"Well... I. I suppose so, Your Highness," he said, sadly unable to think up a counterargument that didn't boil down to 'ew, tallfolk!'. He rather imagined that would not go over so well with her as it might have with Titania.

Well, it was the dawn of a new age. And it was side with her or with Auberon's supporters, where he'd lose his head faster than Dierdre could bite it off.

"And I know that they will not fail to be charmed to friendship with a nation ruled by a Queen without Titania's reputation."

"I hope so," Pepita replied. "I think it will also help the Aquitaineans show how we want to be treated. With dignity. And..." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "And also it will help make competition! They will all start offering us cheaper prices, as long as we can think of something to trade back with them for."

"As you say. The more demand for our goods and offers to trade with us, the better prices we can get. As to the Aquitinians?" He scoffed a little, smiling confidently, "I imagine we can find something to trade. After all, they'll be setting the prices when they return to us," he smiled a bit before remembering what he was here for in the first place, "Speaking of those negotiations, Your Highness, you wouldn't have seen the Duke around recently? I've been looking around for him and he just seems to have disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Pepita asked. "No, I haven't seen him! He was here just a little while ago. I mean, when we had our meeting. How could he have disappeared? Do you mean gone away, or become see-through?"

"Well..." he blinked a few times in quick succession at the suggestion that he'd just become invisible.

Don't think on it. She's a little touched, even for a Queen.

"I don't know, Your Majesty," he replied finally, "All I know is that I went to his quarters and he wasn't there. And I've been all through the castle looking for him and asking after him. He does not seem to be anywhere. Which is annoying because I had some small business to discuss with him."

"Oh," Pepita said. "Perhaps he went for a long walk?" she suggested.

"I hope that's all it is," he said, nodding his head a couple times before figuring there was no harm in tossing some people didn't like on the fire...

Except that if he was wrong, it could really make things bad. Estrange them diplomatically, no matter how much fun it would be.

"I do wonder if, though, I might speak with you on the subject I had wanted to speak with the Duke on, Your Highness. If only to make sure my request doesn't sound too callous."

"Oh," Pepita answered. "Of course you may! As long as it is a subject I will know anything about? I don't know anything about science or hunting dogs!"

"Being honest, Highness, I know next to nothing about 'science' and only what I need to know about hunting dogs." A little laugh then before he sobered himself some. "Your Highness, after speaking with the Lady Dierdre, she has said she knows she acted rashly and would not repeat her actions. I thought I might see if there were a way she might be moved to, say, a guarded room near the dungeons instead of in the dungeons themselves; if only out of deference to her status as a member of the nobility."

"Oh," Pepita asked, frowning. "Well...isn't the King technically a member of the nobility too?" she asked. "Is it very fair to do that...I mean, I am not saying I would want to give the King a nice room, but..."

She looked thoughtful. "Are we certain Lady Dierdre won't try to murder the King again?"