He straightened and looked to her. “I know this will also surprise you, my sweet, but the Dellish are a peaceable people. Many here do not leave their villages their whole lives, and that is not because they want to do so and cannot. It is because they have no desire to. This is a land of home and hearth. Farm and forest. We have one large city inland, and four port cities that do not come close to rivaling the size or populace of Notting Thicket. And as you have seen, many villages and hamlets much like the one we’re in. Thus, we are not cosmopolitan or sophisticated. Intrigues might not be reviled, but they are not often sought and are considered mostly a curiosity.”

He placed the screen carefully back in front of the fire before he moved to the bed and sat at its end in order to pull off his boots.

And he did this as he continued speaking.

“This does not mean that the Dellish are unambitious. That they do not wish better or more for themselves and their loved ones. Thick thatch for their roofs to keep them dry and warm in the winter. More fashionable clothing. Fine pewter or china to use to serve when they have guests. Everyone wishes comfort and a higher standard of living. To give the best they can to their children and leave them with better lives than the ones they’d had. The Dellish work hard and not all are unassuming.”

Done with his boots and socks, he stood to unbutton his waistcoat and carried on sharing.

“Many speak of the university in Go’Doan. The high academics of Airen that produce such extraordinary architects and engineers. The exemplary military training in Firenze that is practiced by all the clans and tribes. But the law is studied in Wodell, this being the laws of all the lands, and the advocates who earn their credentials here can practice in any realm. And Dellish counsellors are the most sought after on the continent. And the Go’Doan aren’t the only ones who produce fine educators. Our teachers who are trained in our universities then go on to teach in our schools are exceptional. I would pit any school in Wodell against any other in any realm. The one thing the Dellish won’t abide the king not funding through their taxes is education for their children and it is no boast to say it’s the best in all of Triton. And it is obvious our training and constant advancements in agriculture and forestry are outstanding.”

He noticed out of the corners of his eyes that Farah had barely moved from the door as he swung his waistcoat over a chair by the window, put his fingers to the buttons on his shirt and went on.