Balthier had kept silent and merely admired the Palace during their party's walk to the Blue Basilica. He had visited the Palace on professional business before, though that was many years ago and although the building was ancient, it was maintained in such fine condition that one could have sworn it had been built or redone only recently. 

In the interest of good taste, he resisted rolling his eyes as Firenze Danari gave his formal speech on proper decorum and courtesy in the court. The man was merely doing his job, and although he didn't doubt that more than a few members of his company had not attended the Isamanca Court before, it was still admittedly boring having to listen through it all again. He made himself busy to hide his distaste by making a show of dusting off his coat and adjusting his attire to make sure everything was presentable for higher nobility.

And the nobility themselves were impressive within the court of the Blue Basilica. The room had been designed to impress foreigners as much as locals with its majesty and power exemplified in every respect, down to the exact positioning of where certain art pieces and people were situated in the room. The fact that Her Eminence herself hadn't spoken a single word yet in spite of Monserro Danari's instructions at the door would be enough to tip off a savvy foreigner as to how much power and respect she commanded in the room that she had others, other nobility nonetheless, speak for her essentially. 

Balthier had been surprised at the attendance of The Phoenix herself. What was she doing here? Moreover, why was she situated so close to Her Eminence, Alta? Closer than even the Dukes of her own court? Balthier had met several Maegi of her coven, cabal, or whatever they defined their group as, in his travels. Though he found their art distasteful, he couldn't deny their powers were impressive. He, like many others of the Order saw the fine line that those magicians walked between black magic and white magic, hence their "red" magic and thought it wise to err on the side of caution around them. Though for the moment, they were a perfectly legal, albeit controversial organization according to most civilized regions. 

He also had heard of the Phoenix's provocative reputation. Two could play at that game though, he thought. He could play a room as well as the best of them from his experience as a Bard, and he'd relish the opportunity to turn the situation about, but he'd leave the ball in her court for now. No sense in making an ass of one' self.

He also kept himself in silent contemplation during Lethodus' speech. Most of the information he had said was already known to Balthier, and there was no point in questioning the particulars in front of the assembled nobility and Her Eminence, they would likely do that for him, and if they didn't, they could do it in private afterwards. Though he was wondering whether or not he should reveal his own tidbit of important information pertaining to this case now or later. He figured he'd wait and see how Her Eminence and the Dukes proceeded.