The Empress Grandmother (2)

It's the first time I hear of someone becoming crazy because of poison.

I understand it's possible, due more to the pain or ugly after-effects of the venom rather than the substance itself. However, this woman doesn't seem traumatised. She's just forgetful and senile.

I mean, she looks senile. I don't know if it is all just a pretence.

It wouldn't surprise me.

No one has suspected anything because her illness started with her second born's execution. Every mother would despair over such an occurrence.

But how long do crazy people live? Is it possible for an unbalanced brain to survive years? What more, alone and exiled into a building.

She treats dead people as if they were alive; this seems enough to scare away the other people. Alexander doesn't like to talk with her because the wound of his parents' death still hurts. The others probably feel just awkward.