"Who wants to duel?" Elin asked, with a floaty tone.

Elin wore Walter's gambeson, the matching jacket to his pants, unclasped without regard to modesty. She ignored her hair, still tangled from their activities last night.

When Elin viewed Sir Eugene, who blinked in confusion at the turn of events, she smirked. "A single knight? Is this a jest?"

Priestess Evelyn tightened her jaw. Sister Lora's description of Elin playing the homemaker was understated. They fornicated without the vow of marriage. Which one pursued it? Looking between them, the priestess realized the worst-case scenario. They loved each other, and the sex occurred without pretense, but Elin flaunted it. Without her synesthesia, as a woman, Priestess Evelyn would still see the signs.

You stupid, stupid girl.

"Lady Elin, my name is Sir Eugene, Odinic Templar. As you can see by my helmet, I have--eh?"

The priestess stepped towards the door. Snow crunched, and mud squished. For a moment, it seemed like an obstinate Elin would block her entry, but, as their distance closed, Elin twitched and lost eye contact. One step before they collided, Elin retreated, and Priestess Evelyn unhurriedly walked inside.

"Sir Eugene, it's regrettable, but you will wait out here until I conclude family business." Priestess Evelyn slammed the door shut, without caring for a reply, and the sound echoed.

"You have a lot of nerve--" Elin started to say.

"I have nerve?!" Priestess Evelyn roared, with a face red from anger.

Elin cowed. Years of daughterhood could not be erased. After a quick breath to regain her composure, Priestess Evelyn turned to Walter, "Please forgive me, Sir Walter. I don't mean to offend any heroes present, who may-or-may-not be committing a grave mistake, but I simply must have my opinion heard."

Elin's eyes remained glued to the floor.

It seems my connection with her isn't entirely lost.

Walter didn't bend to Priestess Evelyn's fury, as Elin did, but he didn't respond in kind, either. He tilted his head to the door. "What about your friend outside?"

"He'll freeze fine." The finality of Priestess Evelyn's sounded like the echo from a tomb. The confused expression on Walter's face declared he couldn't tell if that was a slip-of-the-tongue or not.

"Well, it does seem you need to get something off your chest." Walter led her to the breakfast nook and pulled out a chair.

Priestess Evelyn stared a moment before seating herself. "Thank you."

Elin busied herself with boiling a pot of water. When Priestess Evelyn saw how she slipped into menial service, when the man who professed to be her squire sat while she worked, she fumed.

"How was the trip?" Walter asked.

"Pleasant."

"Do you like the farm? Elin picked it out."

Priestess Evelyn's voice grew drier, "It's lovely."

With the tea poured, Priestess Evelyn sipped. Elin sat next to Walter. Their closeness could not be missed.

"Will you two please explain to me what you think you are doing?"

"You already know what happened," Elin said, "After all, we were living under the 'Scales of Love and Lust.' What other outcomes could there be?"

"You two screwed." Priestess Evelyn's voice dropped like a guillotine.

"What of it?" Elin's retort clashed like a blocking sword.

"Do you know what happened when you came to the Temple of the Witness to pray? Marriages doubled that day, and the Gaiatic Temple enjoyed a sudden influx of convertees and donations."

"How is that an issue at all? Isn't that a good thing--"

Priestess Evelyn's finger tightened on the loop of the cup. "What do you think will happen when they realize you've been behaving like a Disciple of Venus? Can you imagine a positive reaction? The nobility maintains a fragile order through many echelons of precedent and tradition, and your careless decisions ripple through them. If there was a hint you'd rebel, even symbolically, then that might be enough to start the killing."

Elin set her jaw and crossed her arms, but, at some point in Priestess Evelyn's speech, her eyes rested on the table.

"You saw that buffoon out there? They sent him here to provoke you. The Temple of Gaia still feels slighted regarding your renouncement of Gaia, and someone higher up waits to see how you react. They want to know if they can manipulate you, ally with you, or if they must plot against you. So, what will it be, Lady Elin? At present, you're displaying the emotional maturity of a boy throwing rocks on the battlefield--"

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"So what if I am?!" Elin screamed and slammed her fist on the table. Walter's palm covered her hand. Elin continued to huff. When she caught her breath, she leaned back and re-crossed her arms.

"Can you even name your enemy? Nobility doesn't attack a threat directly, they make a game out of it. They turn your allies against you, they undermine your business, they ruin your family. What are you going to do when they go after Walter? You can't babysit him every minute of every day, and even if you did, you can't be aware of all their methods."

"That's why we fight monsters! Once he's strong enough--"

"To do what? Even with both of you wielding heroic strength, you're in the same situation. Walter, I mean no offense, you seem quite intelligent, but you're not as cutthroat as the nobility. Desperate people do desperate things, and it would not take much engineering on their part to turn everyone against you two. No matter how powerful the hero, they still rely on others. Unless you're prepared to slaughter and steal, what will you do? Relive the Bloody Crusade to sate your lust?"

Walter raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. He digested Priestess Evelyn's words.

Did my words reach him? This is preposterous. Why is he the reasonable one, and I can't find common ground with Elin?

Priestess Evelyn continued the dialog, berating Elin into understanding her point, and an epiphany stopped her. Elin was never going to listen, and it had nothing to do with their strained relationship. Anger and righteous indignation didn't drive her foster daughter. Defensiveness did.

Submission should not be confused with weakness.

Elin's newfound heroic power caused Priestess Evelyn to incorrectly frame the problem. Elin wasn't using her power to force Walter to play out a copper-parchment story with her, and the 'Scales of Love and Lust' haven't influenced her since the start of winter. She laid herself before Walter, as a woman. She followed Walter's lead. Although more powerful, Elin deferred to his will. Not through trickery, or because of fantasy, or through stupid brute force, but because she wanted to.

Her intuition hinted they seemed good together.

The reverse is also true. Strength did not imply domination.

Without seeing them together, then I would have continued the wrong assumption. I've been so busy with Camp Wolf and tending to Laira that I failed to visit. The sin is mine.

Priestess Evelyn dipped her head and asked, "May I speak with Lady Elin privately, please? I fear she might not open up with you around."

"Absolutely not!" Elin shook her head. "Anything you have to say, say in front of Walter as well! Do not disrespect him!"

"I'm not disrespected, Elin," Walter's voice kept a low and placating tone, "I'll give you two a little bit of space. If something happens, shout." He stood, slid the gambeson off her shoulders, and kissed the top of her head. "I'll be in the barn only a few minutes, alright?"

"Walter... Walter, wait!"

The door clicked shut.

I understand Laira's adoration for Walter now. His presence is similar to the shade of a tree. It's comforting, it's no wonder Laira slept so well visiting. Even my failed status as an oracle detected it.

"Let me begin by apologizing," Priestess Evelyn said.

"What?" Elin's jaw slackened. "Is this a new tactic?"

"No, it's not." The priestess closed her eyes. "I might have pushed you too hard."

"You mean, as a paladin?"

Priestess Evelyn nodded her head.

Elin lifted her cup and sipped. Moments passed. When Elin spoke again, her voice was diplomatic. "I thought it odd a woman, in a religion dedicated to motherhood, herself a specialist in designing marriages, reared a girl to be a knight."

More hushed time slipped by.

----------------------------------------

Walter breathed out, and a cloud of vapor hovered.

Sir Eugene, bored with waiting, repeatedly stabbed his spear into a nearby tree. Walter scratched his head, irritated, before shaking it.

"Why the fuck are you beating up our trees, asshole?" Walter mumbled under his breath.

When the Odinic templar realized Walter's presence, he yelled out, "You! Knave! Why have I not yet been shown admission into Lady Elin's house? Are you not aware of who I am? Open the door, and grant me an audience! I arrive on official business!"

Walter rubbed the back of his head. "Look, uh, Sir Gene--"

"Sir Eugene!" the templar bellowed and marched forward, "I will not take 'no' for an answer!"

"Hoo, boy. Right, Sir Eugene, today's not a good day. Elin and Evelyn--"

"Lady Elin and Priestess Evelyn! Use the honorifics, or I'll flog you skinless! Open the door! Admit me!" At the end of his sentence, he shoved his finger into Walter's chest.

Walter breathed in through his nose and out his mouth, "Well, Sir Eugene, my name is Sir Walter, and I will decline. Private meeting."

"Stopped by a sniveling worm like you. No matter, once I'm lord here, I'll have you beaten and thrown out. Count your days, knave."

"Excuse me?" Walter sneered, "How do you figure you'll be the lord?"

Sir Eugene stared a moment before laughter burst out of his mouth, "What is this? Jealousy? Did you fancy your lady? She's a much higher class than you, it's impossible. We're arranged to marry by the Gaiatic Temple, and a few hands higher still helped guide it. Fight it all you like, but you're a commoner. By all means, attack me, and give me an excuse to run you through."

"Right." Walter shrugged. "Well, that's not happening, either."

"She's fond of cowards, it seems! I'll teach her what a real man is. You'll never measure up. Don't turn your back on me!"

Snow crunched as Walter walked away.

Sir Eugene's self-satisfied voice drifted over, "Lady Elin's breast are exquisite, are they not?"

Walter's pace slowed, like a rock short on a hill to roll down. He stopped.

The self-satisfying voice carried on, rising in a pitch, "Her ass, it's the best. I bet you agree. She seems like the type to squirm quite a bit and squeal when taken from behind. Lady Elin screams when taken hard, I can tell, and she only wants to be taken hard--"

Walter didn't turn around. "Let me ask you a question, Sir Eugene, are you in the Adventurer's Guild? Please tell me you are."

Sensing Walter's intention, Sir Eugene's smile widened as he lifted a gold dog tag from under his armor. "Are you sure you want to do this? Last chance to run away."

Walter removed his bronze tag and tossed it in the snow at Sir Eugene's feet.

After a delighted laugh, seeing the difference in their rank, Sir Eugene dropped his next to Walter's. "Duel's on then."

"Yeah, it fucking is."

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