#fenixtj

"For what? You drove off ravagers and worse from the area..well, the pooka did but you were the one who gave the go ahead to the plan."

"Congratulations for saying Yes?" Dryly.

"I'm..trying to find a way to celebrate the good turn for the fief." He says holding out his hands, "I thought you would be happy."

She hesitates, then gives him one of hers. "Of course I'm pleased and relieved."

"Good. " A soft squeeze. He looks her over, "You are so very much a woman. I don't know if I say it enough. I try to remmeber for you duty is before passion, but...sometimes I think we don't talk enough. And neither of us is always good at that. Talking."

She nods mutely, looking at her plate.

"Case in point" He sighs.

the food looks delicious, though the portions are a little skimpy for troll liking.

"Oh. Sorry." She looks up.... but she leave her hand in his.

"Jessica... I know, or.. thought I knew, that you don't feel as much for me as I do for you... but now I fear I'm making you miserable somehow. That is the last thing I want."

"It is.. difficult, when.... when we don't work together. I know you have to... do your own thing but... " she shrugs.

"But.." A gentle coax. He does look confused but doesn't shut her down.

Another shrug. "... but when we don't work together it make thing more difficult for me."

"Jessica, it's you I'm doing things for well, for the fief and you... this is my home too . I thought I was helping you, by doing the things you can't, or won't."

A sigh. "I know."

"So.. how am I making things more difficult when I do my own thing?" His eyes search hers. "I know, I probably sound incredibly thick, but all I see is that I get results. Call it a..cognitive bias."

"I get.... questions." Reluctantly.

"From the Countess?" A frown

" no, but I imagine that would come eventually. Mitra works for us now oh, but I have to imagine the Countess has her own eyes and ears here. No, I got questions from the staff here."

"Jessica... you're not responsible for MY actions. Surely they know this. THey can't blame you for me"

She gives him an eyebrow that is pure Brekke not that he wouldn't necessarily know that.

"Fine, they shouldn't, and if they don't you should know they're wrong to do so>"

" I do know that, but Duff, there is also something to be said about a leader who can't maintain order."

"Jessica, this town is a hell hole.. it has it's upside, but it's crime ridden, so dangerous the US military reccomends it's soldiers NOT vacation here. It's never really HAD order, fae or mortal." A drink of wine, "Besides, you have a hell of a lot more influence over me than anyone else would. A flash of your throat, a plead of your eyes and I'm weak." A grumble and he sips again "It's borderline unmanly the power you have over me"

" you should really spend more time with Uncle olgar."

"You know the crazy thing? For you? I probably would." He says "You see what I'm saying? Jessica, you worry others say you can't maintian order, but assuming I'm part of the problem, name one person who could contain me?"

" contain, no..... That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying we aren't working well together." She puts an emphasis on the last word.

Duff pauses then tilts his head, "And you want to work together? How so? I'd make a terrible courtier. And you wouldn't respect me if I were under you." A bit of a smirk that he quells "In that way"

She does not Echo his expression, staying serious." Yes, if it's possible I would like to work together. We..... Renaissance, would be stronger if we did."

Duff sobers, "How do you want us to work together? We circle around things sometimes. Tell me the details of what you want."

" I don't..... I don't know exactly. But not like, um, what we've been doing."

"I'm willing to listen, perhaps even change a few things- change is good is one of my court's mottos after all... but Jessica, you of all people know 'not what we're doing now' is too vague to be a plan." he takes her hand again and squeezes it, "I don't want to hurt you, or make you feel like a failure, hell I don't even wnat to frustrate you. But I am not a mind reader. I can't try to make you happy if I don't know what makes you happy? You want me to change how I do things, if it will make you happy I will TRY... but it has to be two ways, and I have to know what the heck you want beyond this nebulous 'other thing' and even 'together'"

" I know, I know, I know. Okay..... Look, when I went up North with cinder, I asked you to keep things D escalated. Quiet. On the down low. Right of ignorance. And you packed a drug cartels safe house with explosives. And I have to believe the drug dealers didn't know it. So either it was an empty threat you did not plan to set off, and that they didn't even know about, or it was a real threat, which is not be escalating the situation here. That is what I mean by not working with me." All this discussion must be hard work. There's a light sheen on her forehead.

"It was a failsafe... they didn't know, so it didn't escalate...so I honored your request, I just had a back up in case they needed removed and escalated it on their own" He says in a tone that indicates he's pretty sure he's making perfect sense.

"Wait.." He pauses, "Jessica, did you take that as.. not trusting you?"

" more..... Not doing what I asked."

"I did what you asked, I just did it my way"

"Did things escalate? No. Did they discover it? No. Did it make it worse? No. Jessica...I honored you wishes, but I like to cover my bets when it comes to ..well, everything, but especially your safety"

" I was not in danger!"

"There was a gang war going in the area, we were all in danger" He says "It's just YOU happen to be the one I care about so your safety came to mind before say.. Diego. Diego's a fine enough guy, nothing against him, but I don't love him like I..." A sigh "I am still a troll, Jessica, unseelie or not. You can't expect me NOT to be concerned for your safety even as I recognize your duty to be in the target zone"

" Duff, it is my duty to be the target." And again she emphasizes the last word.

"And fine, but while your'e doing your duty, I'm following my passion so that if they hurt you, I have the ability to kill every last mother's son of the bastards for doing so"

Fierce, it reminds her a bit of Olgar when he's at his most ruthless.

" is that going to do?"

"Discourage future attacks on you for a start, make me feel better for another. "

Sorry that should read what good is that going to do?

Jessica looks as though she will argue, then stops and shakes her head." Look, we're talkin about war with Mortal drug dealers. We should not be at war with Mortals, no matter what they do. So that's out."

"I'm sorry? You expect me to.. Jessica, if some one, mortal or not, ever kills you, I'm going to end them. "

She sighs." See?"

He throws his hands up, "Am I nuts? Or are you saying that for you to be happy, I have to do everything you say your way?"