Tehr nodded to the duke, his cheeks colored slightly red.  He'd admit that he was a little besotted with the gorgeous elven woman, but he had not made any attempts to court her officially as of yet.  Though they had shared what he considered 'harmless flirting' and had in fact even exchanged favors.  She giving him the small locket and he giving her a tiny quartz crystal that glowed with a candle light when held.  Though in fact, he was not sure that he desired to pursue such a course of action as to take his courtship further than a casual nature.  Looking at the platinum haired elf woman he felt a confusing mix of emotions.  Desire was there of course, but that was normal.  He felt desire towards far too many women that he saw and interacted with on a daily basis.  Hell, he was building a virtual harem of women in his own home of beautiful and desirable women.<br/><br/>But there was more to Rosalyn d'Caelor than just the feelings of lust.  He felt both tall, strong, and bold when he looked at her, and yet at the same time, small and foolish, like a child.  He thought about when he'd first mastered the ability to cast the cantrip to summon a globe of light in his youth.  The pride he felt, that his chest would burst and his head was swimming.  He also remembered the time he'd broken his mother's favorite bowl, one she'd brought with her from Italia.  How ashamed and terrified he'd felt before she found out.  He felt both of those feelings, elation and fear, at the same time when he looked at Rosalyn.<br/><br/>But there was more than just his own feelings as well.  He was, for all intents and purposes, the Prince Consort of the entire realm.  It was a position that men quite literally the entire world over would kill to be in.  To have the ear of one of the most powerful women in the known world, and not just her ear, but her body and her trust...  Certainly that title and that position precluded any sort of involvement.  Didn't it?  He knew that he wanted to rebuild the glory of house Wynt, and to do so, he needed to secure the bloodline.  But he'd always assumed that he'd find a nice stable nobleman to marry into the family with Christina.  There was no reason he had to sire the heir inside the bonds of matrimony, did he?<br/><br/>On top of that, the queen was a wise and understanding woman and lover.  She understood that he had no designs on being monogamous, and that he took other lovers.  How could he court a woman like Rosalyn and expect her to understand that because of his magical discipline, he'd never be able to settle down with just one woman?  While he'd heard many stories about how the elven people had different views on sex and partners, he didn't think it was the kind of thing he could bring up as a caveat when approaching a woman about courtship.  How would that even go?<em> 'excuse me Duke Caelor, but I'd like to begin to court your daughter for marriage, but oh, by the way, I'll never be faithful to her.  Is that ok with you?'</em>*  No he couldn't see that kind of a conversation working well.<br/><br/>Yet, it seemed that the duke had brought his daughter to Londinium to at least begin to shop her for a husband.  Though it seemed she had quite a bit of choice in the matter, which actually made Tehr think highly of the both of them.  His mother had raised him to avoid the misogynistic ways of the church of the one god and society as it had gravitated towards.  To think that the Duke might be guiding Rosalyn, but actually letting her make her own choices, he felt, spoke very highly of the elven man.<br/><br/>Tehr realized that he had been wool gathering and responded to the elven gentleman.  But his gaze was locked on Rosalyn and saw her exchange with the fellow noble.  Tehr saw the duke tense and his hand grip his sword's handle.  Tehr gently moved in to the duke.  His chest bumping against the man's arm, making it difficult for the man to draw his blade without stepping away swiftly or shoving Tehr.  He smiled and said, "You're right duke, the previous monarch was a fool to let the<strong>friendly</strong>air of diplomacy between our peoples lapse.  But I think that with the<strong>trust </strong>between our glorious queen and yourself, we can mend many old bridges."<br/><br/>Then leaning in softly he whispered, "Even now eyes are watching both you and your daughter.  I've seen you in combat and know you to be a fierce and able combatant.  But the battleground of the court would drag you down and defeat you, irrevocably, were you to draw even a finger's width of that blade.  I beg you sire, show restraint."<br/><br/>True enough, while most eyes were turned to Rosalyn as she delt with the brash nobleman, there were a few wiser, and older, eyes watching the duke and Tehr.  Tehr hoped that his position not only restricted the duke from drawing, but also shielded from view even that the father had a hand on his blade.  He whispered again, "See now how your daughter stands tall on her own?  That will grant her marked points in the court, especially if they are deemed free from her father's interactions."<br/><br/>Tehr smiled as the duke took his hand from his sword, and then turned towards Rosalyn as she began to glide towards the pair.  His chest felt tight and he felt as if he couldn't draw enough air, like the time as a child he'd fallen from his pony's back when learning to ride.  Then she was before him, her eyes so large, twinkling, as she spoke elvish<em>  &lt;"It is a pleasure to stand in your company again."&gt;</em><br/><br/>Tehr began to reach for her hand, then paused, and bowed stiffly, unsure what sort of a message he was sending.  All his diplomatic training was gone suddenly ** flying out the window as he looked at the curve of her lips and her elegant jawline.  In elvish he tried to think of the proper response, but instead stammered out  <No, it is your pleasure to stand in my company!>  He winced, realizing that he'd transposed the inflections, and shook his head and slid into common, "I'm sorry, I mean to say that the pleasure is mine."<br/><br/>Her smile seemed genuine, but he couldn't tell what it was she was smiling at.  Was it politeness, was she laughing at him, did she find him a joke.... why was he so flustered?!  He began to speak, "I've invited your father and yourself to come tour my home and join me for a lunch today...."   He trailed off as the voice of a petitioner rose.  He was able to tear his gaze from her as she likewise turned and looked at the foreign dignitary who spoke so loudly.<br/><br/>He marked well the Spaniard who spoke to the queen, and he wondered if this would be another matter he would be getting involved in.  Now that house Saari controlled the major ports in Londinium, largely because of him, he could see anything involving immigrants coming off boats might be something he should be paying close interest in.  For his allies in house Saari if nothing else.  But then, maybe the Queen would speak with him about this.<br/><br/>He considered sending a note to the queen for her support, but realized that captain Lilian would deliver his message and it would do no good to doubt her abilities.  So instead he turned to the elves and said, "I think if you'd like, I'd very much enjoy showing you the work we've redone revamping Hewthorne hall.  I can also promise you a wonderful lunch, my head of house often prepares a lighter meal as per my tastes.  I've heard that the people of my kingdom often eat far heavier than the elves are used too.  Unless you have pressing business here at court?"<br/><br/>He left the offer open, not desiring to seem too eager, but desperately wanting to spend time with these two, especially Rosalyn, away from prying eyes and ears.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">ooc</div><div class="spoiler_body">* That was NOT said out loud, it was just in his head.<br/><br/>**  12 isn't a horrible roll for diplomacy, but for Tehr it's disasterous.  So this is where I'm playing it, in his stammered stuttered greetings to Rosalyn.  Ill play it that he's nervous excited confused and it all comes out a bit wonky.<br/>Roll Result: rhev rolled: 1d20, adding 9to the total<br/>Comment: Diplomacy roll <br/>Result: 3, <br/>Total: 12</div></div>