A smile alighted on her lips as Galt asserted only a fool or a madman would think she could be dissuaded. It wasn't exactly the enthusiastic endorsement she would have liked, but his characterization of her determination was nonetheless amusing. Silke did not intend to strong-arm her companion into accepting her offer; she was trying to be persuasive without being coercive. All too often she had experienced the latter with male members of the nobility. Once it became clear she was the woman pulling the strings of her household, and essentially the power behind her father's title, certain aristocrats had tried to brow beat her into heeding their advice and suggestions. She had not, of course, but it made her duly cautious not to catch herself exhibiting the same behavior.

Though concerns about whether she had pressured him into acceptance lingered at the edges of her mind, she couldn't help but giggle a little to herself at his fanciful imagining of how she'd help him climb to greatness. Truthfully he made it sound much more exciting than the reality. Still listening to him quietly, she reached over and helped him stop his horse as she checked her own. Without the sounds of their mares' hoof beats on the worn road, silence enveloped them, adding a gravitas to their conversation. Silke shifted in her saddle. Rationally she knew she was doing nothing the wrong. The stillness of the forest, the dark night, the fog, and their isolation made it [i]feel[/i] almost taboo.

Galt's forthright comments about his future flirtations made her raise her brows. That, more than anything else he had said thus far, had been a surprise. Men didn't exactly volunteer that they weren't the marrying type. Commoners could remain unwed, but for a nobleman was unheard of, and any misgivings they had about entering into a holy union went unspoken. There was an obligation to take a wife and produce an heir. There were outliers, those who had only daughters, who lost their spouse, or were childless, but they hadn't simply shrugged off the responsibility itself without a pretense of trying to fulfill their duty. That he was also willing and able to discuss flirting left her momentarily speechless.

Closing her eyes to compose herself, she took a deep breath. A small puff of warm air formed as she exhaled slowly and turned to him, organizing her thoughts. "Perhaps it is best to think of me as your tutor. It is up to how you would prefer to facilitate our arrangement," she explained. "My goal is less to create an alliance so much as it to elevate you to a higher position. I'll help you learn about all the members of nobility, their biases and weaknesses, what political clout and power they wield, and how to best interact with them. I will give you advice, but it will ultimately be your choice whether you heed it. There is also the subject of your financial assets. You'll need some instruction on how to manage your estate." Silke paused a second to let everything sink in. There was more to be taught than she had outlined, yet she thought it best to start with the most important broad strokes, the ones that would be most pivotal to his success.

"As for your... romantic proclivities," she began. Silke had to stop and clear her throat as a blush colored her cheeks. Rarely someone was so attractive to her that she struggled to find a way to stave off their overtures. She knew she had to firmly lay out her boundaries, but she was conflicted, and had to fight herself on committing to stating them aloud. Galt was a more tempting prospect than he would ever realize. "Marriage is an expectation of lords, so I would not proclaim you're not the type. There are many lovely ladies of the court that would be truly blessed to have you as their husband," she told him sincerely.

Tilting her head back to the sky, she pondered her word choice for the millionth time. When she wasn't looking at him it was remarkably easier to divorce herself from the realization she was verbally resigning herself to loneliness, to not giving him a chance to be that dazzling, dashing, heroic, handsome man that the younger Silke dreamed of. "I am myself have an issue of... compatibility," she said more softly with a melancholy tone. "I am glad you value our friendship and you may speak however you like; I only wish for you to chase your own happiness."

"Ah," she exclaimed, recalling she hadn't answered what she stood to gain. "In return for my assistance, I only ask that in the future, should you be able, you use whatever power you gain to help my father and brother should they need it. They may never need it, but I worry about them incessantly," she said with a brilliant smile. It was apparent from the change in her voice that adored her family, speaking of them with warm affection.