Deidre sighed, and lifted a hand to tuck an unruly lock behind her ear. "I believe you're correct when you tell me that I know what Aurin's like outside of the Tower," she continued. "Freedom no matter how fleeting can change a lot about a person...but take it from me that I don't think anyone could ever really truly know Aurin. I care about him, it's true, and I love him like a brother, but he would never tell me about that sort of thing -- unless he's egregiously upset and-or terribly drunk. The most distinctive thing that I've learned about him is the fact that he doesn't want anyone who he cares about to see him suffer. He will hide it, with every fiber of his being. It's not out of pride, however, for all his faults, I've never known him to be that kind of person -- but he's been taught despite all leanings to the contrary to be so limited in the way he expresses his most genuine affections that I feel like this is one of the few ways that he can. Physically, he's easy. He can hug like a bear...but there was always a part of him I could never reach. I think in a way all templars are like that, in varying degrees."
She shook her head. "But if he ever displays any sort of distance to you, I doubt it's because you're a mage, Beth. It has to be something else. Aurin came from a long line of mages... from what I understand, he's the only one in generations of Demarcs who was born without magical talent. Have you ever asked him why? I know if I ever felt that way, I would've confronted Rick about it already....in fact, I have just the other night." A brief flicker of a wince passed over her features. "I was just wondering if you've tried to talk to him about it."