Two Rivers Isle natron

she faltered under his scrutiny. he tsked and moved onward with their discourse. of course he would be the one to plot it! she was only a woman, after all. 
the thought harmed him, and ramesses felt himself tense in response. disingenuous, perhaps, to force his mind in such a way. he did not know it to be true of satsu. 
deftly he turned them aside, sighing with a truly theatrical air. "we will end in one another's bed and quite bitter," he declared, as if he were a soothsayer gazing upon clear stars. "such pressures always drive these diversions, and to suddenly be a captain, in charge of carving out a new palace —" ramesses turned his stare skyward, "this will be a great pressure indeed."
his mouth was full of laughter.
"shall we get it out of the way now?"