The queen

Discuss Ani's relationship with her mother. Do you think the queen truly loves Ani? Do you believe that her actions were a betrayal? A selfish act? A political move? To protect Ani? How would you feel if your mother denied you something you felt entitled to?

I don't know if she really loved Ani. That was hard to get a handle on. When she sent Ani away and gave her the handkerchief Ani had hopes of a mother's protection and love in that token but then lost hope when she found it was a false protection. I think her actions, if not a betrayal, felt like one. Perhaps she felt Ani needed to go away to "grow into a Princess" and trusted her escorts...which proved to be wrong. It was a selfish and political act to betroth her daughter to a Prince just to protect her country. She never felt like her mother loved her and the Queen's move to strip Ani of her place and give it to her brother would seem to verify that feeling. I would be very hurt!
-Bookworm

I think she probably loved her ( I hope) but I think she was probably a lot like Selia. They were both blessed with people talking. I think it would be hard for anyone like that to really love someone because people always do what they want them to and they can pretty much be a puppeteer to those around them. This probably doesn't make for a very close and personal relationship with someone as well as with her ideas of separation, elevation, and delegation she probably kept to herself and didn't mix much with her children, husband, etc.
I am sure that her feelings toward her sister affected her feelings toward Ani as well. It's kind of like in Harry Potter when his aunt hated and feared her sister and so those feelings kind of transfer to Harry because he has the same powers/destiny. She obviously feared and loathed her sisters ability to talk to animals and did not want Ani to have that in her life. I am sure she was not proud of her. With a mother like her I am sure that it is hard to love someone that you don't have pride in. I felt like the handkerchief was a sincere moment but , just like Ani, I wondered if it really was or if it was a show for the people of the motherly affection they would expect.
I would have been very insulted and hurt if my mother had gone against protocol to trade me for peace to a kingdom I knew nothing about and a prince I had never met. I think that would make you feel like you were not very important to her.
I am sure that her mother chose her to go because it solved the problem of not thinking Ani was up for the job and insured a treaty as well.
-Annegirl