If Kushiel knew anything, it was that he very often couldn’t help himself. It was his most endearing and his most most taxing quality. If he could prevent himself from doing most of the things he did, he would, but that would also mean he accomplished very little.Now was one of those times.
Kushiel had surprised even himself by pledging as a diplomat of the Chamber. Whether his new home really wanted him to represent their interests was a completely different story. Yes, he wanted to stay, but to what end nobody could really be sure. He wouldn’t blame them if they grew weary of him. Even he could admit that his own company was rather a lot.
Perhaps his mother would take him back if they threw him out.
For all he knew it was a bad idea, Kushiel weaved his way toward the group of gathering diplomats. He had seen the mare fly in, and he had only seen one mare fly like that.
Surely, it couldn't be the same girl?
But yes, yes it was. They had met once before, in the Field, when Kushiel had crashed a conversation with a potential recruit. That meeting hadn’t gone particularly well, and Kushiel had the distinct impression that he had offended her. To be fair, she had done a fair job of hiding it. But her regard, or rather her disregard, was like a scab, he just couldn’t leave it alone. He had to pick at it.
He cheerfully made his way to her side, grinning at he did so. This would be the second conversation of hers he crashed, but surely his Chambermates wouldn’t mind. He was, after all, one of them.
“Look who’s here! Elysteria, was it?” Kushiel cleared his throat in a way he thought made him sound very sophisticated, nonchalant even.
“You know, I was trying to recruit your friend, but there’s more than enough room for one more.” His devilish smile was growing by the minute, in a second he would be snarling, like a wolf who was having a grand time.
“Truly," he added, because if she did come to genuinely hate him, Kushiel's fun would be dampened considerably.
“It’s a pleasure to see you, and would be a greater pleasure if you ditched the Dale to stay longer.”
He winked, all flashing teeth and genuine good humor.
Life was full of happy coincidences.
Kushiel
some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall