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"Teresal. YOu need to help me."
Never in her life would she had thought that Estinien would willingly approach her again to ask for help. The way he kept looking over his shoulder had her wondering though. "Did you kill someone by accident? Maybe flung them into the channel where they got hit by an incoming boat? Made small children cry?"
He glanced towards her and his brow furrowed. "No. But you need to give my excuses."
She tilted her head. "Did you accidentally make advances on a married woman and her husband is hunting you down?"
"You are having fun with me. And I would be able to handle my own against a husband should one try to challenge me. But no, I was asked to have tea again at the Leveilleur estate. Ameliance and some of her friends wanted to talk again about the Dragonsong wars."
She blinked a few times and she gave a small snicker. "Oh. Social engagements. You could say no. That there is something Vrtra needed you for."
"I did come here for Vrtra but I didn't see her until she had snuck on me. The woman would do well herself if she had wanted to become an adventurer."
"You could leave town and not say anything." One brow quirked up and she crossed her arms, rocking back on her feet. It was still amusing to see him so ill at ease when it came to dealing with the twins mother. Ameliance was a different woman herself and while she was smiling, there was the razor sharp mind that was used to direct her husband without him knowing he was being directed.
"But then Alphinaud will message me about how disappointed she was and he will not let it be." The Elezen snorted. "Even if it for Vrtra, I'm not sure that I want to hear the small reproach that he will mention any time I see him. The boy does look- Are you laughing at me?" Stormy blue eyes stared down at her, white brows furrowing.
A small snarf before she cleared her throat. "Oh no, no. Not at all. I'm just saying that there are ways to excuse yourself and no one will think twice, but if you think that Vrtra will mind being used as an excuse, how is me giving the same excuse going to make it better for you? Just because I'm not a large dragon?" Her lips twitched. "Or do you think my presence will be sufficient distraction so that you can make your escape while I play the role of the fatted calf. Should I take offense at that?"
He crossed his arms, mulling it over. "I did not think about that. I'm sorry. I do not see you as being the sacrifice so that I can leave." He did pause and glanced down at her again. "But you have a better way to talk to people without insulting people. Much better than I am."
"Oh, it isn't hard. You just need to be polite. I'm sure you learned plenty when watching Aymeric deal with the politics in Ishgard."
He coughed a bit before shrugging. "I...preferred letting him deal with the Houses since he was more able to do so. I did my job in fighting the dragons at that time rather than fighting and dancing at parties."
"You make it sound like parties were so horrible." She started walking towards the residential area of the city.
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, long legs keeping up with her. "You've been to a few, haven't you? After the war was over."
"Once in a while as part of House Fortemps. But then I was tolerated because I was part of the change after all so everyone wanted to meet me as much as you."
"Hmm... true. Still, once they have gotten used to you, they might go back to what they acted like before and using sharp words to cut others down so that they can be on top."
"You forget that I helped Francel against allegations of being a heretic when I was considered an outsider. So I had seen how they had been. I tend to not let it bother me. People will think what they did. when I was younger, I wasn't a stranger of being considered a dragon's servant. You know, the horns and scales and tail."
Estinien blinked a few times before frowning. "But you were a child."
Teresal held up a finger. "Some people are even more prone to just blurt things out or spew whatever they wanted because I couldn't fight back against them. Some people are cruel like that. Luckily, I found a family that didn't hesitate to defend me." She grinned up at him before stopping. "But you need to learn how to swim in such situations."
"Huh? What do you mean?" He glanced up and balked at the house they were standing from.
She placed her hands between his shoulders and gave a push. "Sink or swim. But I have faith in you."
"Oh, Ser Estinien..." Ameliance stepped out and paused, smiling at them both. "And Teresal."She waved to the woman. "Have a lovely day and tea."
"Wait! Murchion!" Estinien started after her before Ameliance put an arm through his.
She turned and gave him a thumbs up. "You can do it! Break a leg!" Beam.
"We will talk about this later!"
She snickered, still walking away. She could feel bad, but...nope.