“Ah, well, I do know that.” It was his foremost profession, it seemed. Now that a female Chaldean had been chosen by Anachitis, all of his closest peers were women. And as they courted a Queen who was known to heed his counsel, the men were hardly much better. They saw him as either a stepping stone or an obstacle.
“Perhaps that is true, my Lady, but none quite so captivating.” He preferred that easy flattery to what come next, but he faced it boldly enough once she had come to the point. There was the illusion of him leading her at first, as he took the first step, but it was in the direction she indicated and the destination would be left to her. “Talk is all any of it has come to yet. And the last I read up on the matter, talk is unlikely to produce an heir, which is supposedly the entire point of this entire disaster.”
His voice lowered as he said it, the words meant for her alone, though surely his own staff had heard it by now. “What is it that has you concerned for me, Ava? It is not my hand they squabble over. And truth be told, her hand is not at the foremost of anyone else’s interests.” If she spoke boldly around him, she had good enough grounds too. Mikino had a reputation for that which if he wasn’t careful would overshadow the image of eccentric playboy he had done so well to cultivate.
“Let us be honest with one another. That never really constituted concern. There will never be a shortage of pretty eyes and I’ve some time yet before they stop looking my way." Even now it was offhand and without concern. It was not a commodity in short supply. He had the looks to draw attention, and even if he were to lose those, he had power and position. Mikino Alcaeyn had an heir already, a tragically rare thing in Sidhe society, but he never played at looking for a partner for more than a night's company anyway. With the obvious exception of the woman at his arm presently. There was no tying her down and he knew it well enough, but a man couldn't help but try all the same.