Manfred expressed the customary gratitude at their invitation to the feast, exchanging a scant few more pleasantries with the King and then requesting that he and his party be allowed to adjourn to their respective quarters, so as to make themselves presentable for the night's festivities. "Your are a most gracious host, your eminence, and I only hope that the Protectorate might one day be able to repay your hospitality with our own. In fact, if you will permit me, your highness, we have brought with us a number of delicacies from the Reikmaches, which I'm certain would delight the palates of all present at the feast."<br/><br/>Manfred had little love of grand festivities, preferring more intimate dining environments where one could take their time with the food and the company present, but the formalities of diplomatic hospitality had to be observed, and any event with so many people eating, drinking, and speaking so readily on every topic was of course, not to be missed. Besides, in this particular case, he happened to have something particular in mind beyond the usual intelligence gathering and rumor mongering that was the standard fair of himself and his retainers. The diplomatic party was comprised of prominent individuals from every province of the Protectorate, but the diplomatic corps, there to handle any actual negotiations were himself, and the three agents he had handpicked for the task, all of them as loyal to Reikmar as they were Manfred himself.<br/><br/><br/>With the welcoming ceremony at an end, he directed the entourage to disperse amongst the court, and begin the groundwork of friendships that may yet become alliances for the Protectorate, while his trio of personal retainers went about their own tasks. Konrad, the exceptionally tall and strapping fellow to his left in the entourage’s assembly was his bodyguard and master-at-arms, a former ‘hedge’ knight now in the sworn service of Manfred and his household. The similarly armored and attired knight moved from the throne room to be to direct the servants and pages of the diplomatic party, his clear commanding tone sound more suited to the drill yard than the direction of servants, but it could not be said he was inefficient. Then there was Manfred’s spymaster, Otto, a man of indeterminate age, who even now as blending seamlessly into the background as readily as the servants of the royal court, observing all, saying nothing. Finally, the ethereal beauty of Lady Bianka, so fair as to seem almost ghostly in her complexion, was even now entertaining the attention of several male members of the Marigliano court, her coy smile and enchanting manners belying her true skills . . .<br/><br/>There was precious little time to manage them individually though, as Manfred had preparations to make for this evening, and as he made his way, lead by one of the royal servants his personal chambers he spared but a passing glance backwards towards Queen Katelyn, even as casually let fall from his hand a small crumpled bit of vellum, the appointed sign for his spy within the Royal Court, who even now, moved to retrieve it with all the subtlety of a poised spider.