She removed her hand from his shoulder, thinking quickly as he did. It would not do to lie to him now, now that he had already been lied to, but she did not wish to cause him more distress than he had already suffered.

But, she thought, it was better to give him the truth and let him decide what to do with it, rather than choose what he should know and make the decision for him.

"Yes," Hild said. "You remind me of my bodywoman, Gwladus, back home. I am niece to the king, there."