The mist was thick, swirling around her lithe frame and kissing her skin with tiny droplets of water. She had appreciated the Midas hot springs before, finding them to be delightful enough to want to return to them before the end of her visit in Colchis. It had been foolish, risky even, to dart into the halls while the servant had been distracted but Dione was accustomed to getting her way. The water lapped at her collarbone as she sank further into the warmth, a soft sigh of approval leaving her lips. She would have to be quiet to avoid drawing attention to herself.

Yes, I believe, I recall asking her to join me. Thank you…

It seemed however, that her luck was not as good as she had thought. Her blue gaze snapped up as she realized that she was -- in fact -- not alone. The very servant that she’d sent scurrying away was standing just far enough that the mists did a fair job of concealing him...and the man he was speaking to. Heat flooded her face as she felt her stomach do a funny turn, but it was too late to try to get out of the pool now. She averted her gaze as she clenched her jaw. Was it really the prince? Zan...Zanon?

Dione was not sure whether to laugh or cry at her misfortune. The gods certainly had a sense of humor, it seemed. Aphrodite, perhaps? It seemed a trick that the goddess of love would have preferred. The pool was large enough to accommodate several people comfortably, which meant that Dione could keep a proper distance without being called into question. Of course, sitting in a pool alone with a princeling like Zanon was going to draw rumors either way. The blonde tilted her head, sending her gaze to the ceiling as she tried to think of a way around this.

He spoke then, asking her forgiveness. She wondered, briefly, if he was humoring her or if he truly thought he’d invited her here. Didn’t this particular royal have something of a...flirtatious reputation? Dione tried to think of all the things she’d heard of Zanon, but admittedly it wasn’t much. She knew just enough about the other countries to be dangerous but it wasn’t as if he were from her homeland.

The blonde slid through the water with ease, keeping herself low enough to protect her modesty. She kept to the sides of the pool, looking as though she might jump out at any second before settling on a submerged ledge just far enough that the mists still floated between them and obscured her face slightly.

”Your apology is accepted, of course.” She said, swallowing hard as her voice was a bit too high for her liking. She was fine, she could do this. She could lie to the face of a royal. ”I had thought our business concluded, but if you’d like to discuss matters again...I’d be happy to renegotiate.” Of course, there had been no business. She couldn’t say she’d ever spoken to Zanon before. She glanced at him, well aware of the fine tone of his body. Her heart ticked up a beat, and she cleared her throat as she reached to sweep at a wet strand of blonde hair that had escaped.

”My father is a Baron in Athenia, and we enjoy many exports -- mostly from the plentiful seas. I’m sure there is something mutually beneficial that we could find to strengthen the bonds between our great houses.” She said, as if it were as natural as breathing. Granted, now, Athenia as a whole was struggling. Including her father’s province, but perhaps this would be a good opportunity to secure aid from the prince. She met his gaze through the mist, a smile curving her lips.