THE RULES OF MAGIC - 24
Officially there is no Kingdom censorship of FNN but when word got to the broadcasters the monarch felt the prison planet was far too dismal a topic for any documentary, Roherum’s plans to create a decisive programme about the place came to an abrupt halt. He would have gone ahead had not pressure come upon him from on high. Nobody but nobody argued with the Queen’s mother. There is no record of any such “conversation” taking place but any attempt to mention the prison planet in that monarch’s hearing (and her daughter’s) is promptly stopped or stifled. Three months after it is thought Roherum was blocked, the Queen’s mother was murdered.
Nobody is to ask the Queen anything remotely awkward about her mother’s tragic early demise. To be fair to the monarch, it was not her idea that her accession day be marked as a public holiday but welcomes the fact her subjects tend to enjoy it. The Queen would like to see more support for those charities that use the accession day holiday to promote their good causes. Indeed she has selected one each year to draw particular attention to and has berated the Council for not being generous with their support. The whisper is they will be more generous this year. They don’t want to face their monarch’s moaning again!
Magic is not to be brought to the attention of inferior, non-magical beings unless it is a matter of life or death. Certain non-magical species are renowned for grabbing resources and exploiting them for all they are worth. The Queen and her Council do not want magic to be treated as just another resource to be abused in this fashion. Magical gifts and talents, even the most minor ones, are not to be sold or demonstrated to any non-magical being. Magical books are to be returned to the Palace Library by the due date else the Librarian will be at liberty to give out a suitable punishment. Given she’s been known to break arms with one minor tap on the arm, this is no idle threat.
No magic is to be performed in the Queen’s presence unless Her Majesty specifically requests it or if this magic is necessary to save life. It should be obvious if the latter situation really is the case. Since Her Majesty’s thankfully brief overthrow, she is understandably twitchy about wands being drawn in front of her. And she is unlikely to ever fully trust a Chief Wizard again, though Abstar, the current incumbent, should not take this as a personal insult. It is the Queen’s intention to make sure that no one member of the Council, which automatically includes the Chief Wizard position, can ever gain too much power and influence to be a threat to her or any future monarch. Honourable souls will see the justice and common sense of this approach.