"If you believe that I shall find myself on my knees here often, perhaps it might be a consideration," she said lightly.
After the music had faded away, both Aspel's tone and her body seemed mostly relaxed. It appeared singing herself half-hoarse had been worth it, she thought, as she carefully examined what skin she could see. The cut on her forehead was completely healed over - it did not seem as though even a scar would remain. The other woman's hands, too, were no longer red and swollen; unable to resist checking, she reached out and picked up one of Aspel's hands, running her own fingers over the joints. Everything seemed to be whole. She breathed a small sigh of relief before releasing her grip.
When Aspel spoke again, it was of the past. "One of my first solo roles," Ari said, thinking back with a smile of her own. "I remember, too. You bought me a drink and I tried to pick you up - unsuccessfully, I might add. I suppose some things don't change with time," she added with a wink to show she was mostly joking.