"Proud of me for scaring off a young man that had not idea what claiming me would mean for his future?" she asked, though she knew that was not what he was suggesting. Rene was trying to console her, to make her feel better about the situation, and she couldn't help but ponder the fact that any other woman in the universe would have been walking on air (figuratively unless they were a Kalderi) to be personally appointed to such a station. Still, the concern that she was unworthy lingered in the back of her mind, as well as doubts about whether or not she was a positive influence on the others around her. Many dukes and duchesses throughout history merely [i]assumed[/i] that everyone was fortunate to be in their presence, to be part of their entourage, or to be related, whether it be by blood, marriage, friendship, or business arrangements, but that did mean their assessment was accurate. The empress's father had made numerous missteps, but his paranoia was not wholly unfounded, as there were nobles that had become so arrogant, so entitled, and so self-absorbed that they were an active hindrance to society. While she could concede she was perhaps too preoccupied about how she may be stifling or harming her companions, worrying in of itself was a sign that she was empathetic, and that her heart had not hardened with power as it did with others.

"It seems everywhere we go there is more than it appears on the surface," she sighed, leaning her head briefly against his shoulder, not at all bothered with whether or not it was an appropriate gesture to insert into the Kadleri dance. While she was a diplomat attache on the world representing humanity, she was also a woman, one who could grow tired, or need physical affirmation, or need space to regain her strength. "Peace has reigned here because the traders fear upsetting their benefactors or inciting another retaliation for a perceived wrong. I suspect you are correct in that there is more afoot here, but if merchants falsely believe that the Kalderi have grown weak or become pacifists, then the smallest opening could encourage Tan and his rebels to try to conquer this planet like the others they already occupy. Not only must we bring this to a satisfactory resolution, we must be cautious to preserve this fear of our new acquaintances, if for no other reason than to make certain there's no aggression towards them until they're truly prepared to lower the veil, so to speak."

Exhaling softly, she tried to drown out the murmuring voices and the other attendees, focusing on the music itself, the decorative room, the sensation of gliding across the polished stone floor. "We need a vacation," she laughed lightly, "and to be clear, being stranded on the Bonaventure for periods of time does not count. I want to visit somewhere and just enjoy it for what it is, relax, not be a title or a position, just myself. Can you imagine what the rest would do? Rosaria would love it, but Dasin and Yarue probably wouldn't know what to do with themselves. Since New Concordia, we've been traveling by necessity, racing to the next goal, trying to stop a ruthless coup. I'm not saying now is the right time, but... I miss having leisure, don't you? Before the Marines you must have gone [i]somewhere[/i] just to enjoy yourself."

Her parents had always been, for lack of a better word, on the bizarre end of the spectrum of "eccentric." Both were well-spoken, confident, and mentally sharp, and could have done well on Capella had they any inclination to navigate political circles. According to rumor, her mother could "play men like a fiddle" and her father could "strike fear into the heart of the most composed man," though they had not been that way with their daughter. Instead they had happily retreated to a distant planet, become purposefully reclusive, and basked in more privacy than many marquises could imagine. They had peculiar hobbies and interests, allegedly, of which she was willfully ignorant, and did not travel terribly often. When they did, it was not a 'family trip.' There were only a few instances of the three of them attending functions together, and they were formal engagements, not for pleasure. She didn't want to tell Rene of her lack of experience; she did not want to invite his pity or think she was desperate when her childhood was better than most.

"Since we've already see beaches during a horrible typhoon, I want to go somewhere with mountains so I can go hiking and see a waterfall, or go through an even more exotic biome like a terra-formed rain forest," she mused, the latter of which was a coveted destination for the affluent. With deep enough pockets, a duke or duchess need not limit themselves to a zoo, and instead could tour a carefully tended forest where devoted scientists kept the vegetation lush, expert zoologists kept the animals healthy, and technological advancements prevented guests from worrying about bug bites, sun burn, scratches, or being mauled by violent predators. "Where would you go if the empress herself granted us a honeymoon, anywhere we wanted?"