[h2][center]Gillian[/center][/h2]

Meanwhile, back at the castle, Gill managed to finally tear his eyes away from the...frankly distressing wealth the room had on offer to spare an odd glace at her highness. [i]Fireheart[/i] was...well, not pornographic as such. Saucy, to be sure. But frustratingly flighty on the whole copulation front of things for his taste. That said, it was definitely not something he'd expected someone from high society to have read, much less use as a clumsy conversation starter. 

[i][color=00aeef]"She's just survived an assassination attempt."[/color][/i] the distant part of his mind that oversaw his rarely used sense of TACT reminded. [i][color=00aeef]"Makes sense she wants to do something better than wallow in fear of a second attempt."[/color][/i]

Inwardly, Gillian groaned with a deep despair, regretting he had elected to stay with the Princess instead of braving his chances in the tomb. A coup he could handle. A necromancer? Harder, but he was a Living Reliquary and so was probably well suited to the task. But being a comforting presence to literally anyone with a pulse (or without as the case may be)? 

Not. His. Wheel house. 

Still, it was probably a job best left to him. Indrau was...well, Gill was pretty sure the Crippled Lion didn't fear much. Too pragmatic like that. With a soft sigh he spoke. [color=00aeef]"I have..."[/color] He said, keeping the timbre of his voice calm and even as he drew a chair from the desk, sitting opposite from the Princess while keeping the balcony within his eye line. [color=00aeef]"I like how supportive Johana was of Keldi, despite the lack of reciprocation on her part."[/color] He said, huffing perhaps a little over dramatically, hoping his feigned ease would relax the girl. 

[color=00aeef]"Frankly it's annoying that the story ended with Keldi and Tri marrying just because she had the nerve to challenge first! I mean, Tri came in...what? Two third's of the way into the book? Just after Chorus of Ingvarr."[/color] He added, one arm gesturing wildly (albiet with more care than the grotesque limb ought to be capable of) about the room.[color=00aeef]"We went from a jaunty tune about breasts to a sulky raven haired thug stealing Keldi away from her first real friend. Whiplash doesn't even begin to describe it!"[/color] He groaned loudly, running his hands through his hair as he looked to the ceiling, as if it might offer some divine explanation. 

As he dragged his hands down his face he glanced at the Princess, hoping he wasn't over selling the act. His fellow Knights probably already knew that, but this wasn't really for them. If she found a little comfort in him making an ass of himself...well, he'd done worse things with his time. 

[@TheFake][@VitaVitaAR]