The seating chart had put Aegis between House Brennick and House Marcheline, which was a tactical choice.
Brennick wanted shipping contracts and would be friendly to get them. Marcheline wanted nothing and would therefore spend the whole dinner trying to find out what Aegis wanted.
[14 of them. One of me. These are my favorite odds.]
She picked up the right fork on the first try and counted it a personal triumph. A small one, sure, but she'd take it.
And, Lady Brennick got in first.
She leaned over the soup course and asked, in the tone of a woman doing a favor, whether House Starcaller had given thought to the river routes north of the capital. Aegis said she gave them a great deal of thought. She gave Lady Brennick exactly enough to keep her leaning, then turned the conversation toward Brennick's youngest daughter's recent betrothal, which Lady Brennick was desperate to brag about and had been waiting all evening to do.
By the fish course, Lady Brennick was Aegis's friend.
