Morgana heard the sound of laughter coming from the family sitting room and paused at the door to find out what was going on, after all, neither of her brothers were big gigglers. There was definitely one male voice, and the lighter flutter of a girl or very young woman. Morgana sighed; three guesses. She pushed the door open slowly to give them a sporting chance.
"Have you seen my book?" Morgana wondered out loud as Kraar and Chip hopped from her shoulder and began to look around the room.
"Um..." Tristan said running his hand through his hair, "I don't...I don't think so." He made a valiant effort at glancing around the surrounding coffee tables before fixing her with his best smile and shrugging his shoulders in a way reminiscent of Mallos. Nice try kid.
"Its red," she continued, refusing to be charmed, "I borrowed it from your Uncle."
"Maybe he found it and took it back to his rooms?" Tris suggested helpfully, pulling the collar of his shirt straight.
"Maybe." Morgana conceded, pretending not to notice, "could you pass me that notebook?" The prince followed her pointing finger, fetched the little pad of paper and handed it over with another smile.

Sitting down on one of the sofas, Morgana picked up a pen from the table in front of her and began to scribble out a note.
Dred it said in large letters, book seems to have run away, return when found.
"Tristan," she smiled sweetly as she signed her name at the bottom of the page, "I think it might be getting a bit stuffy for your friend in that cupboard. It might be a good idea to let her out."
"Um..."
"That seems to be the word of the day, doesn't it?" Morgana smirked as she raised a scathing eyebrow. Wisely, he seemed to concede defeat fairly quickly and wrapped on the cupboard door with his knuckles. An auburn haired girl crawled out looking distinctly dishevelled (Morgana was pretty convinced that it was due more to being in a cupboard than to her nephew.)
"I'd run along now if I were you dear," Morgana said as Kraar fluttered back up onto her shoulder, "the prince and I are overdue a little chat."

---

Kraar took the lead down the corridor flying slowly ahead of his mistress to guide her along the red runner spread out across the polished wooden floors leading to Arthur's office. Chip remained in place on her left shoulder his beady eyes closed sleepily in the gentle heat of the mid-afternoon.
"I know I've been saying this all day, Kraar," Morgana said to her familiar with a sigh, "but as soon as we've spoken to Arthur, we'll get some fresh air." The raven didn't say anything in reply so she assumed he was in one of his moods.

She reached out her hand as she approached her brother's office door, her fingers rolled into a fist ready to knock. She never made it. Before she could touch the wood the door swung open and Morgana found herself colliding with someone very solid. Chip, jolted awake by the impact, gave a cry of protest and shot upwards in a flurry of wings and feathers. He landed on the nearest windowsill looking surprised and bedraggled, and it took everything Morgana had not to laugh at him. Fortunately, a distraction was not long coming as a familiar voice spoke her name.
"Well hello soldier," Morgana smiled, reaching out to remove Mace's cap so that Kraar could see his face properly, "it's been a while." She paused.

"Excuse me one minute." Morgana nodded to Mace's companion as she slipped past them both and stepped into the King's study. She reappeared a few minutes late to find Mace and Josephine alone in the corridor.
"I think I might just have lost my status as a cool aunt," she sighed, smirking slightly, "but I think I might have claimed some sister points, so win some, lose some...have some disappear leaving nothing behind but a letter."