Wallace nodded along, committing Gareth's assessment to memory and finding himself enthused with its relevance to both parties. For the short period of time he'd known Gareth to be present in the palace, he'd developed quite the opinion of Thomas. At first he speculated that the two had prior history, which seemed downright impossible, but the youth's final statement narrowed the plausible explanations. What the other man was actually getting at flew slightly over the distracted plotter's head, but he understood full well what it was to put faith and more in a person and have it dashed away. "That's a bitter part of life, but one that everyone must become accustomed to. People are never what they seem." One of the few memories he held that he still found genuinely saddening was of the faith he'd placed in this very administration. His footfalls stopped, and he looked up at the palace proper as if admiring the lavish masonry. As it had when he first arrived and now more than ever, it reminded him of a mausoleum. "Flawed and ugly things are the standard by which we derive beauty. That's some poor man's philosophy but it's shockingly appropriate for dealing in politics. Everything has a value of its own. Sir Thomas knows the same, and we will know how he chooses to interpret the rule by how he chooses to treat Feril Tatchet."