The woman's clear apprehension at the approach of that waiter was hardly missed, Dorian eyeing the man momentarily as if suspecting to see something truly objectionable about him from the way Raven flinched so hurriedly away- a moment of confusion so adorning his features as she placed her order for an odd sounding tea and the man hurried off to do his job. She truly was an unusual woman sometimes and yet, despite that slight touch of curiosity Dorian found himself truly content to be in her company once more. She was an agreeable sort of girl after all, the very sort of woman he remembered from his own time and as such her company was something almost familiar to the near ancient Fae, entirely worth his getting up early for. The wide grin he was presented with so stirred his own to his lips before he inquired after that letter he had sent after a great deal of debate on whether or not a ship truly had a letterbox or even any form of formal address. Why on earth the woman lived in that....place he hardly knew and yet manner so prevented him from asking all the same. Perhaps her husband owned some sort of armada. After all, his one and only visit to the establishment had assured him that despite the title of that ship, the Noah's Ark, it was not nearly as biblical as the name suggested. Truly he had never even really discovered what sort of business it was, a bar of some kind he suspected and yet it was hardly his business he supposed. His head nodding slightly now at her assurance any workplace had to have a way of receiving mail before that mention she had never gotten a letter before near saw the Monarch choke on his tea.

"How have you never received a letter!? How is it so your husband went about courting you then?"

Sebastian had sent him letters, surely Ravens companion had done the same? How else might they communicate? Then again, he supposed, he had never yet seen Samantha receive a letter from his suitor in all that time they had carried on together before the man's inevitable death. His features frowned briefly in consideration of it before he moved to brush such thoughts aside. He was loath to dwell upon them now and tarnish their afternoon tea with anything less then pleasing thoughts. Doria nothing if not a product of his time. The decorum of the day, much as his lovers own, so dictating the conversation be kept entirely towards those acceptable topics. Death was not an acceptable topic for a lady. Dorian willingly taking up those offered words, a grin he was unable to stop readily working its way onto his features then as he reached for his own coffee once more.

"Everything has been very well. I went away to England for Christmas and then to Naples- to see my home and my palace and make sure all was well. We had the most glorious holiday. I saw snow for the very first time and my companion gave to me a player of music that puts the music into ones head."

There was a great enthusiasm to his voice in that moment, Dorian's grin hardly faltering as he attempted to describe that 'ipod' he had been gifted for Christmas. Even that faintest mention of his lover so seeming to bring that delight to his features as he took another sip of his coffee, his silver gaze falling on Raven now, the woman appearing entirely happy and yet perhaps a little...strained. His own features frowned slightly, Dorian pausing then to consider his own words for a few moments, after all, it would hardly do to upset her. Perhaps those events of the last few months were still with her. He understood little of the way of Weres and what that man whom had died had meant to the woman before him and yet it was not terribly difficult to see her own distress in this. The Fae King, ever diplomatic, choosing to perhaps broach that subject from a wide angle in a sense.

"You did not bring your husband today? Are you sure he will not mind my being with you unaccompanied? I should like to meet him one day. Did you travel for the holidays too?"