Gwendolyn made sure to approach Clementia and Bennett, giving the two a small curtsy, "I sincerely and greatly appreciate you coming here..." Gwendolyn smiled at the creep beside her friend, "Lady Clementia was wonderful to be around, and I do hope you will be able to return in the future, Lord Bennett." He was the type of person to look at any pretty lady, so Gwendolyn had figured approaching him would make it more likely that she could see Clementia again, and let her have some free time from the stranger that was her husband.

Bennett looked absolutely ecstatic about the Queen coming over to them. Though it definitely wasn't for the same reasons that Clementia was glad, if anything, she was more relieved. Queen Gwendolyn was saving Clementia from the snide comments that some other women were giving her about not being able to have a baby. It seemed that most royal women didn't care that Clementia was unhappy, they were just as concerned as Bennett was that she hadn't produced an heir. Their harassment annoyed her, but Queen Gwendolyn's aura pushed away the rude royals.

"Ah, yes my Queen, I am happy to hear that she was able to entertain you. We will return in a few weeks, the King and I have much more to discuss." Bennett have Gwendolyn his most charming smile. He would never dare flirt with the King's wife, but he could see her beauty and admire it as much as he wanted to.

Gwendolyn lifted her chin slightly as she smiled, "That would

be wonderful, Lord Bennett, I sincerely thank you." Then, looking at Clementia, Gwendolyn's smile softened ever so slightly, "It was wonderful meeting you, and I greatly appreciate your company, Lady Clementia...."

Gwendolyn couldn't be informal with all of the eyes on them, but she hoped Clementia knew her words were sincere, and she truly had enjoyed making a new friend. "I wish you safe travels and good fortune.... until we meet again."

Clementia nodded and smiled, keeping her head slightly lowered in respect. "It was a pleasure to meet you as well my Queen." Clementia's words were kind, yet much more reserved than they'd been when the two were alone. If Clementia showed a little too much friendship with the Queen, other women would become even harsher and meaner. Their jealousy would make them even less understanding and she'd would be pushed even harder into having a child.

Because of these factors, Clementia remained quiet and shy. Though truthfully she wanted to thank the Queen over and over again for being friendly. "We must be off then, we have a city to run and many a place to be." He really meant that he had a city to run, Clementia would be stuck at home, as normal.

After a quick goodbye, they were off, Clementia giving Gwendolyn one last friendly smile before boarding her carriage.
Aldwin was exhausted from the day's events, and was internally happy that so many were leaving today. It meant that tomorrow could be a more relaxed day, with less guests to attend to and hopefully no random problems that he would have to solve.

Gwendolyn continued to make polite conversation with the guests - praising women's jewelry and clothes and men's prowess at leading and the adornments they wore to make them seem rich. As they left Gwendolyn would thank them for joining, and wished them well. By the end of it, Gwendolyn was proud at how she did, even if there had been a few fumbles, and wondered how Aldwin could stand to do this all of the time. Most of the lower nobility and guests had left, and all that remained were some of the greater and more powerful nobels. Gwendolyn didn't know enough about them to tell if they were a lord or a king. All of them had their wives on their arms, or were unmarried. After being sure no one else required her attendance, Gwendolyn smoothly slipped in beside Aldwin and took her spot as the Queen and Wife of the King, keeping a smile on her face. If this land was anything like Rome, the woman of the house could socialize with guests as she pleased, but returning to her Husband when there were people of great power looked good.

Aldwin thanked everyone for coming and continued talking and pleasing his guests. He kept everyone as happy as he could, though he himself would rather be in bed, but a king must do what he had to do. So Aldwin continued to smile, seeming warm and welcoming as he always was.

The minutes passed, and soon the only remaining people were higher ups, who would be leaving the day after or very soon. Aldwin was continuing his rounds when Gwendolyn appeared next to him. He had completely forgotten about the whole, wives expected to be with their husbands when in the presence of other royals and higher nobles. Being married was tough. He was very happy that Gwendolyn had remembered though, as he would've just continued onwards.

Aldwin looked down and gave the woman a grateful smile before continuing to talk to the man in front of him, introducing Gwendolyn as he knew he should.

Gwendolyn smiled at the other men and their wives, and made sure to dip her head as she was introduced to them. She didn't exactly know their rank, so wasn't sure if she was supposed to curtsy, but no one seemed offended, and either way they were busy talking, and wouldn't have appreciated the interruption.

-

mb we can go to the end of the convo and the two walk back to their rooms together and stuff

Okay))

The forced conversation had finally ended, and Aldwin was retiring to his room, though of course he and Gwendolyn had to walk to the same part of the palace in order to return to their respective rooms. For a long while they walked in silence, he finally spoke up when he found something to talk about. As the awkward walk back was just to much tension when it was filled with silence.

"How did you like the food? I noticed that Lady Clementia and you get along really well, I'm happy. She just got moved to Britain as well, I guess you two are in the same boat as well." Lady Clementia came from France, her parents being well known aristocrats there. They held a great wealth and were genuinely good people and hadn't wanted to marry their daughter off, but treaties were treaties.

Gwendolyn didn't feel as tense in the silence that Aldwin did. She felt more awkward about starting a conversation. When he spoke up she jumped slightly, startled, but smiled, "You have the most wonderful cooks. I met them all the other night, and they are such sweet people as well."
Clementia had definitely been a joy to be around, and when talking about her Gwendolyn's smile went from one that was still honest, but not bright, to something really happy, "And Lady Clementia is amazing. I didn't know that about her - we didn't really talk that much, I suppose..." Gwendolyn looked down at her feet, but they were hidden by her gown, "King Aldwin... If we are in the same boat then I am in the dry spot on deck." There could have been a lot worse options than Aldwin. She didn't see any major flaws in him, and he was considerate and kind, and didn't push her around. Barrett wasn't the worst husband, but he definitely saw Clementia as a trophy.

Aldwin supposed that he had lucked out in the forced marriage department. He had seen many marriages go astray when the woman would charm her way into her husband's actual brain. All of his decisions based solely around his wife's own thoughts. Many a man believed women to hold less power than men, but with the way men acted, Aldwin assumed that women were just as powerful as men were, except they used their words and not their fists. He was happy that Gwendolyn didn't try to manipulate him into doing bad things, thankful that she respected him as much as he respected her, which, for clarification, was a lot. Much more than most men could say.

A saddened expression flickered across his regal face as Gwendolyn spoke of Clementia's plight. He read people very well and Clementia's dislike of her husband was not something unknown to him. He took a moment before speaking, wondering if he should really be giving out personal information like he was considering. Not that it wasn't a very well thing, but he didn't wish to be seen as gossiping.

Finally, he relented and spoke in what he hoped was a controlled voice. His own opinions on the matter were something he didn't wish to force upon anyone, Gwendolyn could make her own decisions based on the information.

"Ah, I understand what you are saying. Lord Bennett is a decent man, and his city is rather prosperous, underneath that wealth though, is much more. I do not believed in judging people before properly understanding them. Though as a King, I suppose I shouldn't think that way, but for me, not everything is as black and white as it is for many. Did you know that Lord Bennett's birth was a mistake? His parents were in their prime years, but they had no need of an heir, as the wife wanted her little sister to inherit the title of Lady. The Lord was fine with this, neither wanted to deal with the wailing of a young child. Unfortunately, human desire tends to outweigh common sense at times and Lord Bennett was born. His parents hardly took care of him, mostly letting the maids take care of their son. A few thought that his mother would eventually get her motherly instincts and she would care for him like a real mother should. It never happened, and Lord Bennett grew up with no parents."

Aldwin paused in his long story, letting that digest in Gwendolyn's brain before continuing. "He has visited my home before, without Lady Clementia on his arm, before they were married. He always talked of having a real family, of a loving wife and child. His intentions were pure, but I don' think he ever considered the fact that he might not love the woman he was paired with, and she might not love him. I believe his intentions are not malicious, he truly only wants to have a family, but he is only dragging Lady Clementia with him, displaying her as if she is a trophy. He does not realize what he is doing is wrong, because he was never shown a different way of love."

Aldwin stopped, saying the words he'd been holding back the entire time. He enjoyed looking deeper at a person, and understanding why they were the way they were. It saddened him that Lady Clementia was being used in such an awful manner, but Lord Bennett truly didn't mean anything by it. He treated her decently, he just had no regard for her feelings because he had never been shown that there was a different way of living.