I've had a lot more experience at it, since then. My lands back home are surrounded on nearly every side by rather greedy neighbors and our relations with them have only been growing more strained in recent years, because of the turmoil within our own borders. It wasn't hard to take what I'd learned dealing with that and use it for reaching out to the Matriarch and her people.

[ But then he asks that question and she freezes for a moment, her expression faltering before she manages a rueful smile. ]

I don't know. [ It's an honest answer, at least. ] The circumstances surrounding that are... complicated.