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Prince Daisuke wandered aimlessly about the palace gardens. His head was erect, his close impeccable, but he was depressed- or perhaps more discouraged. He had not been in the Isles for even two months, it was true, but he felt as though he were making no headway at all with his mission. He was polite, attentive, and aimed to do things his advisors claimed would please her. He had learned about Isles history and her interests even before he had left his own country, and now he had even begun trying the "mirroring" trick some scholar said worked so well! "Hold your arms, your head, your legs the way she does, subtly assuming the position several seconds after she does. Make sure she does not notice or she will be repulsed." Still, it all seemed to come to naught. She seemed just as distant as the day he had arrived, treating her with the respect a foreign visitor deserved, but nothing more. She did not appear to like him in a friendly, much less a romantic one. And some of the other palace residents.... Clearly they disliked him. He could only hope they were not poisoning her mind with tales and opinions. Daisuke had never liked the looks of the commander he had fought. Darshan.

Inwardly, Daisuke sighed. The best of men should have been sent with him to aid him in this affair, but instead he was followed by a lot of buffoons, some of who could not even walk straight. All had been in the very capable hands of the ambassador, but he had left, and no one had, as yet, been sent to fill his place. Daisuke was quite annoyed. What could the emperor possibly be expecting of him when the man who had been running the entire show was gone and left little instruction. The prince was a ladies' man, to be sure, but there was a woman to be wooed, to be won. It was a different game he played, with different rules. This was supposed to be permanent- an entirely different impression than giving when one was flirting.

Daisuke continued walking, with all these thoughts and grievances boiling in his head. Well, he did not need competent advisors; they were just undoubtedly preferred. He was a clever man himself, when he chose, just not one to keep his head buried in parchment and his behind in a chair. He would do it himself, if it had to be done. But the Isles would be his. The emperor and the ambassador and everyone else could keep their noses out of it. Only players got the prize, never spectators. Daisuke's eyes nearly lit up when he saw the queen, sitting peacefully, nearly invisible to the eye, with some reading. Here was an opportunity. They were alone, in a beautiful garden. What could be more perfect? Carefully he adjusted his sleeves and checked his hair, then stepped gracefully out to where she would be sure to see him. "Your Majesty," he greeted, bowing his head in respect. "What a pleasant surprise."

(OOC: No problem at all. )

"Very well, thank you," Daisuke replied with another small bow, "as I trust you are yourself. I would be much distressed if you were not, Queen Sikaiana" It was an afterthought, but the prince managed to make it sound as if it were not, indeed, to imbue it with just a touch, a stress of deeper meaning. It was not a very clever speech, but it was a step closer to his goal, and it livened up what was otherwise merely a dry formality. I trust you are well? Yes, I am, thank you. No one actually cared, yet the world would doubtless fall to flames if the words were not spoken. There was more than one kind of magic.

"Have you visited the gardens much since your arrival. I hear the Yamani Royal gardens are stunning. I hope ours don't look too paltry in comparison."

"Your gardens are beautiful," he reassured her, taking his eyes from her face a brief moment to look around at them a bit. "They are different from ours, but in some ways the same. Both are magnificent, though perhaps one is inclined to favor more the ones that remind him of his home." Daisuke tried to be complimentary, yet near the truth. The queen was clearly one not appreciative of courtly games. He had learned that much, during his stay here. "The Isles have more flowers, I believe, while my country has many stones and water and winding paths. The designs tend to be somewhat...spiritual, in addition to aesthetic. They are good for sitting, and thinking, as you seem to be doing." He would have smiled slightly, had it been in his nature. "What significance is there to your gardens?" he inquired politely. Truly, he hoped she was vastly interested in this topic and had not brought it up merely in courtesy, as he was making quite a discussion of it. She visited the gardens often, he was sure, but that was no guarantee. He would need to watch her face closely, and steer the conversation if necessary.