Editing Feeling Our Way Around (section)

==Morning Meetings==
We wake up the next day, our second full day in the Capital.

We have a note from Princess Alasta to see her at 10, and a note from Suvatra for Vidan to see her at his convenience.

Talinda (who was sneaking around invisibly) is not Merchant Varna, she is Priest varna, but gets to work in Merchant Varna because her husband is Merchant Varna.  But that may explain why she is less well-versed in Merchanting than many.  She is a Priest of Love, apparently.  Suvatra thinks that’s interesting and unusual, but not obviously evil or anything.  Vidan considers cross-Varna marriages– Priests and Merchants are less likely to have arranged marriages, so they might be more likely.  But it’s rare; you mostly socialize in your own Varna, so there are fewer opportunities.  It’s hard to change Varna once you’re an adult, unless you’re Servant Varna.

Stationary woman looks like Mirandal, nothing very exciting there.

Suvatra has also been considering if the assassins are taking a broader… are planning to eliminate the Maharani’s support prior to moving on her directly.  The people who are the most likely targets (there are many possible targets) are the three adult princesses; Suvatra; Lord Tongree; and Minabel.  Lord Tongree is the head of the closest allied House; if he was removed it would weaken her.  (It’s a bit strange that there is a man in charge of a Great House.  Hmm.  Vidan thinks about that.  He’s head of house in his 5-year-old daughter’s name, which is technically legal, though all of the women in the House have to have been gotten rid of one way or another.  He was at the party last night, though we didn’t realize he was head of house.  He’s known to be strongly allied with the Maharani; there are rumors that it is a romantic as well as political alliance.  If they were to marry, he would have to leave his House to join hers.  His wife was killed about four years ago; an assassin was blamed and killed for it.  But even 12 successes of Yellow Politics isn’t enough to determine the reason.)  Minabel is the chief of the Maharani’s bodyguards.  

Suvatra has appraised Lord Tongree’s House, and has been in contact with Minabel.  She has not spoken directly to the three princesses, but Minabel’s peoples are presumably informed, who are responsible for guarding the two Princesses.  Tasca is not in the House any more, technically, since she’s Priest Varna now, so she is not technically protected by the bodyguards (although the bodyguards would probably act to defend her if they were right there).  But she’s the Church’s responsibility now.  She is also a skilled combatant, more in the swashbuckly style than the brick style, and has Priest powers.  She has not been directly warned.  Suvatra is not clear how much the Princesses will pay attention to the warnings, as assassination attempts are common.  Tasca will probably hear from Miranel (party princess) relatively soon.  Actually she was at the party, so she will probably have been informed by now.

If Lord Tongree were killed, then the wife’s younger sister would become Head of House.  If the source of that assassination were revealed, that would invite reprisals, but not as much as if the daughter were killed, since she’s only 5.  (Which might embroil the House in an internal power struggle for a bit.)