( the seal remaining unbroken upon delivery is a testament to the skill and artfulness of his minister of intelligence, monsieur de philippe. not that the king would notice or care, considering the stress of the long trip, the meeting, and the matter weighing heavily on his mind. by the time he receives the message, he is being dressed in his white tunic by his valet. he finishes the letter just as the blue sash is draped over his shoulders and the medallion that hangs around his neck is adjusted.
so he has no opportunity to reply to her request for a conversation, as reasonable as it is, before a servant leads him to the dining room. but there is little use for a written reply when he expects to see her at dinner, where he can give a verbal one. although the trip's purpose is singularly focused on the country's navy, as king, constantin is still expected to attend to diplomatic matters as if the situation doesn't exist and everything is fine.
nothing is amiss, and he can quite easily pretend as such as he waits outside the dining room for his entrance. any worry detected on his blank expression could be attributed to the dinner's seating arrangement. as king, it's only proper that his place is at the head of the table. as it is the governor's mansion, the governor's dinner, and the governor's ego, however, thorhauge should be at the head. constantin has no opinion on the matter, seeing as he has spent most of his life at the end or middle of the table. only recently, in his eyes, has he sat at the head.
thankfully, it turns out to be of no concern when, finally, his name is announced, and he enters the dining room with its silk wallpaper and portraits of fluer and sees a tastefully arranged vase of tulips on a circular dining table. they are all friends here — the king, the governor and his wife, the minister of the interior, the minister of intelligence, captain thea walling of the king's guard, a bishop of fluer, and a princess of iskander — with no need for a hierarchy.
with a practiced smile, constantin bids everyone to sit and takes the only empty chair at the table, between madame thorhauge and the duchess des hauteurs. )
no subject
so he has no opportunity to reply to her request for a conversation, as reasonable as it is, before a servant leads him to the dining room. but there is little use for a written reply when he expects to see her at dinner, where he can give a verbal one. although the trip's purpose is singularly focused on the country's navy, as king, constantin is still expected to attend to diplomatic matters as if the situation doesn't exist and everything is fine.
nothing is amiss, and he can quite easily pretend as such as he waits outside the dining room for his entrance. any worry detected on his blank expression could be attributed to the dinner's seating arrangement. as king, it's only proper that his place is at the head of the table. as it is the governor's mansion, the governor's dinner, and the governor's ego, however, thorhauge should be at the head. constantin has no opinion on the matter, seeing as he has spent most of his life at the end or middle of the table. only recently, in his eyes, has he sat at the head.
thankfully, it turns out to be of no concern when, finally, his name is announced, and he enters the dining room with its silk wallpaper and portraits of fluer and sees a tastefully arranged vase of tulips on a circular dining table. they are all friends here — the king, the governor and his wife, the minister of the interior, the minister of intelligence, captain thea walling of the king's guard, a bishop of fluer, and a princess of iskander — with no need for a hierarchy.
with a practiced smile, constantin bids everyone to sit and takes the only empty chair at the table, between madame thorhauge and the duchess des hauteurs. )