"It's not every day a woman has the opportunity to terrify a would-be suitor by explaining the complications and difficulties of being her significant other," Solae jested, though it was a more serious criticism of herself than she was willing to discuss during the ball. A few times Rene had expression concern over what she may have to endure as his fiancee and, hopefully, future wife. While she did concede that it would not be easy to overcome the false murder charge, when nearly everyone considered him guilty, being the spouse of a duchess would have its unique tribulations. Even after marriage he would be her 'lesser' as she was the one gifted the title by the empress, she would wield great power outside their relationship, and would invite more attention than either of them was truly accustomed to one they returned to the courts. As someone so high-ranking, and of an elite few, there would be those that sought her attention and favor, to solve their problems, to be their voice to the empress. As the daughter of the marquise she had not been under so much pressure. Now that she was elevated, she worried both for herself and anyone who might be cause in the proverbial crossfire by proximity.

From across the room she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Rosaria finally relent and allow a young Kalderi to escort her onto the dance floor. She seemed less than thrilled but had likely deduced that she couldn't decline every offer; practically speaking, it was easier to accept one that she minimally preferred, and then use him as an excuse as to why she could not entertain the rest. For all her faults, such as being somewhat petulant and selfish, she was a very perceptive young woman. The diplomat sincerely hoped they had rescued her before she had become so corrupted that she had no hope of leading a fulfilling life, whatever it was. They had floated the idea of Rosaria as her successor, but Solae was not certain that it would serve the youth, as something about her disposition told the linguist she may not particularly enjoy the limelight once it was shone upon her.

Leaning forward, she lowered her voice to a hush, more to convey a sense of playful secrecy than an effort for privacy. "Truthfully, my plan was just to ask you to dance before we got ambushed by anyone. I figured it would be so culturally awkward that no one would know what to do. What would they do, challenge me... for me? Since we're human we could have probably gotten away with it were we not thwarted by Totlya." It was a clever plan. Kalderi traditions were steeped in traditional roles, most customs not defined by sex, but the 'mating ritual' infused with dancing did adhere to certain norms. All around them it was the men that asked the women (or what they assumed to be) for their hand. Foreigners naturally had more leniency in adhering to expectations. Solae would have had just enough latitude to snag Rene for a few waltzes had she not been foiled by her own propensity for idle banter.

"What do you think of what he said?" she pressed, eyebrows knitted together in thought. "It seems strange to me that a merchant would abduct a Kalderi. If he was a slave trader he wouldn't have only taken one," she whispered slowly, "and it was a huge risk to take. Either he knew that Kalderi would be reluctant to pursue him, which suggests he knows a great deal about them, or he was taking a gamble in hoping they didn't chase him down. Most of the empire is under the impression they have superior technology [i]and[/i] weapons, and they have historically used both to avenge wrongs. It's all... odd. Not only that, even on the outer fringes of settled worlds, this would be a hard thing to keep quiet. A captive Kalderi would be too hot of gossip not to spread far and wide. Everyone loves a good scandal," the aristocrat wryly noted. Generally bad news related to crimes or morally questionable acts traveled with lightning speed.

Dasin and Yarue had meanwhile retreated back towards the exterior of the room, trying to avoid the crowd to the best of their ability, skeptical about the underwater 'building.' Despite all their reservations, they were completely fascinated by the fish that swam by peacefully, drawn to the lights created by the colorful setting. A few straggler Kalderi doggedly approached, coaxing them into conversation, but they were almost comically stiff. Between the broken common language both races spoke, as well as the two Syshin's lack of socialization for many years, Solae almost felt guilty for not saving them. Conversation wouldn't do them any harm, but she was empathetic to a fault, and hated to see them struggle, however necessary the process might be.