The Duchess tutted at him for the answer, shaking her head. M "I'm sorry. My Daughter can be terribly rude sometimes. You'll have to meet me after breakfast, I'll fix you up." She said simply, offering a smile that made Ariadne's skin crawl. She brought her gaze up to eye the older woman in an utterly unimpressed way. Dissapointed, even. She toyed with the idea of embarrassing her Mother in front of a foreign emissary, thinking on it for a moment. "Mother, I believe you are the rude one here. Our young guest has already rejected your advances through action alone. Do not push his boundaries. And if you must, kindly, do it someplace other than the family table." She said simply, tossing a lazy, feline smile up the table. There was an inherently dangerous gleam in her eyes that said consequences were very real for this offense.

Her Mother's response was a slack-jawed stare, but no words came from her.

She slid her gaze to the other end of the table, dipping her head. "Please excuse the Duchess. She has a terribly hard time keeping away from things that aren't hers." She drawled calmly, standing and brushing a nonexistent speck of dust from her skirt. "Now, if you will excuse me." She ended, starting the walk out of the room.

Vance was shaking with laughter as she exited. Even her Father fought a vaguely sad smile as the Duchess white-knuckled her silverware.

His jaw came slightly ajar at her completely unhindered advances right at the breakfast table, sat at by an acquaintance, her children and her husband no less. He was midway through exhaling his polite declination when his courtier stepped in.

He couldn't help but be just a little embarrassed by it but he was inherently thankful even though her execution seemed a little harsh. He glanced up the men around the table, Larach had almost no reaction, as if it had never happened other than to dip his head in return.

"Uh, well, thank you but I should get a headstart on preparing to leave before we overstay our welcome." He picked pushed his chair back gently and left. Though he was lying, he was looking for Ariadne, not packing.

Ariadne was halfway up the stairs when steps rang out from the dining hall. Surely her Mother wasn't already seeking an argument? If so, she would be put back in her place of Duchess rather than the nasty hag she was prone to being when denied. She glanced over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows in slight surprise that it was her Elf that exited instead. She turned her gaze forward again and simply continued up the staircase, her dress hissing with the movement.

He kept an even pace, taking two steps at a time out of habit. Watching her as he came to the second story, leaning on the banister. He opened his mouth to say something, and then grew unsure, turning away to his own room's direction.

Ariadne glanced at he courtier to find him leaning against the bannister, tilting her head. She paused as he started walking off, calling after him. "Little Fox, meet me in the gardens, when you can." She said simply, turning on her heel and walking down the hall toward her room.

He paused in his steps to acknowledge her, nodding, somewhat grateful to not have to say something first. He gave a quick smile and continued walking. He decide to pack up Larach instead of himself, he knew he could pack fast, no question about that. He didn't change either, except that he was barefoot when he came out to the gardens to look for her.

Seeing as it wa smearing the end of spring, and weather was getting warmer, Ariadne again found herself a pair of "scandalous" clothing. A white shirt tied above the midriff, and shorts that cut off at mid-thigh. She was also barefoot as she made her way out into the garden, tilting her head at him when she found him. "Are you up for a walk?" She asked simply, no greeting in sight. She was still bitter over her mother, which she may or may not have been taking out on any and everything.

He spent a moment staring at her Wardobe choice with curiosity as he approached, he'd never met a woman who just ..wore that outside of her house or wasn't at a party of somekind. He heeded her advice about not mentioning her pale legs this time, leaving the bruised shin in the past not the present.

"Always." He answered simply, she looked upset, which he could see quite clearly the reasoning. Who wouldn't be.

Ariadne nodded at his answer, absentmindedly reaching her fingers out to feel the bushes at her side graze against her fingers. "You are under no circumstance to be alone with my Mother at any time. I don't care what she says, or does, or threatens, do not heed her. Do you understand me?" She spoke in a tone much closer to her status than she usually used- authoritative. It was an order, not a request. She seemed half-lost in thought as she waited for an answer, staring straight ahead as she padded down the path.

He put his hands behind his back, listening to her. Admiring the plants while also thankful he wasn't making eye contact. Because her tone was kinda scary. He stayed silent for a moment. "Absolutely, Arr-." He took a breath. "Arree- adne- ar-.." he gave it a second, "Adne?" He was basically asking if he could call her just the last half of her name. The rolled rs in his accent made it difficult and he did want to pronounce it right but it wasn't working