THANCRED & ZELDA.
It was strange. Flirting usually came second nature to Thancred. But there was something about Zelda that left him feeling strangely wrong-footed. Perhaps it was simply that she was so regal. So calm and composed and entirely above him. He'd worked with people like that, of course, even charmed a few, but it was different than his standard method of flirting. And, he supposed, he didn't really want to charm her into anything like his usual encounters.
It wasn't that he didn't respect every single one of the people he'd been with over the years, no matter their social standing, but there was something almost intimidating about Zelda's composure. It reminded him of other people he greatly respected. And yet, because of that, he knew she would want to be treated like a person - not as some unattainable ideal. And certainly not like a shadow of someone else. He'd more than learned his lesson on that.
"I don't know about lovely," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm still adjusting to...whatever this is." He glanced down at the suit. "I guess it could be worse. It allows for movement. So if something does go wrong - and I'm used to things going wrong at parties - I can fight in it." Which was a bit more honest than he'd meant to be.
"I guess it's not proper of me to be prepared for a fight," he said with a slightly sheepish smile. "But that dress doesn't look suited to a fight, so one of us needs to be." It was just slightly teasing but with seriousness behind it. Thancred was a protector. Always had been. If something happened, he would keep Zelda safe.