Kai sat with his mother, Queen Iri, who remained bedridden and frail after nearly two months. She told Kai that Kitt had just visited and that they had bonded since the king’s death. When Kai asked about the upcoming royal wedding in two days, Iri questioned him about the throne room’s appearance and remarked on royal extravagance, contrasting it with her own hurried marriage to the late king after Kitt’s mother died in childbirth.

Queen Iri studied Kai, warning that he was still young with much to learn. During a coughing fit, Kai helped her drink water, but she insisted he not lie to himself about her condition, calling herself his “dying mother.” When Kai asked if she was fine with Kitt marrying Paedyn, Iri answered that Kitt had his reasons, without elaborating. She urged him again to rest and to understand there was much yet to learn, leaving Kai uneasy.

The scene shifted to the palace kitchen, where heat and the smell of seasoned potatoes filled the air. Kai, Kitt, Andy, Jax, and Paedyn gathered informally with Gail, the cook. Their banter—about food, Jax’s height, and Gail’s watchful tricks—lightened Kitt’s mood. Paedyn explained Gail could see reflections in the pot, and the group teased about decrees and card games, recalling simpler childhood dynamics.

They set the rickety table and shared a large meal. Kai noticed how the kitchen felt like their sanctuary from court pressures and how Paedyn seemed to find solace with them, a family she never had. Across the table, Kai and Paedyn flirted lightly about green beans and knives, revealing warmth and attraction despite the impending wedding to Kitt.

Calum and his daughter Mira entered at Kitt’s invitation and joined the meal. Calum raised a glass “to thank the Plague” for the union to come; Kitt echoed the phrase, and the others followed. Paedyn alone did not thank the Plague, holding her ground in silent refusal. Calum then offered a second toast “to saving Ilya,” closing the scene with a public affirmation of purpose.