The two royals continued their journey to the Origin, shifting the topic of conversation to lighter subjects. Incidentally, the king was now interested in Jeanie's 'pointless' topics of discussion. He didn't groan when she talked about her sisters and potential mates in court.
This change in attitude didn't stop Hamedale from inquiring about military matters within the Sirius empire. And likewise, the queen asked about what kind of women flocked around him or if he had picked out a mate at all. When the king showed his discomfort with the topic, she groaned loudly, "Come on. You can't tell me you'll be single your whole life!"
"Can we change the subject, please?" Hamedale had asked, adding the first hint of politeness to his voice in a long time.