Trajan & Elseyris' Manse

"Well," she glanced downwards sadly. "You have every reason to despise and shun me, or worse, after... the accident."

Elsey stared at his hand on hers for a moment, reached her other hand forward to place on top of his, holding it between her palms. A gentle touch was something she missed, and his kindness humbled and moved her.

"Thank you, My Lord," she said quietly, glancing at him with sad eyes. "Not a day goes by that I don't wish it had not happened. I did not get the chance to know Tybalt as well as you did, but I knew he was a good man, and the Realm is lesser for his absence. I can only offer my unreserved apologies, and ask for your forgiveness."

She squeezed his hand a little, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

Elsey smiled gratefully at Borros;

"Thank you, truly. I am heartened by that."

She raised her glass too;

"To our absent friends."

The anxiousness and sadness Elseyris had felt in discussing Tybalt diminished as she let the relief at Borros' kindness sink in, and she even smiled broadly at his compliment. She nodded in assent to his addition to her toast, draining her cup.

"You flatter me, My Lord, thank you. I am unaccustomed to such pleasant attention," she said, shyly glancing away, refilling her drink, noticing as she leaned forward that the strong rum was making her mind feel warm and pleasantly supine.

"You are very kind," Elsey smiled. "Though that is hardly a realistic prospect for a traitor's daughter with The Stranger's Hand for a spouse."

She drank deeply, then returned her expression from thoughtful to friendly.

"No matter, there are many more who have it far worse. He is not here, and you are, so I shall not complain of my current lot," she said, smiling playfully, not realising, in the soft haze of increasing inebriation, that her gaze was lingering on him.

"I think it a greater injustice that there are so few men that know how to make a lady feel appreciated."

"You would likely be highly sought after, if you were," Elsey laughed raucously. "and I am not sure there are enough hours in the day for you to oblige all the lonely ladies of the Realm with your charm."

She smiled wickedly;

"Though I expect you would make a spirited effort."

"You poor thing," Elsey chuckled. "Were it that I could help you shoulder your burden, but people would talk even more than they already do!"

She drained her cup, and refilled both hers and his.

"Goodness, I think you may be a bad influence. We're nearly at the bottom of this rum already!"

"I am trying to be an attentive host!" Elsey exclaimed, in mock affront, but descending into a giggle. "I suppose I am, inadvertently, undermining my assertion of being virtuous. I swear, I would not be so bold, were I not home alone. Not having a shadow for the time being has had quite the relaxing effect."

"Absolutely, maintaining a mask is tiring, though it occurs to me that I should have sworn you to secrecy when you came in," Elsey said, with a sly grin.

"You did tell me to do my worst, My Lord," she replied, in a playfully arch voice, leaning forward in her chair to give him a jesting prod on the arm. "Perhaps we are too competitive!"

Elsey glanced at the almost-empty decanter of rum for a moment, then back to meet Borros' challenging gaze, not moving her face out of proximity;

"Well, that is, to the best of my knowledge, the strongest stuff in the house. If you know of something with more punch, then it can be sent for, if this is not sufficient," she said, with mock defiance. She then suddenly raised an eyebrow and tilted her head inquisitively, as her liquor-slowed mind caught up;

"Wait, are you even talking about the booze?"

"The robes would not suit you anyway," Elsey chuckled.

"I may be quite drunk, but I think I am sufficiently lucid to infer from what you say that there is at least one other vice you wish to indulge, My Lord," she said softly. "I am not sure of what you predict 'my worst' to be, but I would like to hear what would convince you."