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Your complicated gentleman, again?

No, someone worse. [ The name Omega bleeds through the link for only a brief second, eclipsed with a flash of red, hot aggression that she suppresses and pulls back even further from him. ]

It's a long story.

[That sensation was familiar, and it stills Aral, both on the link and the man across from her seems to scarcely breathe for half a second.]

I trust if it becomes an issue, you would let us know.

Edited 2016-04-02 02:24 (UTC)

[ Could she trust them to help her with that? Her frown deepens as she watches him for a moment before letting her gaze drift to the side. ]

He's not here, so unless the porter is feeling particularly malevolent towards me, it won't be one.

[It certainly did not escape him that it was not a yes, and as she had pulled away at that memory of Omega, he did here as well, shuttering to a mere distant presence. His expression remains even though, the nod graceful. After all, it is not as though they had given HER reason to trust.]

Just so.

I have faith in your ability to keep up with Miles, as much as I believe it may try even your tactical acumen.

[ It's less a matter a trust and more a complex history that she hasn't tried to explain to anyone from home, much less people she's met here. The last time she tried to get rid of the asshole AI, she had gotten a friend killed in the process.

But that's nothing here nor there and she keeps her complicated mess behind her, out of sight. That's a burden no one but herself needs to deal with.

Dryly, ] Glad you trust me that far. I have experience with kids his age even if they haven't been as energetic.

[There's a wry sort of humor in return.]

He could hardly move at all most of his life thus far. I always assumed it would even out.

[Of course, they'd both met 'adult' Miles.]

[ She snorts. ]

Yeah, too bad he just keeps cranking it up. At least I have a better way to keep tabs on him now.

I'd have appreciated precognosis rather than telepathy in his case, but it's serviceable.

[ She sighs. ]

I can imagine. How bad is he when he's older?

Ah... that you know as much about that as I do. Cordelia has mentioned some things that has made me wonder if it simply keeps rocketing upwards.

I meant over the link. I don't need to know more about his future than he does.

Hm. [He opens his hand, acknowledging the error.] The volume is the same, the content subdued.

At least I can't get headaches. [ It's a light grumble and she lets out a small sigh. ] I'm still not sure what I want to do about this whole link business, but I appreciate you explaining it better.

The links are wholly new and... role quite undefined. Though, though it pleases me to think you would be the first female armsman Barrayar has seen. [The first one knowingly sworn, like stories of women dressing as men to join the wars, there were the occasional tale of a lady so taken with patriotism to her lord, skirts were discarded and hair was shorn.]

... Though, I would implore you, knowing what it means now, as well as I can present it. If you decide to remove it, do it while he is still young.

[ That causes her to completely freeze. That was the opposite of what she'd been planning. ]

You're joking, right? I can't talk to him seriously about this while he's a kid.

Stone serious. As a child, when he returns to an adult, he will have innumerable reasons to rationalize why you, an able bodied and capable armsman, would leave his service. There is his age, not understanding his seriousness, Gregor also being young and quite overwhelmed with other links...

But when he is an able and capable lord, and you are an able and capable armsman, that changes the field significantly.

So you're saying I have an indeterminate amount of time to make this decision. And what if I wait? It sounds like I only need Gregor's permission to take care of the oath part.

You could do that.

[At the very clear challenge, Aral's expression darkens, his tone clearly laced with what he thinks about that particular idea.]

[ Her back straightens immediately under that gaze.

Dryly, ] Then I guess my original plan of waiting won't work. I thought it'd be a good idea to keep the link at least until he aged up given how much trouble he's getting into.

It is considerable.. almost impressive. You are correct there. Frankly, that doesn't abate with age. The excuses merely get sophisticated.

No, it doesn't. [ A beat then: ] Are you implying he needs a bodyguard with a link even at 20?

There's no need for implication. It's a matter of fact, particularly given the situation with Lucifer.

And you think a random person he's sworn in is the one for that job? I can't say I fully understand this whole oath deal even with what you've shown me.

[He doesn't answer that immediately. He sets his chin on his fist and merely watches her. There could easily be stating the obvious... but the fact that she was in no way random was beyond that. This wasn't honest objection.

This was kicking on the way down.]

Regardless, as the Lord Vorkosigan, approve of the choice.

[Letting go of the high manner in which the last line was delivered, the next was muted, sincere.]

You are welcome to the position, but not obligated. Please think it over.

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