She'd grown up among the court. To him, they weren't vicious. To a bastard daughter who was the shame of her father? That is a different story. It's never been anything overt. No, that wasn't the style of the court. Instead, it's always been little asides, little things that might have been insults, but might not have. She has to walk a very fine line and decide which way to fall with those. It almost never goes well for her.

And Joss coming to her defense? That had just made the pettiness worse at times, when he wasn't around. Their public betrothal isn't going to change any of that. Their marriage might not change any of that.

But through it all, she'd kept her kindness, her gentleness - her pushing of Joss into the topiary besides (he'd deserved it). She's the one the palace staff like. She is the one who hears a lot of rumors before they become public knowledge and can deftly use it to help Joss, his father and the King. All because she does not "put on airs". Her mother was a simple maid and she sees no reason not to be kind to those in that station now.

"I can't promise that, Joss." She says, softly. "You know what they are like." She wraps her arms around herself. "But I'll try."