"I understand," Solae said with an unfaltering smile. It was for the best that she was the first aristocrat to venture into Kalderi territory and receive a formal audience. Another noblewoman, even if she was a diplomat, would have been much more slighted by the challenge, as it would have been easy to be insulted by the gesture. Though the Syshin had been the ones to be overtly disgusted by the way a claim was made upon a female as if she had no agency, a possession or accessory to be won with combat alone, many humans would as well. Personally appointed to one of the highest positions within her society, individually recognized and rewarded for her skill and loyalty by the empress herself, she would have had no shortage of suitors at the court eager to be [i]her[/i] accessory rather than presuming the other way around. The duchess did not speak of it, but she knew that Rene recognized the same thing, that another couple would have slain this youth where he stood without a second thought.

"There are many differences between our people, but I would like to believe when it comes to matters of the heart, we may not be so dissimilar. I would be very upset if someone took Rene from me, and he would be upset if I was taken from him," she added softly, somewhat amused at the notion that Rene could be stolen from her. She was not an inherently jealous woman, and trusted her fiance with her life, but she would have been absolutely enraged if another made a serious pass at her soldier, much less tried to spirit him away to an unknown destination. Few things truly incited her ire, and they were almost exclusively moral and ethical crimes, but her beloved was the exception to the rule. 

"Sir Lithyll, Sir Andalyll, and Sir Totlya, would it be acceptable if we discussed this matter tomorrow?" Solae proposed. "I sincerely want to help, but I want to have my maps, my computer's AI, and no distractions so I can give myself wholly to your story of how you've been wronged. If your mate was taken from you, Totlya, myself and my companions will follow whatever trail they left, and help bring you a resolution." What went unspoken was that she thought a night's rest and different atmosphere might make the younger Kalderi's spirits lift. Right now he had been broken by shame and frustration, with dozens of witnesses, but if they had a private conversation after the ball he would be able to compose himself better. The most experienced and seasoned courtiers delayed meetings regularly if there was a tangible benefit. In this case, she thought that if Totlya had time to consider and appreciate what they were willing to do for him, as well as cool his temper, he might be more forthcoming and cooperative.

"Of course, Duchess Solae," Lithyll calmly intoned with a reverent incline of his head. It would be his home that would function as a gathering place due to its proximity, as well as the fact he was their host.

Rosaria, for her part, was still pouting that there wasn't going to be a duel. She was not so callous as to want there to be death, but she found the banter incredibly boring, even when they were discussing chasing down a woman that had been purportedly abducted. For her this was not such an egregious crime; if she acknowledged that it was, she might have to deal with unresolved feelings she had about those that her previous mistress had obtained via force, or that she was not absolutely certain as to whether she was sold, or procured by more unscrupulous methods by Thorne. No one except Thorne knew with certainty. Lies came so easily to her technology could discern the truth from the fabrications that dropped from her lips.

Finally Yarue and Dasin had made their way around the crowd and arrived behind the engaged pair. The Kalderi had parted for them, but they kept staring at the curious aliens, more fascinated with the sight of them than they were with the humans. The two pretended not to notice the subtle gazes and stolen glances, still uncomfortable with the attention. "Does Miss Solae always feel... compelled to help others?" Dasin asked very seriously in a low rumbling whisper to Rene.

"She went out of her way to help us," Rosaria observed with crossed arms, keeping her voice low as well, so that the Syshin could hear her when they bent in close but the Kalderi, who were a respectful few feet away, would not. "It's like she a pathological need to be nice. I didn't think people like her existed after Thorne..." she murmured.

Yarue bobbed his head in agreement. They had not, during their time on the Bonaventure, candidly talked about how all three of them had been prisoners of Thorne in one way or another. Both Syshin had been as skeptical of Rosaria as they were of their benevolent human benefactors, but they had quietly noticed that Rosaria acted at times like a wounded animal, as if she was waiting were waiting for someone to lash out or act cruelly. Their experiences on Zatis were wildly divergent from the time they arrived into Thorne's care, but they were all victims of her psychopathic depravity, and what that could do when one was subjected to it for years with no end in sight.

"What is... path of logical?" Dasin inquired, the word beyond his comprehension. "Does she walk in logic?" He and Yarue peered at Rosaria expectantly while the teenager stared back at them, baffled, having briefly forgotten about their language barrier.