Duncan had kept his eyes on her and he noticed her being a bit insecure. He loved how she bit her lip though. He didn't know when he first noticed Madeline but he did know she was growing on him fast. Disappointed that there was work waiting for him he gently let go of her hand. "I should go to my office and do some boring paper work. Would you walk with me there? Or do you prefer to stay in the gardens?" he asked, hoping she would walk with him so they would have a few more moments together. It was a good thing she was on her own anyway so he could ask her personal opinion about the suitors but for now he just enjoyed some time with her. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Keith noticed Desmond was being evasive over his homeland and he wondered why. If someone would have asked him anything about his homeland he would have given an eloborate answer that would show how proud he was living there. Keith decided to let it slide. He definitely didn't want to rub anything the wrong way right now. "We don't need her military, besides maybe some techinques and tactical intelligence, but she does need ours and our weapons. We need free trade of goods and services and we need some of their cheap products and services, escpecially of certain products that are scarce in my homeland, we also want some scholarships for our people so they can study here in fields we don't have. Like some magic fields." Keith paused. "Knowledge is power sais my father all the time and to gain a whole country full of knowledge we don't have is very tempting to father as bonus on top of the cheap import for stuff we need. He looked into the matter and felt the advantages were bigger then the disadvantages of marrying into a kingdom that is at the threath of war." Keith filled his glass again but didn't drink from it. He looked at Desmond. "Did you volunteer or got ordered to go like I was?" He asked