Duncan's eyes flitted about the library. They looked at the shelves, then moved to the small group of chairs, then the window that had served as a perfect study place for Duncan and his mates when he was younger, and now other Pages. The nooks and crannies and the smells of the library brought back many memories. Duncan had been here often has a Page, to study, or read, or hide, or whatever he needed to do. Now, coming back here, oh, 28 years later, it was a lot to take in. He obviously could always go to the library, but he just hadn't seemed to need to come here a lot, and if he did he was busy and had no time to think about how often he used to come here. Now though, he was lost in a flood of memories. Taken over by emotion, the Knight managed to walk over to a chair and collapse in it, afraid he might fall if he didn't. Nostalgia was one of the man's weaknesses, and he knew it.

Several minutes and hundreds of memories later, he snapped back into reality. For the sake of passing some time, as he finally had some time that he didn't know what to do with (having already practiced his weapons, seen to his horses, polished his armor and weapons and written several letters), he picked up a book. The History of Tortall, Volume II; the Immortals War. This book too, he remembered. What he remembered was having to read over a hundred pages of it in one night, and staying up late to do it, then being out of whack the next day, to tired to do anything. After giggling, in his head though, not out loud, at this memory, he flipped the book open to the beginning and began to read. The Commander of the King's Own was interrupted though, three or so pages later, and looked up to see someone else entering the room.

Findabhair had come up to the palace, alone for once, away from her children. She had taken to coming up to the palace, and going to the library often as of late to get away from the noise of her household for a time to do some of her Empress paperwork. She had a pile of it with her not to mention an account book she had to get done, a household chore , though one that needed to be done as well. As she walked towards a table, Fin tripped over her skirts and quickly lost her balance, sending the book and papers flying elsewhere as she caught herself with her hands before falling flat on her face. Cursing softly to herself, Fin began to pick up the papers, noticing a few had flown elsewhere and wondering where they'd gotten to.

The person, Duncan noted, was a woman. A noble, certainly, else she wouldn't be here. Not one he particularly remembered seeing around, but as he saw lots of people all the time remembering every face would be unlikely, so chances are he'd seen the woman before. Walking towards the table, she tripped over her skirts and fell and the Knight grimaced as papers flew everywhere. With the agility of a young, fresh Knight he pushed himself out of the chair and with a few steps he reached the papers that had flew farther than the rest. He noticed the lady catch herself and sighed slightly as he came towards her with the papers. He had a look of concern on his face, one that echoed what he felt inside. With a smile on his face he approached her.

"Are you alright?" He asked her. "Here, I think these are yours." He pushed the papers toward her, with a courtesy he'd learned as a Page, not rumpling the papers. Duncan of Queenscove waited for a reply to tell whether she was okay or not. It was obvious he didn't just think the papers were hers, he knew so, but it too was a courtesy. Becoming a Knight had given him many varied skills, yes it had.

Findabhair looked up from gathering papers as she heard the man speak. "Oh..hello. I'm terribly sorry...thank you." She said, taking the offered papers. "How clumsy of me.." Fin mumbled, clearly embarassed as she stood up, only to cursty elegantly to the obviously noble man, careful not to drop her papers again. "I am Findabhair noh Ryushikawa, you are?" She asked, wishing to polite to the man who had helped her pick up her mess.

"I am Findabhair noh Ryushikawa, you are?"

Duncan gave a bow that was matching the depth of her curtsy and smiled. "Duncan of Queenscove," he told her, as he noted the obvious embarrassment on her face and put on his best understanding look. "Knight Commander of the King's Own." It was a phrase that rolled over his tongue easily, as he had said it numerous times to countless people since he'd been promoted to the Commander, something he was rather proud of. Looking back at the woman, he knew he'd never remember her name. Seconds after he'd heard it, he was already having trouble remembering exactly what it was. 'Fin . . . Findabhair! Yes, that was it,' he thought to himself with a mental grin. 'Findabhair noh Ryushikawa.' "Do people ever call you Fin?" He asked her, knowing he wasn't coming off as most people would consider obtrusive, and at the same time hoping she was like most people he knew. The Lord of Queenscove decided that this would be a good conversation starter, if she wasn't offended, that is, and that not much else needed to be spoken by him until her reply.

Findabhair smiled at Duncan, realizing who he was now. She had heard of the man, of course, but had never been enabled to put a face with the name, until now. "Ah yes, the Knight Commander, well I wouldn't be a noble if I hadn't heard of you.." She joked as the Knight Commander of the King's Own was high up on the seniority chain, so everyone knew at least the name of the man. "I am Empress of the Yamani Islands, though that's only a title I got because I gave birth to the emperor, I hold no real place." She joked as people had been struggling to figure out what she should be as she was not Yamani nor chose to live in the islands yet had given birth to the Islands' royalty.

As Duncan asked of her nickname, she giggled, blushing easily once more as she tended to do around new people. "Yes actually, it's a nickname of mine actually. I know Findabhair can be a bit of a mouthful to pronounce. So if you wish to call me simply Fin, that would be fine with me."

He smiled at her joke. It was no surprise that she should know him, the title and the fact that he was one of the King's closest advisers put him high up on the seniority chain. This meant that many people knew at least his name, even if they knew not his face like Findabhair before today. But the next she said was more of a surprise, and it threw him off a little bit though he didn't show it. Empress of the Islands by the title. He spoke his next thoughts to her.

"Well," he told her with a smile on his face. "That's certainly an interesting place to find yourself in." He made the smile on his face sincere to show that he meant no disrespect. After all, in a matter of moments he had found himself dealing with the Empress of the Yamani Islands, rather than just a noble lady. But he doubted that she so considered herself the Empress, as she had stated so herself, so he decided to treat her as if she was a noble and of his status. That was probably how she'd prefer it.

"Then I shall do that." This was in reply to her allowing him to call her Fin. He was very glad, Findabhair was a mouthful he would certainly mess up before the day was out. "What fief were you of originally, before you stumbled upon the title of Empress, may I ask?" He grinned with this as he awaited a reply.

Findabhair smiled kindly as she nodded. "Yes, a bit. Though I should expect nothing less since I did marry Saiheitei noh Ryushikawa.." She stated, becoming a bit sad for a moment, remembering her dead husband. Sai had been killed by assasins on a trip to the Yamani Islands. Fin had no clue as to why she was telling her buisness to the man, he was just a nice man who didn't seem to mind.

Fin simply smiled as he decided to use her nickname. "Oh, I'm sorry, I probably should have stated that before.. I'm from Cavall."

Noticing a bit of sadness creeping onto Fin's face, Duncan's smile became worried. "Are you alright?" he asked her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to prod." He gave a genuine, apologetic smile. "Would you like to sit?" He pulled two chairs out from the table they were standing right next to, and offered her one, deciding to stand until she sat down, as Knight courtesy dictated. Duncan of Queenscove knew that it was a bit strange for both of them for her to be telling him this, but he also knew that many people found him someone to easily confide in, and this was a quality that had probably prodded the sadness on Fin's face out of her. Duncan felt slightly guilty for making her remember whatever sad thing that had happened, and decided not to prod any further but change the topic to a lighter, more cheerful one.

"Cavall, eh," he told her thoughtfully. "I've heard it's beautiful there. If it is I'm jealous. Queenscove isn't lacking in green because that's all there is. Trees everywhere and not a thing else." He gave a big grin. It was too true, but nonetheless Duncan still loved Queenscove, after all, it was his home.

Findabhair knew not to go into the story about Saiheitei's death fro experience as it usually made her cry before she could even explain why. So when he asked her if she was alright, she had no intention of answering. Fin wasn't trying to be rude, just trying to save the man some stranger's snt on his kercheif. "Oh..yes thank you.." She said before sitting in the offered chair.

Fin smiled at her few childhood memories she had in Cavall. "Yes it was beautiful, though I haven't been there since I was young, before I went to the University. My life has simply placed many things in my lap though time for vacations was not one of them, alas."