[Mekatra]

Elizaveta smiled at him and gestured for him to walk with her. "Things are going well. How is your training? Working hard, I trust?" Once they got further down the hallway she turned to him and dropped her voice down low. "I know Joane probably didn't inform you of this, but if you intend to seriously pursue Leandrea you will need to get approval from her father."

[Crystalkitsune85]

When their casual stroll with casual conversation turned to a secret conversation, he blinked. "Oh um." he started nervously. "I do like her. Do you think I should pursue her for marriage? I mean I definitely don't want to get married right away, but will her father approve of me? I had no idea..." he drifted off. If he had his cat ears right now, they'd be drooping. "And if he says no, then I can only just escort her to your party and then that's it?"

[Mekatra]

The queen watched the sadness growing in his eyes and she sighed softly. "I keep forgetting you think of marriage as less of a business proposition and more of an actual romantic connection than we do. You don't have to do it right now, of course, I just mean don't start actively courting her until you have her father's permission. You can wait until we get you an estate and such figured out, if you please." She looped her arm in his again and continued walking. "I wanted to tell you, because I know he will not, my husband has been getting excellent reports on you. You're doing quite well."

[Crystalkitsune85]

He frowned and felt disheartened. "Her father would say no to every suitor I'm guessing? Or at least no to someone he hasn't chosen for her himself. I suppose I should just escort her as intended and then have no contact with her after that." he said with a sigh. "Is that basically what you're telling me?" he asked in hushed tones. "And I'm glad His Highness is pleased with my...progress." he said a bit bitterly. "At least I'm doing well in that regard."

[Mekatra]

I'm only saying simply that it is unlikely he would support this union in your current state. Once you've been properly elevated and have better prospects it will be different." She assured him with a little soft smile. "You're not a likely suitor at the moment, but that can change."

[Crystalkitsune85]

He understood at the point "Ah I get you. I need my title and estates before he'd see me as someone suitable. As just an employ of the King and cousin of the Queen, I"m not up to snuff yet." he said and nodded. "I understand now. So it is possible I just need to be a 'bigger fish' because right now I'm just an anchovy."

He enjoyed the Queen's company but he figured Joane would be looking for him since morning court was over and he excused himself from her company with a bow and went off to find the Knight in question.

[Mekatra]

"Indeed, unfortunately you being my cousin doesn't mean much until you have the trappings of such an association. Oh, and for the record, when addressing a king or queen the appropriate style is "Your Majesty" not "highess." She chided him. "You'll need to know these things, my dear."

Joane and Ermi were tucked into a corner discussing something quietly between themselves. When he found them Joane extricated herself from Ermi's embrace and sighed. "Well, the king is pleased with your progress."

[Crystalkitsune85]

"Is he? That's what Her Majesty said. At least I'm not a disgrace in his eyes." he said. "A small bit of comfort I suppose. So since I've pleased him, now what? Do I actually start doing my job now?" he asked looking over at Ermi. "That he hired me to do." he said still being vague.

[Mekatra]

Ermi rolled his eyes. "You told me you were here to be an assassin on your first night. Don't bother trying to keep secrets from me now." He chuckled and leaned against the wall. "And please, feel free to make this quick..."

Joane cast him a scathing look. "Ermi's smartassery aside, yes... he will expect you to do some work for him soon. Don't worry about it being a very regular occurrence. It's likely your busiest you'll get is one mark every three to six months." She tried to be reassuring to him. "Talking to her majesty a lot?"

[Crystalkitsune85]

"I'll be brief I'm sure you'd like to get back to...your "important business," he said in jest with a playful grin. "Well as long as I'm not out every night doing work I'll be happy." he said slightly relieved. "Her Majesty? I suppose when I do see her we chat. I try to make it few and far between as you suggested. I'm trying not to show any interest in her except for as cousins." he said with a shrug. "She seems nice, so I'm nice to her when I see her. Why?"

[Mekatra]

Ermi chuckled. "VERY important business!"

Joane reached behind her and swatted at him until he hushed and then looked back at Trevor. "You won't be out killing and stealing every night, no. You're a very specific tool that won't be employed as often as diplomacy, thank goodness." She jumped as Ermi pinched her rump and scowled. "Alright, free day, do whatever you like. Go to the market and rummage around if you please. Just don't do anything illegal." She tossed him a coin purse with about ten gold coins and several ones of lesser value before Ermi dragged her giggling from the room.

[Crystalkitsune85]

Trevor definitely wasn't expecting that, and with a blink, he watched as Ermi pulled her away. He looked at his hands, having caught the coin purse. He saw the coins inside and practically gaped at them. Ten gold coins? He was lucky to get coppers any time he asked for hand-outs, but yet here he was holding probably a months' work in a small bag. And he was to just go to the market and buy something for himself. What did he even need? Everything that he could possibly need was supplied to him already. Clothes, shoes, food...

He would tuck the pouch of coins into his pocket, but tie the strings to his belt loop so pickpockets couldn't just slide a hand in and pull it out without meeting some resistance. He didn't usually steal money from someone's pocket, but he knew enough of the trade to know tricks to deter the ones who did.

[Mekatra]

The market was bustling as usual with vendors and patrons haggling, children running and playing, small animals screeching in cages awaiting to be sold, and street buskers trying to earn a living with music or other performances.

One of the dancing performers seemed to have gathered quite the crowd due to her elaborate costume. She was wearing a feathered gown in vibrant colors and had applied red and gold paints to her face and arms, but most noticeably she had huge beautiful red and yellow wings on her back and a huge fanned tail at her hips. As she moved and performed feats of dexterity the crowd seemed elated and tossed a great many copper coins her way.

[Crystalkitsune85]

He watched the performers for a while and appreciated some of the more elaborately dressed ones. He watched for a bit but his attention wasn't really on the dancers. He had never been in a marketplace to shop, only to ask for hand-outs. For the first time he had money given to him willingly and he was able to buy something either that he could use at work, or for something frivolous. But why not both?

He browsed the booths, bypassing ones with food and livestock for the ones with trinkets, trinkets, and clothes. He was thinking about getting Leandrea something but giving a gift to her would show more interest in her and at the position, he was in currently he had not much else to offer her to appease her father. He would have to give her a gift another time.

He walked to a clothier and browsed through stuff set out on a rack but found nothing but shirts and trousers that he was given already so no need to spend the coin on that, however, he did spy a smart looking pair of leather gloves that could come in handy. He looked them over, tested the seams and tried them on. They had a good grip and could be used better than bare fingers to grab onto things. He asked the clothier how much they were.

[Mekatra]

The vendor told him how much the gloves were.

[Crystalkitsune85]

Since the gloves weren't that expensive and they were a good buy, he went ahead and gave the coin for them to the vendor and then folded them up and stuck them into his pocket for now.

After walking through the majority of the market he didn't find anything else he wanted so he would give what he had left over back to Joane when he saw her. By the time he headed back towards the entrance, the dancers had grabbed quite a few more people and he decided to watch for a while since he had the day free from working.

The dancer from before with the elaborate bird costume was dancing to a faster song and capturing the attention of many people. Mostly men he noticed. She was a very good performer and she was getting a lot of coin for her performance. Shame he didn't learn to dance instead of stealing things instead, he'd of made more money.