"Emotions do corrupt logic." Maalech pondered for a moment, rubbing his chin. "But lately I cannot say whether opposite is more in the right. I suppose balance is as essential in this as in all things."

This was not something he was used to, this playing field was as unknown as everything else he had embarked on lately.

Risks. The unknown. Seven mortal hells he was not overly fond of this.

"So their views do matter. Very well, I suppose there is one solution to all of this."

The girl, now sitting with her hands cupped around her calf, raise her eyebrows to him. "And that would be?"

"Since I do not like the option of stepping back from this because other people might disapprove of me, that is not a choice. You are quite obviously disturbed by their dislike, so going on ignoring these matters is quite obviously a dead end. That leaves us... no, rather me with the single remaining option of trying to bridge this gap. I am not the man I was, it only remains to convince them of that."

The girl nodded. "That's going to take a lot of work. Not to mention a lot of time. The time we can afford. Is that what you're willing to do?"

That silenced him.

Instead of answering right away he rose from the edge of the bed, walking over to one of the shelves leaning against the wall. "It irks me, seeking any creatures approval. My instinct is to not care, to carry on with my business ignoring their misgivings." He was frowning now, rather deeply. "I am however aware that this is not the most intelligent reaction, and a reminder of a past I should have left behind long ago. It is amusing at times, what weaknesses that choose to stick with you over the years." Turning slowly, he looked at her, searching for an answer.

Finally he admitted "It is not what I would wish to do, but it is what I would be willing to do, foolish though it is. However... I fear in this I have no skill." The admission was almost amusing in its honesty.

"It gets a lot easier to shut things out," she replied, with a nod of acknowledgement. "And the worst thing about it is that, if it all falls through . . . you're still going to be left with yourself, whatever you decide to be after this. I know it's a lot to ask. And this is one of the moments I'm starting to realise that they're a little right, about us. It would be different if someone else made this suggestion."

"It is always different." Maalech shook his head. "No, the worst is that I might lose whatever life I have left, there are people there with the wish and will to kill me, which is why I have been keeping out of sight." He paused for a moment, smile growing grim. "No, in fact the worst would be to lose my nerve, but that is also something I have control over."

He walked back to the bed, sitting down once more. "Are you allowed to tell me who holds the greatest misgivings? Or would information about these matters be considered undue influence..." It was still so hard to remain grim in her presence, so he reached out and caressed her cheek "And what are they saying about us, that they are so right in?"

She flashed the same brief, wry smile. "The general air of disapproval that seems to follow your name wherever it goes. Look, I know it probably doesn't matter much to you, but more and more I'm discovering that I am, in fact, a girl: I fall in love, I sort of want to hire a trumpet to march in front of me in the streets so that everyone knows about it."

Maalech looked a bit amused, no surprised at her words. "Do you mean to tell me there was an actual falling in love here?" Perhaps he was teasing her, it was sometimes very hard to tell. "Perhaps you are not that far from opening the door to the bakery now. But please, no trumpets."

He scratched the back of his neck, looking away. This was not a situation he was very used to handle, and the last time? he was not certain he had handled that too well. "I suspect that we ought to ask ourself why it is allowed. What the possible repercussions can be. And yet..." He turned back to look at her, reaching out to touch her face but briefly "... I am loathe to seek for answers on this one occasion. It seems a thing too good to be true already."

"That's what I've been asking myself. If something's not allowed, I mean really not allowed, it just doesn't happen. At all. But since it obviously has happened, that means it's been allowed. So what am I supposed to make of it? Is it the new rule, or an exception?"