"Is he really going? To the North? To accompany that person?"
The whisper came from behind a curtain of heavy silk, the voices of two court ladies overlapping in a rush of hushed whispers.
"The King's favoritism of that villain is one thing, but sending Lord Philia into that wasteland? It's barbaric. I heard the snow there eats the sun alive."
"Oh, hush. I heard it was Lord Philia himself who practically begged to go. Seems like he's trying very hard to look noble. Honestly, isn't it just a bit... dim-witted? After the way Lord Cherion treated him? If I were him, I'd simply keep my distance and have nothing more to do with him."
Right in the middle of all the gossip and whispers stood Philia.
