To Take What Is Rightfully Ours

Chapter 41. Dealing with the Affairs of the Heart

Notes: From here on out the terms "mandia" and "lēkia" will be frequently used for nuns and monks of Dragontemple respectively. For example, instead of saying "sister Mary"/"brother Jon" characters will say "mandia Mary"/"lēkia Jon". This distinction is made to distinguish Valyrian nuns and monks from holy sisters and brothers of the Faith of Seven.

***

'What's your favorite color?'

Diane stopped in her tracks, not sure if she heard it right. Then she slowly turned to Otto who apparently decided to start with random questions instead of a "good morning" that day.

'I'm sorry, what?'

'What's your favorite color?'

Diane blinked a few times in pure confusion and then said, 'Red and black? I mean... obviously.'

'Huh, I should have guessed,' Otto nodded to himself. 'But if you have to pick one, what will it be?'

Diane looked around just in case because the corridor was empty (as usual when they interacted), and Otto was acting weird. She wondered if she was missing something important.

'For what am I picking?'

'Just... in general,' Otto answered, shifting somewhat uncomfortably.

Diane raised an eyebrow and came closer to the man, 'In general, I prefer to keep my options open.'

Otto groaned, 'Just answer the damn question. They need to know by noon.'

'Who needs to know?'

The little panic in Otto's eyes when he realized he said more than he intended to was satisfying to watch even if he composed himself pretty fast. 'That's... not important.'

'You are being a terrible liar right now. You know that, right?'

Otto rolled his eyes, 'Diane, please...'

'Red,' she decided to take mercy on him. 'If I had to choose, sword to my throat, it would be red.'

'That's because it's the color of blood, isn't it?'

Diane smiled, 'You said that, not me. Will you tell me why you are asking?'

'No. Not now. But it's nothing nefarious,' Otto assured her. 'At least, not at the moment.'

'I will actually be impressed if you manage to weaponize the knowledge of my favorite color,' Diane smirked. 'What's your favorite?'

'I don't have a favorite.'

'Everyone has it. Come on, it's only fair. I told you mine,' Diane tugged at his sleeve with a smile. 'Is it green?'

Otto kept quiet for a few seconds but then gave up and said, 'It's violet, actually. But not the darker version. A light violet, more like...' he looked at Diane as if he only now realized something and had no idea what to do with this particular realization. 'More like your eyes are,' he finished quietly.

Diane looked at Otto and she knew he was not pretending. As a person who spent decades lying and pretending for a job, she knew the limits. There was a level of vulnerability, a level of intimacy that you could never convincingly fake no matter how hard you tried. Your body just would not let you so it was best to never put yourself in the situation when such an act was required to begin with. So Otto wasn't trying to fool her because he would never be able to pull this off so naturally which meant...

Which meant it was actually real.

'I- I apologize but I need to go,' Otto blurted out and rushed away before Diane had a chance to stop him. Not like she was going to. Not like she believed it was wise.