"I am sure that with the rumours already in circulation you could make up just about anything," Lunise remarked. She gave Meesei a look and drew her hand up Meesei's leg. "As many things might be spread about you, I shall prefer to stay with the real you."
Sabine sat up properly again. Most of her hair was wet and clinging to her shoulders now. "Where did you grow up, Lunise?"
Karl opened his mouth, hesitated, and let his breath go. The subject had already moved on.
"In Alinor," Lunise said. She remained perfectly composed despite the game progressing under the surface. "Much of my time was spent either in education or sitting quietly while my parents socialised with family friends. I wish I could say I had embarrassing stories to tell but, with most mistakes being punished with shame, there are few that I can say are just amusing little accidents."
"Oh," Sabine's expression faltered with a hint of guilt.
Lunise tilted her head. "Now, I did not say there were none." She resisted a smile. "I do recall, back in the ancient history that was my childhood, a time when I got the taste for fresh tuna that was prepared raw. I had it with nearly every meal that I was allowed. After about a month of this newfound taste, my best friend at the time wished to try it. I gave her a piece, and we found out by the end of the day that I was sold a catch markedly less fresh than all the others beforehand."
Sabine opened her mouth in realisation. While she smiled, Karl lowered his brow. He was not following along.
Lunise's head lolled to one side. "And we found out in the middle of a hall of our school." Her head lolled to the other side. "...And those with a lesser constitution found the display magnificent enough that they added their own eaten lunches to the mix then and there."
Finally, Sabine laughed. Not in cruelty, but in sympathy. Karl remained oblivious.
Taking a moment, Lunise closed her eyes, raised her brow, straightened, and took a long breath in through her nose. "While our health eventually recovered over a few days, we were forever stained with the story. And the floor was stained such that only a very well paid alchemist could erase our deed from the stonework. Both the puddle and the smell."
"Ah," Karl sounded flatly. "Food poisoning. I see."
"You are lucky you never have it, Karl," Sabine said through another laugh. By the way the pair moved, Sabine had probably prodded Karl in the side. "You were born lycan."
Sabine sat up properly again. Most of her hair was wet and clinging to her shoulders now. "Where did you grow up, Lunise?"
Karl opened his mouth, hesitated, and let his breath go. The subject had already moved on.
"In Alinor," Lunise said. She remained perfectly composed despite the game progressing under the surface. "Much of my time was spent either in education or sitting quietly while my parents socialised with family friends. I wish I could say I had embarrassing stories to tell but, with most mistakes being punished with shame, there are few that I can say are just amusing little accidents."
"Oh," Sabine's expression faltered with a hint of guilt.
Lunise tilted her head. "Now, I did not say there were none." She resisted a smile. "I do recall, back in the ancient history that was my childhood, a time when I got the taste for fresh tuna that was prepared raw. I had it with nearly every meal that I was allowed. After about a month of this newfound taste, my best friend at the time wished to try it. I gave her a piece, and we found out by the end of the day that I was sold a catch markedly less fresh than all the others beforehand."
Sabine opened her mouth in realisation. While she smiled, Karl lowered his brow. He was not following along.
Lunise's head lolled to one side. "And we found out in the middle of a hall of our school." Her head lolled to the other side. "...And those with a lesser constitution found the display magnificent enough that they added their own eaten lunches to the mix then and there."
Finally, Sabine laughed. Not in cruelty, but in sympathy. Karl remained oblivious.
Taking a moment, Lunise closed her eyes, raised her brow, straightened, and took a long breath in through her nose. "While our health eventually recovered over a few days, we were forever stained with the story. And the floor was stained such that only a very well paid alchemist could erase our deed from the stonework. Both the puddle and the smell."
"Ah," Karl sounded flatly. "Food poisoning. I see."
"You are lucky you never have it, Karl," Sabine said through another laugh. By the way the pair moved, Sabine had probably prodded Karl in the side. "You were born lycan."