Syr’Nj is still thousand-yard-staring in panel 1, but perks up briefly in 2 when her mother expresses her confidence in her. The full implications of this moment will hit her a bit later.

Worth asking: how does Faereksch’Nj know about the Heads of Houses? I don’t think Naror’Nj ever took interest in the Gastonians’ system of government, so it’s likely she picked it up from Syr’Nj’s letters (Syr’Nj would certainly have mentioned her boss’s bosses, whose children she helped rescue). But she might’ve learned it from another source, too. Bottom line: Faer is a lot better qualified to be high elder than she was willing to advertise while Naror’Nj was alive.

So, favorite panel-3 reaction here?: (1) “By the spiritual authority vested in me, I bless these hella politically convenient unions that my daughters are clearly going to pursue whether I say anything about it or not, amen” (2) “MO-OMMMM, I was just gonna live in SIN awhile first!” (3) “this is cool. boyfriend, husband, official royal consort, whatev, i’m okay with it.” I thought about opening this contest up to include the whole page, but I think we all know who’d win that one.