#earthrunes

"you are.. a very earnest and serious man, Sir August. Going to be interesting working with you if the Baroness takes me on"

August stops, puzzling. "Ah. Is that, ah, a euphemism?"

"No.. I offered her my sword " His turn to look confused

That does not appear to help. "Ahhhh...."

"As knight, guarding, patroling, questing? Whatever?" His snow white brow rises up up as they seem to be missing each other here on a interaction leve

level*

"Ah!" The light goes on. "Well good!" He smiles. "Good." Some relief.

"Ah... glad we got that straightened out"

August sighs. "My apologies. You know that other language? I have been working to learn it and sometimes now I hear it when it isn't being spoken." Sheepish.

"Right innuendo... look, it's.. really too soon for me to jump to conclusions, but you seem kind of ..on guard about your trueheart. Which I get. She's gorgeous, but I honestly and truthfully do not intend to make a play for her if you have any doubts. I'm speaking House Brother to House Brother."

August nods soberly. "I appreciate that, thank you." Then a sigh "Although I suspect she'd be upset if she knew about this."

"why?"

"Well first of all, you may not plan to approach her, but she might want to approach you and we have not considered that. And secondly.... she has been encouraging me to be more confident, and confidence isnt exactly in evidence here." Glum.

"Maybe i can help you out.. she swore Truhearts with YOU. YOU are tapping that. You are first in her heart. And... most importantly? She got SCARED for you. You know what that means, right? You got kidnapped, she was scared. She's Fiona. That means you're the real deal. You're the one pushing the beat to her heart"

"I know." Calmly.

"She wants you more confident. But it's hard to fake that. Look, I can't pretend I was like full of game before, but I ca ntell you that if you went up to her privately, whispered in her ear 'I want you now' I bet she'd be turned on even if she didn't know how to get out whatever conversation she WAS in.. That's something that might BUILD confidence"

He flushes pink. "Ah, yes. That, ah, yes. That works. I mean, with her. Not sure how it would build confidence in me. I mean... I mean to feel more confident. " he waves it aside. "My issues, my challenge, my resolution to find."

"Yeah, I respect that. Just... sometimes acting a way helps create the feeling. Act confident, sometimes helps you FEEL more confident. It's a backasswards way of things, but sometimes it works"

He nods seriously. "I have been practicing."

"I oddly believe you. Look, you seem a bit tightly wound, but I get the feeling that's partially the vibe of this place. Very Fiona... you're kind of outnumbered, but if you think what i said would upset the baroness.. let's not tell her unless she asks for specifics okay?"

August nods fervently. "It's not that I keep secrets from her, not at all... but sometimes I might not volunteer....I try to be always truthful." A wan grin. "Truthbranch, you know."

(That last in quotes)

"Oh well, you gotta do what you feel is right" he says "In the end, our core values are all we have."

"So true." Intently.

"Look, I have to go, but I do hope to get some chess lessons. And happy to teach you a bit of poker. "

A sunny grin. "That sounds good, actually
I look forward to it." He offers an honest handshake.

The two Liams shake, and part. Neither quite understanding the other, but otherwise, good meeting.

(end scene)