"Hicc... uh-huh? Marqu--ess." Aecilia was, in truth, taken aback; the surprise caught her off guard, causing her to hiccup. Her pupils, almost as if in slow motion, gradually shifted downward in a straight line towards her knees, clearly attuned to the sensation of his warm hand resting over hers.
With her voice wavering and gaps punctuating her tone, she turned her head towards Avendial.
He wore a gentle smile, his eyes blissfully closed as he glanced in her direction, seemingly unconcerned about what he had just done—not just touching her, but also having spoken to her in such an informal manner.
For those living in the Free Cities, this might seem perfectly normal, but due to the cultural nuances between noblemen of the Free Cities and those from the Kingdom of Thaloris, it transcended mere casualness.
In Thaloris, speaking informally with a member of the opposite gender often indicated a shared bond or relationship.
