in front of the fireplace

Rin was replacing the dust-ruffle underneath the train of one of her better skirts - a completely unnecessary task for a Council Wizard to engage in, as they had any number of servants to foist the task onto, but she always found sewing comforting in its steady mundanity. Her needle flashed in and out of the silk.

"This isn't even my fault," Agate said, from where she was splayed out on the floor in front of the fire. "I'm just not the one they want."

"Hm?" Rin said.

"I know what they're thinking. I'm the placeholder, the Lightvale that's just here until my brother comes of age, and when he's ready they are going to kick me out and say it is my fault. My fault for what? For not being him?"

Rin came to the end of her thread, tied a knot, and snipped it off. She reached for the spool to cut more. "Who says they're going to kick you out?"

"They'd rather keep that _monster_ they clearly like more than me." Agate rolled over to face Rin, and scowled. "Because he 'earned his position' and I 'didn't'."

_Ah, the 'pity resignation' chestnut again._ Rin ran the new length of thread over a block of wax, to coat it so it wouldn't tangle. "If Copper really wants your position, he'll publicly challenge you the proper way. He knows how important these things are."

"Either way there will be no good reason to keep me on."

"You know what I mean."

Agate huffed and turned back to the fire. Rin threaded her needle and went back to work.

Rin eventually said, "I will not let them make any such insinuations about you in my presence. You know that, right?"

Agate visibly slumped. "Or what, you'll kick their asses for me?"

"I will not 'kick their asses'. If you'd prefer, I will bar the doors for long enough that you can kick any relevant asses yourself."

Agate looked over at Rin and, unexpectedly, smirked. "You know what? Yeah. Deal."