A Holiday by Decree
Note: A bonus update before the weekend :) Enjoy!
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~~ Day 4 ~~
"Thank you. I think it will help," she stated primly, before taking another sip, hoping to cover her awkwardness.
Though clearly, it didn't. "My Lady, is something wrong?" Tyrion asked, clearly tensed.
Sansa looked at her hands on the table and spoke, "I should apologize for last night - I was wrong."
Across from her, Tyrion was silent for a long moment before she heard him exhale. He tried to start, but she stopped him. "I shouldn't have invited you to smoke with me. It was my first time, and I did not know what my behavior would be like. You were very kind and gentlemanly, but I believe that I may have acted very childishly," she confessed.
Sansa's eyes stayed on her hands, so she still did not see him breathing another sigh. "Sansa, indeed it was your first time, but I must say, that was in fact a rather strong smoke we had. Under the circumstances, your behavior impressed me as actually quite appropriately relaxed but not overboard. I must say I am equally relieved to hear my behavior was 'gentlemanly', as I started to fear just now that I may have done something I needed to apologize for," he responded. Sansa looked up to see his softened, relieved expression.
She drew a careful breath, "You are sure, I did not make you uncomfortable?"
"No, not at all. You were delightful. I was at ease seeing how at ease you seemed to be," he warmly reasserted.
"I really was. It was quite the experience," Sansa finally mused with another grateful sip of coffee. "I've never felt anything like that. Though, I don't know how you seem so thoroughly over it this morning."
"Perks of being an expert 'carouser', as I seem to recall you commended me for being last night," he said, a small twinkle in his eye that drew an amused snort from her over her coffee.
They sipped in companionable quiet, and Tyrion prepared them both another cup. Given the chance, Sansa noticed the bubbling fountain and warbling birds in their cages on the other side of the courtyard.
"I had not been here yet, so I did not realize there was an aviary. The doors in this direction were locked when I arrived" she indicated, while looking across the way at the cages.
"Yes, someone must have caught on that we were not actually intended to be here at the same time. I'm sure the staff are likely fascinated with how we've been getting on," he posited, to which Sansa only hm'd neutrally.
However unspoken, Tyrion and Sansa correctly suspected that it was on both their minds that to most observers they surely made an odd pair - never mind that they were a Stark and a Lannister as well.
Yet, it seemed that the fun and freedom that they had experienced the night before had affected them both. Neither could see any reason to ruin it with such comments just then.