of Gravaga, was also Arcania, queen of the Frostbourne.  That was probably a good thing, the Ga-Vok would have considered it a great honor to kill Arcania, or even to face her in combat.  It wasn't as though she didn't deserve it, even to Salvia's knowledge, but such a conflict would have been problematic.  Whats more, it was unlikely that Braga would survive such a confrontation, strong as he was, and she'd come to appreciate his knowledge.
"Political complications rooting in the manner of my departure.  Putting it simply, yelling at ones mother and storming off is not a good way to remain heir to the throne.  The Gravagans may still recognize me for who I am, but that isn't exactly a good thing.  I believe the exact orders are 'hold for questioning'.  But the orders imply that my mother will be doing the questioning, and in her absence that amounts to a life sentence."  She paused and tilted her head downwards to get a more dramatic look.  "And immortals live for very, very long times."

James seemed dumbfounded by the entire exchange.  Although considering his lack of experience with even the mere existence of magic, that was to be expected.  Even less surprising was Hack's complete disregard for the entire exchange.  He'd never shown any interest in small talk before, and it was unlikely he would at any future point.  The Countess, however, was displaying incredible skill at both maintaining her own conversation with Hack, and paying attention to Braga and Kate's exchange.  Perhaps it was some sort of politician's social prowess, or maybe it was just a vampire thing.  Salvia didn't feel nearly as drawn towards this conversation as she had to the one that she and Katherine had been having prior to the arrival of the others. Not that any of them seemed diminished in any way, save perhaps Katherine, who seemed cowed by Hack's presence, it was just that there seemed to be a lot that they weren't talking about.  The absence of Empress Thalia, and where Hack had been all these years, seemed to cast a palpable shadow over their conversation.  Salvia decided to try her hand at some actual delicious sandwiches to pass the time and managed to wile away the hours without much further incident (Katherine had to rescue her from a dire encyclopedia she accidentally unleashed when she fell off a step stool trying to reach 'the self-updating geneology of the Imperial Family, accurate to t9 mage concealment'.  Apparently, Katherine told her, this happened fairly regularly; Salvia hoped she'd meant the stool.)

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The next morning Went by without incident.  The Countess had excused herself shortly before sunset in order to attend to matters of state, and prevent her servants from realizing she'd been out all day.  Braga and James had returned with Hack to prep the ship at the ungodly hour of eight in the morning.  So when Salvia awoke she found herself alone in the little cottage with Katherine, who'd made breakfast and apparently been by later to reheat it.  Eggs and toast made from a variety of bread she'd never seen before, but which looked positively wonderful.  Some meat would have been nice too, but Katherine had made it clear at dinner that she was vegetarian.  Salvia scarfed down her meal and hastened downstairs to thank Katherine and say goodbye.  Before she reached the bottom she heard a voice she didn't recognize and stopped to eavesdrop politely.
"...sure about this?  The cloak may be your father, but he is not the man who..forgive my insolence dear one, I do not mean dishonor, but who completely failed to raise you as a child."
"He might not have been there," Katherine seemed almost resigned.  Like it was an arguement she knew she'd lost years ago, but still couldn't let go of.  "But that doesn't mean he didn't help raise me.  He's a good man, we just have to trust that he knows what's best."
"The spell has never worked.  Even if his intentions truly are pure, and my bones chill with the fear that they aren't, he asks more of you than should be asked of anyone.  Let alone his daughter."
"Rea did it.  She brought her brother back, in the days before Death walked among men.  I can do it, I know ever detail of the spell by heart.  You said yourself that there's no mage more suited for a feat like this than I am."
"And look at the cost.  Twelve thousand years she's hunted the undying, are you prepared to give that much to raise a woman who gave her life readily and willingly?"
"Yes."
There was a sound like a dragon's yawn, then the other continued, "I am, as always, your loyal companion.  I do not agree with this, but I will be at your side when you do it.  I pray that you know what you're doing"
"I do too, Zeeje, I do too."

Salvia decided this would be an appropriate time to finish going down the stairs, and made a point of yawning loudly so they would think she'd just gotten up.
"How much did you hear?"  Katherine was more difficult to deceive than most of her hosts it would seem.
"What spell is it, and who's Rea?"
"It's called 're-installation', and neither what it does, nor who Rea is, are in my best interests to say.  Doubtless, you'll learn the answers to both in time anyways.  How was breakfast?"
The eggs had been a little runny and the toast had been slightly burnt.  "Lovely, thank you."
"Liss made them, very clean and orderly but she never could cook to save her life.  Which is just as well, since cooking wouldn't have saved her life anyhow."
"You knew her before she became a ghoul?"
"No, Liss was always a ghoul.  But I knew the woman who became Liss, and we didn't really get along then either.  But enough of that, you've got a ship to catch and I need to infiltrate a very secure planet I'm not welcome on and set up a very large array of magical circles so that I can execute a hereforto impossible spell on people my closest friend doesn't approve of and who will probably yell at me for not doing it sooner.  Have fun talking to the pyromaniac with my dad and when you see Krell, tell him to introduce you to Rea."
Somewhere during the course of the conversation Katherine had managed to escort her to the door, and while Salvia suspected it was shortly after the part about breakfast, she wasn't sure.
"Will I recognize him?"
"Yes, but not from where you would think.  Have fun storming the castle!"  The door closed, surprisingly courteously for someone who was clearly succeeding at getting rid of her.  More surprising was the fact that a mass of papers titled 'Research notes: True Imperial Line?(by Kathrine Immersfeld, age 9)' had found its way into her purse.  Must be something Katherine wanted her to read, probably important then.  But for now, as she set off to reboard the ship, it would have to wait.