Having minions comes in handy surprisingly often. They aren't very effective at tasks, but they're very good at acting miniony, and in some contexts it is exactly what she needs for added diplomatic consequence to have three or four of them following her around, addressing her as "Your Majesty", carrying stuff for her. They wanted detailed feedback; they get it. She learns all their names and supplies reports whenever anything out of the ordinary happens and once every other month. They're even doing pretty neat things with the garden. There is now a dense red-flowered shrub that is sort of the same shape as her. Soph has taken it upon herself to teach them board games and hangs out in the palace playing Parcheesi with available minions plus Tony on a routine basis.

Val's interview with James goes well; Bella starts calling her Ambassador, but only when she feels like getting laughed at. Other ambassadors accumulate. There's always work to do, and when it becomes wearying there's always people to love. Bella doesn't sleep. Sleep is boring.

She has a crown now, which pleases the minions to no end, though she doesn't usually wear it when she's not on Mercury. It's simple, just a ring that comes to a peak over her forehead, made of glossy indigo metal that matches her Jane-necklace. It attracts flames when she auras.

Here she is, not-sleeping with two minions, Soph, and Monopoly. When it's not her turn she is reading up on the cultural practices of the Kknrr demons.