<strong>Nadira</strong><br/><br/>Little Lakshmi lets out a half-sob, half-sigh. Then she goes a bit stiff, takes a deep breath, and softly speaks:<br/><br/>"I...on behalf of House Talbot I would beg a moment with my intended, the Heir to House Dorcha."<br/><br/>Lady Oksana's eyebrows rise sharply. She grabs the girl's chin, meets her gaze for a long moment.<br/><br/>"Nadira," she says after a moment, "kindly request that my Lord's daughter attend upon us at her convenience. In the meantime I will keep this little surprise from doing anything else unexpected."<br/><br/><br/><strong>Martin</strong><br/>The good news is that your new friend the Guildsman is quite happy to continue talking. The bad news is that he's doing his best to keep conversation light and empty--polite chatter, not at all related to anything important.  At least not until he glances back and notices the young Bene Gesserit acolyte sandwiched between your compatriot Nadira and the Lady Consort.  You catch a quick hint of something else...satisfaction, perhaps?<br/><br/>"Tell me, dear fellow, what did you think of the keepsake we delivered? Fascinating, isn't it? Haver you figured out what it is yet?" He leans in, lowers his voice conspiratorially. "If so, would you do me a kindness and explain it? There's a wager riding on it."<br/><br/><strong>Eliza</strong><br/>You swiftly slip back into hostess mode, and find that with the exception of that stick-in-the-mud guildsman and the little acolyte who your father's concubine seems to enjoy flustering, your guests are enjoying themselves. A few of them are even growing bold enough to seek quieter corners to indulge naughtier impulses.<br/><br/>Your seat is well-chosen, giving you a prime view of the room and putting you almost at the center of attention as the belle of the ball. This also means you have to deal with more than a few flirtation attempts (and at least one clumsy pass).