Hark: The quote... Well, I've been watching The West Wing episodes I've taped. And way too often, I have to say. I have to be honest, first there was the quote, then the idea of cookies. Or biscuits, as Englishmen (or women) would probably say.
Chapter 29: Understanding others
Mrs. Landingham: Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Would you like a cookie? (The West Wing)
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"What did Aran say to you?" Entreri asked when they had sat on the bed. Shandara had insisted that they returned to her room to talk. She knew that Entreri would be furious, and she didn't want him to start shouting to her somewhere where there would have been people around.
"He wants me to see Kheran," she said, trying to sound as natural as she could. "He liked me and hasn't realized that we stole something from him, so if I sleep with him, we can get more information that we can use against him."
"What? You're not serious!" Entreri's voice was trembling with anger. Shandara looked at him calmly and reached to touch his hand, but the assassin pushed her away, getting up and staring at her "You won't do it."
"I have to do it," she said. "Could you sit down, we can talk about this..."
"No," Entreri said. "There's nothing to talk about."
"This morning you said that we need to talk," Shandara said, still trying to sound calm, although Entreri's angry stare started to make her nervous.
"Not about this. No matter what Aran says, you are not going to sleep with that man. I forbid it," Entreri shouted, sitting down and taking hold of Shandara's shoulders. "Do you understand?"
"Do you understand that you have no right to tell me what to do?" Shandara asked, staring into Entreri's eyes. She spoke slowly, trying to stop herself from screaming the words out loud. "I don't work for you. I work for Aran. I just sleep with you. And if you have a problem with who I am and what I do, you don't have to be around me. I'm sure that Aran can find me another bodyguard, and I know that I can find another lover." For a moment she thought that he was going to hit her. His eyes widened and his grip on her shoulders tightened, but then he let go of her, staring at her with empty eyes.
"You're right," he said quietly. "I have no right to ask you for anything. I'll go and leave you to..."
"Don't," she said, touching his cheek. "I don't want you to go. But I want, no I need you to understand the position I'm in. I have to do what Aran tells me to do. But when I've done my work, I can spend my time the way I want. And... What I'm tyring to say here is that I want to spend my time with you. I enjoy your company, I can trust you. I... I'm sorry for what I said, but I needed to make you understand."
"Understand what?" Entreri asked, taking hold of her hand and moving it away from his cheek. "I don't..."
"Understand?" Shandara asked flashing a quick smile. "You need to understand who I am. I'm a whore, and my job requires me to do things that you don't like. But that's only my job. You need to understand. If you don't, this won't work out."
"I wish I could understand you," Entreri said. "But I can't. Why are you doing this? Why do you sleep with strangers? You could do so much better. You're smart and beautiful and..."
"I'm a woman," Shandara said. "I've always been smart, but I hadn't really read any books before I started to work for Aran. And beauty... Well, beautiful girls become wives or whores. And I, like so many other women, am too smart to be a wife. Not many possibilities beyond those two, especially when I couldn't fight and couldn't make clothes. I could cook and clean, but not many needed a housekeeper where I'm from. I was a useless little girl and the only thing I was good at was laying on my back. Not hard at all."
"Why do you do it now?" Entrei asked. "You could've stopped, I believe that Aran has paid you well."
"What could I have done? Become a teacher because I've read so many books?" Shandara grinned. "And besides, Aran took me in and I owe him. I'll work for him as long as he needs me."
"You haven't told me anything about how you ended up here," Entreri said. He was still holding her hand, but now he was caressing it gently. Shandara smiled and Entreri wondered how he could have yelled at the woman just a moment ago. "Is that your way of asking me to tell the whole story of my life?" she asked. "You haven't told me anything about your past either," she added and noticed the quick flash of pain in Entreri's eyes. She had learned to read hi emotions, and this was a new one.
"My past... We can talk about that later," Entreri said slowly. "I asked you first about your past."
"Not fair," Shandara laughed. "What do you say, let's forget the talking for a moment." she said, running a finger down Entreri's cheek. He moved her hand away, looking into her eyes. "I think we should talk first."
"That is one thing I like about you," Shandara said and kissed him on the lips. "You are not like most other men. Let's talk."
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"I left him," Isaldora said, sitting down by the table and looking at Mirjami, who was cooking something in a large cauldron.
"That's nice dearie," Mirjami said while adding some spice into the food. "Would you like a biscuit?"
"Did you actually hear what I said?" Isaldora asked. Mirjami looked at her and smiled. "And some tea with the biscuits?"
"I don't understand you. But tea would be nice," Isaldora said and Mirjami filled a small kettle with water and put in on the stove. "Keep talking, I can listen while I do something else," the woman said, giving Isaldora a plate full of biscuits. "Try not to eat all of them."
"There's really nothing much to tell. We both realized that there wasn't anything anymore," Isaldora sighed. "That's all."
"No it's not," Mirjami said, and continued before Isaldora could say anything. "No matter how many times you tell yourself that you're fine, it always hurts. You loved him, and although the love ended, it's not easy for the human mind, or elven mind in this case, to let go so easily."
"Kitchen wisdom," Isaldora sighed, taking second biscuit. "These are good."
"I know," Mirjami said. "Are you feeling any better, or do you need more biscuits, a cup of tea and few extra advises on mending a broken heart?"
"My heart isn't broken," Isaldora said. "I left him. Or we decided to leave each other. He didn't break my heart."
"No, love broke your heart," Mirjami said, pouring hot water into a teapot. "Don't argue with me, and this will be a lot easier."
"For me or for you?" Isaldora asked grinning. Mirjami looked at her smiling. "Me, of course. You were in love, it can't be easier for you. Ready for another wisdom?"
"If I can also have more biscuits," Isaldora sais and took a cup that Mirjami offered her.
