I stare at Thidrek, who is grabbing the supposed spy. Queen Audofleda seems baffled at not having understood that one of her women was a man, which makes me wonder about her marital life. My lady Desdemona is outraged by the mess that suddenly exploded in her hall.

"Look, lad," I tell Thidrek, "you have surely discovered an impostor, but who says he is the one who tried to poison you?"

"There is an easy solution," Audofleda says calmly. "Off with his head."

Desdemona stands suddenly and glares at the foreign queen. "I, and only I, decide whose head must come off here!"

Splendid... wonder if I can slink away unnoticed before slashes begin to fly...