A cloaked shape stepped out of the shadows, seeming to seep out from nowhere into the doorway right before Ballog. Thaddeus Radiant, grand cardinal of the celestial pantheon, as well as a respected advisor of the old king - arguably the one with the most influence outside the castle walls, thanks to the power of religion. As he came to a halt in front of the other man, it looked almost as if Ballog had been intercepted by a flying grin - the only thing visible beneath the priest's cowl. Thaddeus liked to keep an air of mystique around him - it impressed the bourgeois, after all. Stopping with a jerk, as if he'd only just noticed the marching intellectual, he turned, put his hands together and bowed.

"Gods' peace, my friend", said Thaddeus, just as it was expected of him. Whether the two were actually friends was a different story. Thaddeus was not about to underestimate Ballog any time soon - he respected the man, much in the same way one maintains a healthy respect for, say, fire. He couldn't let him on to that, though, now could he? Thaddeus raised his head, and his cowl was drawn back far enough that a pair of gleaming green eyes could be glimpsed inside. It was an ancient routine.

"You're rather happy this day, I notice", he continued. He'd noticed the other's grin, obviously, and would not let him try to glide away. "Praise be the heavens, that keep spirits high even in these troubled times. Our monarch falls, as per the will of the divine, but let not our mirth fall with him! Pray tell, brother, what boon hath the gods granted, that lights your darkness?". Thaddeus spoke loudly and with a flourish, before turning to Ballog with a perfectly earnest smile. Few of his peers were still fooled by his act, but acting was part of a life of intrigue. Thaddeus paused, looked over his shoulder, and looked back at Ballog. In that direction lay... Thaddeus could guess.

Thaddeus feared little for his position. He was well-known and respected, an icon of faith to those loyal to the king. Through secret connections, he was also very much capable of sticking his fingers into the affairs of dissidents, and did much to keep the clergy clear of them - endurance, not rebellion, was preached in the streets. Even a prominent figure such as Thaddeus, however, had to keep his relations relatively friction-free - stepping on the wrong toes at the wrong time meant the stake, and staying neutral was not always enough. Hence, now that the king was dead, he was eagerly awaiting a coupe of some sort, and awaited even more eagerly a chance to support it, spying constantly on anyone with enough ambition. He'd come to think of Ballog by accident - staying on top was the priest's job. Sneaking up on people was only a hobby. Now, he could not know exactly what Ballog was grinning about - the man might as well have found a new favourite concubine, for all the priest knew. This would require a small amount of... crypticism.