[ He considers switching positions. Decides, finally, to release her arm and step around to take the breeze again. Since he's confirmed his lack of caddishness and all - no reputation to lose. ]
[She is perfectly comfortable about reclaiming his new arm as they proceed.]
We have a mutual friend who I believe knows a little of your pursuit of me, and I would find misleading him difficult. I trust you will find a better way of putting it to him which preserves both our reputations.
[ Unless, of course, she means that misleading him would be difficult because of his Bardly talents. Does she know of his particular set of skills? He ought to ask Bastien. ]
Fond enough that I prefer not to tell him one thing if there is a chance you might tell him something else. It might color our trips to the theater, you see. And I know of no one else in Riftwatch outside of Bastien who takes the same delight in rubbish that I do.
[Byerly's affections are one thing. To dispense with Bastien's happy company would be a very different thing altogether.]
[ Should he tell her? He wonders. He and Bastien haven't had many discussions about whether or not to be forthright with their relationship. Which is a conversation he should have with him, and sooner rather than later. It is not, after all, always advantageous for a Bard to be known to be attached. Moreover, there are some with a rather backwards view of same-sex affection - though most of them located in his own homeland, and rather fewer in Antiva. Hm. Well...He'll raise the topic with Bastien later, and play coy for now.
(Though the temptation to get a reaction from her again is a very strong one, and that news might suffice to draw one out.) ]
I fear I must tell our dear Bastien the truth. I hope you do not object?
[ A knowing little grin slips out against his will. ]
I suppose it would depend on the exact shape of that truth, and exactly why you've decided to break off your chase.
[A tip of the head, a quirk of the brow.]
If it is simply because of dear Lady Asgard's sweetness or because I have kept you on rather an unpleasantly short rein, then by all means. If this is somehow because of what we discussed en route to Denerim, I might prefer otherwise. But even then I can hardly stop you.
Forgive me. I had thought from your comments that you had deduced the reason. It is simply that I am in an affair of the heart, as it were, and that I prefer to be faithful when the heart is involved. That is the reason in full.
Then say as much as you like to him. [She shrugs, easy enough against his side.] And know then that I wish you and the Lady all the best. Out of all business, I understand that kind to be very pleasant indeed.
Affairs of the heart? No, I am fully out of practice. You recall how soft I have said mine is, [is a common refrain, and rather a complicated thing for a woman of her business to claim. Yet.]
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Then it doesn't sound like a favor.
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[She is perfectly comfortable about reclaiming his new arm as they proceed.]
We have a mutual friend who I believe knows a little of your pursuit of me, and I would find misleading him difficult. I trust you will find a better way of putting it to him which preserves both our reputations.
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To which friend do you refer?
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I didn't know you were so fond of him.
[ Unless, of course, she means that misleading him would be difficult because of his Bardly talents. Does she know of his particular set of skills? He ought to ask Bastien. ]
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[Byerly's affections are one thing. To dispense with Bastien's happy company would be a very different thing altogether.]
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(Though the temptation to get a reaction from her again is a very strong one, and that news might suffice to draw one out.) ]
I fear I must tell our dear Bastien the truth. I hope you do not object?
[ A knowing little grin slips out against his will. ]
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[A tip of the head, a quirk of the brow.]
If it is simply because of dear Lady Asgard's sweetness or because I have kept you on rather an unpleasantly short rein, then by all means. If this is somehow because of what we discussed en route to Denerim, I might prefer otherwise. But even then I can hardly stop you.
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Forgive me. I had thought from your comments that you had deduced the reason. It is simply that I am in an affair of the heart, as it were, and that I prefer to be faithful when the heart is involved. That is the reason in full.
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I'm afraid I mind it rather carefully these days.