...Svetka had no idea it went this deep.

She seems amused. 

"Deeper, even."

"There's much I can do on your behalf - but you'll need to learn quite a lot of this yourself."

"Seems like there's a lot of that going around here."

"There is."

"If you'd come to the Little Palace as a child, you would've learned it within all your other lessons, and you wouldn't have needed to interact with the world outside until you were ready. Unfortunately, you don't have that luxury."

"Not sure I'd make the trade of giving up my life so far for not having to learn this now."

"Most enjoy the privileges they have here."

"It is nice here. Just- I'd've missed my friends." Mostly just Val, if she's being honest. Which she's not entirely prepared to do with Genya, just yet.

"People often make new friends here, as well - and it's common for us Grisha to not have had very many friends as children."

"I didn't know I was Grisha until two weeks ago."

"I've often felt like I was born knowing."

"It's unhealthy, not realizing - denying - part of who you are, you know."

Svetka hums noncommittally.

Genya finishes getting her cleaned up, and then helps her put on a somewhat plain outfit cut like an officer's parade uniform. "You'll have your measurements taken later, too, I'm sure," she says, offhandedly, then moves to getting Svetka's hair up, and checking everything else fits and looks okay. 

"Ready to meet the General?"

"I think so."

"I think you are, too."

One last stray hair tucked out of the way, and they're off.

The Darkling is waiting in a large room - it looks like some kind of lounge or office, repurposed right now to a small ballroom, with the furniture moved to the edges of the room - overlooking the stables and horse arenas. 

"She looks wonderful, Genya," the Darkling says. "Your work is as marvelous as always."

"Thank you, sir."

She blushes faintly.

"Hello, General."

"Hello, Svetka." She smiles briefly at Genya again, then: "You may go attend to your other duties, Genya."

She curtsies, says, "Yes sir," and departs.

And the Darkling turns fully back to Svetka. "Has everything been to your liking so far, Svetka?"

"Except for the servants who apparently want to spy on me in the bath."

She laughs. "An unfortunate element of living in a palace. My own servants are very carefully vetted - but Genya works directly with the Queen, and needs to accept Her Majesty's staff."

"What does she do for the Queen?"

"The Queen is exceptionally concerned with beauty. She demands to be surrounded only by beautiful things, and to always be the most beautiful in the room - and court fashions for beauty change quickly, especially when the Queen has one of the most talented Corporalki there's ever been in her service."

"I see."