ITL 12

[blondiechic0]

“As hard as a thousand bulls,” Orinakin murmured, sitting back.  “You have a fair point.”

            “No, he doesn’t,” Anosanim said.  “You can’t apply normal rules to Kudorin.  And why are we talking about bulls?”

            Mortified, Bade hid his face in his goblet.  Of all regional phrases for Orinakin to pick up!  Surely a diplomat’s education didn’t need to be that extensive.

            “Oh,” Orinakin said breezily, with a suspiciously casual smile, “it’s just a little colloquialism that I picked up from Bade.”

            Coughing, Bade tried not to choke on his wine.  “From me?” he asked, wiping his lips.

            “Yes, it was one of those comments that you made in the hallway last night.”

            Hallway, last night - - “I said that?” Bade whispered, stunned.  “Out loud?”  Horrified, ashamed, he vowed never to go near the belas again.  Clearly, this uninhibited society only led to-

            “Why are you this impulsive?” Orinakin asked.  “You overreact to everything.  A simple-”

            “I do not!  I only-”

            “If you’d like to change certain behaviors or limit certain activities, that’s fine, Bade, that’s perfectly normal, but abruptly cutting yourself off from-”

            “I am a prince,” Bade hissed.  “I’m Nosupolin royalty.  I cannot-”

            “I’m a child of the gods,” Orinakin said, “so if-”

            “That gives you a position of privilege,” Bade said.  “Everything that you do is above question.  No move, no word, no act could ever be remarked upon.  I don’t have that privilege.  I’m not above reproach.  I have to hold myself to a higher standard.”

            Silenced, Orinakin studied him.

            “I never thought about it that way,” Anosanim said.  “I’ve always thought that Extra takes shameless advantage of his status, but I never extended that idea to the rest of us.  Perhaps my own actions could use some discipline.”  Tipping his head to one side, he feathered his fingers through his hair, smiling at Orinakin.  “I haven’t seen you talk with other leaders like this.  You argue with Bade as if he were one of us.”

[Mountie]

I adore how quickly Bade settles into a comfortable relationship with each of the Siblings.  Today he ate out for the first time in a resturant twice, once with Anosanim and then with Orinakin and Anosanim.  He is experiencing new things each and every day and as he goes along he just charms both the others he interacts with and me. 

I think that Anosanim and Orinakin both noticed

Bade was so nice and so complimentary and so sweet,” Anosanim said, squeezing Bade’s arm, “that Talin couldn’t even get mad, and I could tell how frustrated Talin was getting, because he had to like Bade and he didn’t even want to!”

            Orinakin couldn’t help but smile at Bade.  “You’ve realized how charming you are, haven’t you?”

Bade was quite concerned when he heard Dranz was leaving and it sure took a lot of reassurance for him to accept.  But I really don't think he accepts their reassurances till he goes through his own mental process later.  But he agonizes over each of the suitors leaving and why they leave.

Don't you just love how connected Orinakin and  Selorin are.  First you have Anosanim fussing over Orinakins bangs and cropped top and pants then you see Selorin doing this:

... Sliding into slim pants and a cropped shirt... he gave another glance in the mirror.  Dissatisfied, he combed a section of his hair forward, carefully trimming it to give himself bangs.

Kudorin does so many first with Bade, first time in a suitors room, first time waking a suitor up, first time telling Bade he wants to touch him... and so does Orinakin, first time hearing anothers ful thoughts, first time relaxing his professional distance.  I just knew as I was reading these chapters that Bade was so very special.

OMG!!!  The DRESS   hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe I can't wait...

“Would you do me a small kindness tomorrow?”

And the thing with the end of Etaki ends and the stirrings about Hitari begin.