Morgana clapped her hands to her mouth over a quick, surprised laugh. "Ah! Oh no, not ever. Why?"

"Because I met her," Cara replied slowly. "And when I was first with them both, observing them interacting, they acted like old lovers. But they apparently weren't. It was very surprising."

"How very odd." Morgana seemed more amused than concerned. "I don't doubt there might have been some world-class pining between the two of them, but as far as them being lovers goes, I know as fact that they were not."

Cara shrugged. "I didn't think they were lying," she replied. "Neither of them had any reason to. It was just an interesting study; you don't often see that dynamic between people who weren't. And," she added amusedly. "I'm impressed that Jochy actually maintained his willpower for once."

Morgana giggled and, without thinking, shook her head no. "They've known each other since Niabheara was a very little girl. I would not be surprised if they thought two ways about each another, but it's sometimes difficult to get first impressions out of one's head. Do you do this often? Ferret out how people behave toward one another?"

"I like to think about it," Cara answered. "People have...they use different words, different tones of voice. Their behavior changes. I'm not really all that good with people myself, but I like to observe the rest of them."

"It's a good skill to have," she said. "But it sounds a rather lonely one."

"I would be lonely anyhow," Cara replied. "People...they don't know how to treat someone who's different. They...part of it, I think is that they're afraid to seem callous or stupid, but in an attempt to not say the wrong thing, they so often say nothing at all."

"Unfortunately, people who really are callous and stupid are generally too callous and stupid to care how they look," Morgana agreed. "And them that are afraid of looking it are only afraid to be impolite, which is a shame. People get politeness and kindness mixed up somehow."

"Exactly!" Cara replied, looking quite pleased that someone understood her for once. "That's why I'd rather have Jochy than a million...I don't know, perfect people. He may stick his foot in his mouth a dozen times a day, but at least he opens his mouth in the first place."