There was a brief moment of tension, mostly from the young prince in front of him.  There was something in the rest of the family, but it was secondary.  Kethaias kept his pale gaze locked on the less formal royal.<br/><br/><i>Long gone, I’m afraid.  Right this way.</i><br/><br/>They moved out of the room, Keth remaining silent, even when glancing back the once to signal his personal guards to keep back a ways.  There wasn’t much of a need for them, not really, not unless someone in the castle thought it possible to assassinate him.  Honestly, the thought had occurred to him more than once that someone might try, but he imagined that any hostile actions against him from these peaceful people would be clumsy and awkward at best.  Still, it was best to let them follow… just to make sure.<br/><br/>The castle was vastly different from his own grander palace.  It wasn’t that it had no beauty, but there was a more earthy quality to it, where his spoke more easily of the endless riches his many conquests had brought his homeland.  It was only in times such as this, where his hand was forced to play into diplomatic affairs, that he realized how differently he lived, how used to it he was.<br/><br/>Ryland’s observing gaze had not been overlooked.  As what Kethaias thought of it, along with so many other things, he simply chose not to respond to it.  In fact, he hadn’t seen fit to respond to much of anything along the slow and tortuous journey to where he was supposed to room.  What had most of his attention, honestly, was how best to ensure that the king went along with what he wanted.  Intimidation went a long way, as did the promise of added protection against possible invasion from less savoury sorts, but another force could very well sweep in and do their own persuading.  There had to be something more, something to sweeten the pot and ensure that the king’s word remained true.<br/><br/>“I find<i>politics</i>tedious,” he thought to comment after too long a quiet, though he didn’t spare even the smallest look Ryland’s way.  “Negotiations are a waste of time.  It’s easier to just take what I want by force.”<br/><br/>He didn’t think to reassure the prince that he wouldn’t do just that to Banque.<br/><br/>They arrived in front of the doors, Kethaias never so grateful to be at a journey’s end, not when it didn’t involve hard combat.  When his retreat into the quiet rooms beyond was cut short by the prince, it was hard to hide his irritation.  He didn’t even attempt to hide the long, weary sigh that flowed out from him, his pale gaze settling back on Ryland for the first time since they left the company of the man’s family.<br/><br/><i>Would you care to make a wager with me?</i><br/><br/>He looked Ryland over again and frowned.  He<i>was</i>an adult, right?  Such childish behaviour from someone of ruling blood wasn’t necessarily uncommon, especially in the younger offspring, but Kethaias hadn’t dealt much with the type.  Most of his conquests involved taking down actual rulers, their heirs, men like Gharreld, who was much more prepared to rise to a challenge, though was wise enough not to stick his bloody neck out.<br/><br/>And then a thought occurred to him.<br/><br/>“My…  That<i>is</i>quite generous,” he murmured, though the words didn’t seem to reflect either what he felt or thought.  “Very well.  I accept.  So long as you promise not to be upset when you fail and realize you have to pay up.  This is obviously just between you and me, so the prize I pick won’t directly involve your kingdom.  I’ll make it more… personal than that.”