The nearby Barony was host to a Tournament recently, an outstanding opportunity to test the persona amongst those who are supposedly most familiar. An occasional handshake, and the distribution of a few accolades seems to be enough to glaze over the eyes of these people. While generosity is not in my usual nature, I believe this absurd system of constant award for any sort of service may help to accomplish my eventual goal. It would seem prudent to keep the scribes happy and complacent. Should they ever recognize how important they are to the entire system they could prove quite troublesome. However, so long as these awards do not impact the treasury, they should serve to placate the masses. I shall have to rely heavily on the Queen in this regard. She will have a better idea of what is deemed "appropriate service," and where to bestow these much coveted "honors."

In fact, the Queen herself is an un-looked for benefit in this entire undertaking. Breath-takingly beautiful, surprisingly passionate and predictably kind. She would be perfect in the role I imagine for her, were it not for a deep intelligence and inconvenient perspicacity. She is too useful as a distraction for the populace however, as all eyes fasten adoringly on her when she is in view, to be discarded as yet. I confess to a troubling attraction of my own for the woman, but what man given the proximity to such a creature might not ultimately succumb? Hopefully her flaws will not prove to be fatal.