He had not been expecting her to humor him, inwardly cursing his rotten luck. It was his own fault and he would have to deal with it. Perhaps he could sneak away again at some point and resume scoping out the keep. Things were not going so well for him, but the night was still young. Besides, from what he could see, she seemed like a beautiful lady. He couldn't help but wonder what she looked like without the mask. "I confess, I have never been to a ball such as this nor have I ever been to the keep. It has been a long time since I have been in attendance to any fancy get together." He could not help but be honest, if only for the sake of conversation. However, he was not about to explain his true reasoning for being where he had been before she had come across him.<br/><br/>"Do you mind if I ask for your name, kind lady?" Nikolai questioned her in curiosity. As much as he wanted to get right back to his plan, he figured he could enjoy himself a little. After all, he really could not remember the last time he had been to such a fancy part. Definitely not since he had left his family's home. He had left behind the life of a noble and he had not wanted to go back. He was honestly happy with his current lifestyle.