"Both."

"I'm helping because I can and I feel sorry for him and I'm a lot less enthusiastic about rape and torture these days. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still enjoy it, it's just - I wish I didn't have to do it. So having somebody else fuck up my swans for me helps. Takes some of the pressure off. And I'm fairly sure most of you would rather them than me."

"And you thought of me because...?"

"You really impressed me, doing what you did. I think... you're somebody I can offer this to as a choice and you'll make a choice about it, you won't just say whatever you're least scared of saying or what you think I want to hear. So I'm offering."

She considers.

"What's in it for me."

"Whoever ends up visiting Maran, when she's not with him I'll leave her alone more than I would've otherwise. I bet I'll be tempted to join in when he's got you but if you ask me not to I won't. This is... I want this to be something that leaves everybody better off than they were."

"What is going on with you—"

"I won't claim I'm suddenly turning into a good person, but - I don't know. I want the option to do something resembling good if I feel like it. And I feel like it now."

She hugs her knees and peers up at him with narrowed eyes.

"...I want to see your castle," she says. "I want a whole night where I can wander your halls and read your books and you won't touch me. Give me that, and you can lend me to your friends and join in all you want. Once. After that we'll see."

He eyes her thoughtfully. "Huh. All right, it's a deal."

She stands up and walks past him, trembling only slightly, to get to her cottage.

"You can have tonight, and we'll go see Maran tomorrow," he calls after her.

She nods acknowledgment and goes inside to change into drier clothes.

He sits there for a few more seconds, and then turns into a breeze and flows back to Elodea's room.

"Back so soon?"

"I asked Luar if she wanted to go and she said she wanted a night off first, so I'm giving her one."

"Mm. Makes sense." Snuggle.

Snuggle.

Snuggle. Kiss.

Mmm, kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

She kisses him and snuggles up and returns to her cryptography.

Mmmm, cozy.

You'd think that the level of coziness that the beds are by default couldn't be improved on but no, having a good snuggly cuddle partner in bed beside you does wonders. She dozes off beside Serik in profoundly cozy contentment.