Of course it was raining, the night she decided to head towards his home to ask questions of him, after all, she wasn't barred from showing up when ever she wanted, there had been an open invitation at some point, and he had always encouraged her to learn; one of the reasons why out of all of Luce's friends and acquaintances, he might be her favorite.
So she had covered her flame coloured hair with a blue shawl, and braved the evening, and rain to make her way to where he was staying. She knew, or at least, she hoped, he was home. After all, he didn't really attend many of the society happenings anymore, and certainly not in her more recent memory, too busy with some problem. And this was one that she wanted his input on.
In the course of working on a much more in-depth botanical compendium, she had noticed that while the alchemical properties of Crystal Grace were known by those who made potions to make things work longer, but she was theorizing that it may also make things work better, instead of just making the effects last longer, after all, didn't better spirits keep one drunk longer? She'd explain that when she was out of the rain, and have her answer, because no matter where she looked, she couldn't find where it had been posited elsewhere, so an interesting thought experiment. And one she had no clue on where to begin, or where to experiment on, sure she could start to brew her own and then drink them herself and record her efforts, but it made it so much more fun to run through the experiment fully, in thought, first, before she took some of the money she had saved from tutoring and bought out the entire market of herbs in her efforts.
Arriving, she knocked gently on the door, three raps and then a sharp fourth, almost as a sending. A way to announce, yet allow him to ignore her if she saw fit.
It was a rare instance that Rene had journeyed to his residence rather than take rest in his office. The house was to have been his marital home if things with Geralt had not gone awry and he and Ettie separated. It was a gloomy existence, returning to a dwelling that was supposed to be shared and bustling with newlywed life when it was only him and his long suffering housekeeper. Until he wed though, it remained as a Dumont residence, and used by other members when they decided to visit the city. Duty compelled him to keep some resemblance of life about the place, even if one wing remained untouched, its furniture covered in sheets in an effort to protect it from the overlying layer of dust. Rene would be the only one to walk their halls occasionally, sometimes sober, often not, bitterly remembering when his path along them were not so lonely.
His study was where he spent the majority of his time, both here at home and back on the campus grounds of the university. His satchel lay half open on his desk, sheets of scribbled mathematical formula peeking out the unlatched side while a stack of unmarked papers lay in a disorganised pile to one side. All that was nought compared to the empty violin box atop it all. Priorities of the man were clear.
A jacket lay over the back of a large arm chair, facing out the window overlooking the garden below. Occasionally in his walk about the room Rene would cross past, fingers deftly plucking and pressing at strings along the instrument. His mind busy with the week's events he sought to find order among the chaos. His next visit with Ettie loomed, but so did the introduction of his newest student, a Princess no less and daughter of a dearly lost friend. Such responsibilities sat heavy on his already guilt-ridden shoulders, their very lives could be at stake if he did not outwit Manchette.
Hearing the door open behind him however, pulled all thoughts of possible death and demise into an irritated grumble, believing it to just be his annoying nanny of a housekeeper, not to find her with more redeemable company. [color=#44b8ff]“I do not require te- Oh Ophelia! Why didn’t you say it was Fee, you cantankerous old bat, honestly. Take a seat please, my dear.” [/color]
Ophelia thanked Fee at the door, having left her shawl in the foyer to dry by the door as they chatted -- and swept into the room, face and fingers stained with in, so much so this time that the cuffs of her under dress were stained, but thankfully not the over shift. The under could be bleached to remove them, but it was apparent she had slept on her work again last night, a usual occurrence for her. [color=#ff4136] "I'll not bore you with small talk of weather, or that I expect you to be seen at some houses' soiree in the coming weeks, because we both know that we'd both be in tears by the end of that, so to the point what if we've been mixing herbs wrong all around and what no one has ever stopped to posit was that, we know they work better, faster, with certain infusions and combinations, but no one's actually taken the time to figure out if it's a specific plant that speeds up what ever the potion is trying to do, or if it's the amount. I'm making sense still, yes?"[/color]
She paused as she tugged on her dress as she took a seat, leaning forward, elbows on her knees as she spoke, her eyes focused on a spot on the floor in front of her as she paused to gather herself a moment. She didn't want to waste his time, she was always afraid that one day Luce's friends would stop treating her kindly, and she'd be back to not having many people to talk to, so, she tried not to take up too much of their time.
[color=#ff4136]"So before I go and buy out the entire market, a thought experiment, how much can we do in our heads before practicality demands that I spend hours chopping botanicals and drinking these mixtures myself to test my theories, or am I picking the wrong thread to pull at in my studies? Am I being too bold in assuming that maybe Arancia didn't take as much time as they should have on their Botanical Compendium and that I could do any better?"[/color] Lia frowned at that thought -- was she being too presumptuous that she could improve on Arancia's compendium?
Fee cast a disapproving look around the unkept office which was mimicked and exaggerated by a huffing Rene. [color=#44b8ff]“Watch her write to my father, or rather Mother, and complain, Ophelia. His Lordship is well, however, he still drinks like a fish and uses the estate as a half-way house for vagrants. Away with you, Nanny.” [/color]Fee, a woman in her late fifties seemed almost bored with her employer's eclectic behaviour, but she bid Ophelia good luck and a private thanks. Rene had always been a challenge to those who didn’t understand his eccentricities, or could read his mood where they would garner something productive out of him.
Now alone he let his guest find a chair, still walking the room with violin in hand. Fingers strummed and plucked still, though halted as she spoke, mind keenly following exactly where she was going despite his lack of knowledge about plants. The hypothesis was sound enough and his shifting expression seemed to support such an avenue. [color=#44b8ff]“I’m not a biologist, nor herbalist, but changes in methodology do support alternative findings and products. Like an alternative mathematical formulae.” [/color]
Her frown though, caused him to chuckle, amused by such a notion as upending hundreds, if not thousands of years in traditional practices.[color=#44b8ff] “This is why I like you, you ask deeper questions than many in your field and aren’t wrong, though I would perhaps consult someone well versed in rare herbal lore?”[/color] There were bound to be an elf or few who knew such secrets, surely? [color=#44b8ff]“With the Ancient elves going about, you might save yourself some time and, well, mess.”[/color]
[color=#ff4136]"Exactly, and that's why I'm here. I've no mind for the maths, that's on you. Percentages and sliding scales are more your forte than my own, so this is the current "accepted" formula for the elixir I've decided to start on, I just don't know how to work the math to figure out a five, ten, fifteen and twenty-five percent increase. I mean, theoretically I know how to do it, you've shown me this math before in the past but I've slept since then.[/color]" She sat back in the chair now, crossing her legs at her ankles, proper like, in case Fee decided to look back in. She was there without a chaperone, and even if she was of lower class, she didn't want her behavior to reflect poorly on Luce, nor on Rene himself.
"[color=#ff4136]Honestly, I don't see why no one's questioned it already. Larger people, smaller people, young, the elderly, we can't keep dosing them all the same way, it's foolish to think that the same dose for a woman my size would be adequate for a man of your stature. Think of how better care could be given to someone if we were able to tailor their dose to them specifically, or even, I don't know, something extravagant as their pain tolerance.[/color]"
And there was the suggestion to go OUT again. She had a hard enough time leaving the manor and coming to his home for a quick visit, mind, leaving the city, or at least the few streets that she felt safe to travel on. "[color=#ff4136]You like me because I can be as curious as you about just about anything and will play into your fixations. And that's fine, I like you because you never tell me no.[/color]" She gave it another thought. "[color=#ff4136]Maybe I could get an elf to come here. There's certainly one that comes into the city.. to the university.[/color]"
[color=#44b8ff]“This is what I mean by talking to one of the old people first. To change a variable, even minutely, and record it would require you to experiment. Adjusting the quantities is the first step I imagine. Increments of five or tens are usually the scale.” [/color]He paused, an idea coming to mind. [color=#44b8ff]“You could use a statistical probability model, though it may throw up more variables than you wish to test, but sleep? What is that I wonder?”[/color] Even as he spoke his finger danced along the strings silently, the pace quickening as his mind veered through scientific formulae.
Fee would not mind in the slightest. In fact she was grateful for the distraction her presence brought considering the almost hermit existence of the nobleman. Most in his position would be courting the halls and soiree’s of various other houses, hoping to get a foot in on the dance that was the Grand Game. Rene couldn’t care less about such social protocol. His brother did a fine enough job navigating the shark infested waters, but he was content to remain on the outer edges looking in and pitying the efforts of others.
[color=#44b8ff]“I would argue that physician’s spend years tailoring their craft to individuals, mages though, have the advantage of seeing the threads of magic with their gift. But I grant you that knowing exactly the right quantity for a tonic or potion and its intended patient is to be considered.” [/color]
Rene snickered at her conclusions, [color=#44b8ff]“‘No’ is not always in my vernacular. Not when it comes to academia and the furthering of our understanding of life, the universe and everything we know.”[/color] His brows furrowed, eyes lighting up with amusement. [color=#44b8ff]“Really? Who? Forgive me Ophelia, but I rarely leave my office or lecture hall. Only Francis in the Brewery Science department holds any attention from me.”[/color] Not strictly true, but sometimes the University gossip lacked anything of substance.
"[color=#ff4136]Not here, like your home, Rene, here as in ... the city. I don't like talking to a lot of new people.[/color]" Not since, well not since Luce had been taken hostage. During her time alone in the city, without a manor to serve, and without anything to really occupy her mind, she had been lost. She had found work, tutoring of course, but after everything had been taken back, and settled-ish, she had locked herself inside her study at the manor, and rarely if ever left any more. Everything had happened when she had gone to the market with another servant to pick up the manor's groceries for the week.
Leaving the house was a risk, and one that she couldn't take too often now. And as much as any of them would tell her it was silly to think something as random as everything having had happened while she was away from the house, didn't make it any less true in her mind. She had, for all intents, and purposes, been one of the only staff to survive, and had lost Luce and the others in the process. Even now, she had nightmares of how she might have been able to do something had she been there. No doubt she would have been as dead as the rest of the staff, but... her mind said that it was her fault that she had left that day. Survivor's guilt, someone had told her one time.
"[color=#ff4136]And on that we agree, in the pursuit of knowledge, we mustn't say no, but why.[/color]" It had been something one of the Biology professors had said a lot of, on the few talks she had been able to sit outside the door for. Never inside the room -- she wasn't supposed to have been there, but outside the door was just as easy to learn from as inside the room. "[color=#ff4136]You and Lucien and the lecture halls..[/color]", she rolled her eyes. These men in her life were all set in the departments. "[color=#ff4136]Collaboration outside of the immediate opens new worlds and opportunities for all, which is why I came to you first. You'll help me with this, yes? If I lay the ground work, you'll do the maths for me, and then... maybe hire another healer to put me back together in case I blow myself up in my study, yes?[/color]" She grinned, some, pulling her bare feet up under herself in the chair now.
Rene stared at her, brows shifting in amusement and he laughed, genuinely.[color=#44b8ff] “People. Yes. They are usually doing one of two things, judging you and ascertaining how much of a threat you are, while the rest of the time they are trying to discover how best to use you for their own means.”[/color] He’d nod slowly, brows shrugging.[color=#44b8ff] “And you can see how I just adore those kinds of people.”[/color] No. He hated them. Especially one, Geralt Manchette who had played the Game so effectively it almost ruined Rene and his family. [color=#44b8ff]“I’m sure between Luce and I we can wrangle up some potential names for you, provide introductions and such.”[/color] There would be a way, he knew of some healers, the new Arlathan Keeper had worked with the Inquisition, but while he knew of her, Rene didn’t have a route for introductions.
Finally taking a seat, Rene would perch on his desk eyeing her carefully. [color=#44b8ff]“Luce is going to tell you, and I might as well do the same, but you need to get some more sunlight my dear.”[/color] He was of course, one to talk, given his own hermit existence. Had he Ettie by his side and the two happily wedded, the professor would be in much merrier spirits, though luck and fate had not afforded him such simple happiness. How pitiful was it to suffer a loveless marriage, as there was no doubt in the man's mind that his love was suffering as deep a loneliness as he.
[color=#44b8ff]“The pursuit of knowledge isn’t the difficulty, it’s the constant feedback of failed attempts until success occurs. Then you spend the rest of the time trying to figure out how you did it in the first place.”[/color] Chuckling, he'd offer her a smile. [color=#44b8ff]“I’m more than happy to, though I will warn you, my own load is heavy.”[/color] A half-truth, he could breeze through his curriculum and grading easily, Rene was just too easily bored with some of this year's students. He did, however, have to keep tabs on his lady, which took higher priority than anything else. Though it gave him an idea. [color=#44b8ff]“I could convince the department to hire you as a research fellow as this pursuit does have mathematical applications. It would provide you with an assistant, someone else for you to gibber your theories to?” [/color]
"[color=#ff851b]I appreciate you both, and I trust it will be your idea not mine, when you approach Luce about it?[/color]" She grinned happily as he folded to her want to learning. While she may be the older of their small circle, she was the lady, so the attitude of the youngest was adopted. Luce, because he had taught her how to be a made, and Rene because he was, for all intents and purposes, just that for her. "[color=#ff851b]You understand that saying no to the opportunity of learning is such a wretched thing as well, I know.[/color]"
She fell silent as he talked about how she needed to get some sun, she liked sunlight well enough but, she ignored that in favor of the pursuits of the how once the if had been answered, nodding happily that he would help, but that he might not be able to give her the attention she needed for the project, that was, until he offered to get her hired on. She bolted upright from the seat, staring at him a moment as the fly aways from her carefully braided hair floated by her face and then finally come to rest from the force of her moment. "[color=#ff851b]You'd put in a word for me like that? Get me back in the University with it's libraries..[/color]"
She would never leave. And she could do the maths work herself, she could, it was just easier to beg Rene's help instead. [color=#ff851b]"I thought you liked listening to my theories, see what thinking for myself gets me, huh?[/color]" She's grinning widely though, as she feels the rust of pleasure at being able to continue her studies in the university. She loved sitting among the books, learning what she could, wishing she could be as good at botany as Rene was with maths, as Luce was with engineering little marvels that she delighted at. "[color=#ff851b]Someone who won't tell me immediately that I shouldn't question century old theory that's worked until that point. You'd really get me back into the university, Rene?[/color]"
He let out a loud laugh, [color=#44b8ff]“Ha! I was too distracted there. How rude, playing me like a sibling,”[/color] it genuinely amused him that she’d use him as a shield and cover to appeal to the protective Luce. Knowledge was to be denied to no-one. The application of that knowledge however, was very much a moral conundrum for those outwith the theoretical. How Rene enjoy the possibilities his focus presented, how they changed with the smallest degree of change. He’d nod, [color=#44b8ff]“You know how to charm a dusty dog out from his cave, I feed on theoreticals.” [/color]
One could read outside. It was not without the realms of possibilities. The fear of joining the university, even in a such a small way pulled a chuckle from him. [color=#44b8ff]“What? Too daring of me?” [/color]A wicked grin flashed briefly, a hint of that youthful menace of a student Rene. [color=#44b8ff]“I can,” [/color]smile shifting to a smirk,[color=#44b8ff] “You’ll have to write a proposal, list the necessary resources you think you need, always go bigger, but yes, I don’t see much issue with it. Especially if it’s from my side of things.”[/color] While not head of the mathematical department, Rene talent may as well rule its halls, though he spent much of his time teaching rudimentary statistical analysis and researching his idea of furthering the chaos theory. He cared little for politics, let alone academic ones within the University walls.
[color=#44b8ff]“I do, when I understand the subject. I’m not a biologist. I detest the wilds. Give me a manicured garden, any day.”[/color] While not the outdoors type, Rene still enjoyed his few physical pursuits. Fencing, walking, boxing though he had been chided and forced to give that sport up, else Luce bet against him and Maeve became a penniless heiress after the creditors gutted Luce for his terrible slip in judgement. He couldn’t do that to Maeve. [color=#44b8ff]“You know I enjoy rebellious feats that upset the gentry, the way they stammer and stutter their shock that one should broaden beyond what has already been asked is comical. And they have the cheek to call the Qunari barbaric, when they at least send out people to find the answers they seek.”[/color] They’d even sent some to Ferelden, of all places, during the fifth blight since they had no knowledge of the horde now ebbing from Orlais shores.
Ophelia was delighted that she had been able to "pull the wool" over his eyes, it wasn't often that she was able to get him to agree to things so easily, and so once the shock was over, she quickly came over and pecked a quick kiss to his cheek, before flopping back over onto the plush chair. "[color=#ff4136]Theoreticals are your part and parcel with maths, you'd think that something so definitive as maths wouldn't have quite so many theoreticals to puzzle out.[/color]"
It was something she'd never understand, and not for lack of trying. She had sat in on a few of his lectures before, had taken notes, asked questions, and studied because she needed certain maths for her botany, as a biologist, she had to know how to take mathematical equations and translate them into an elixir, into a potion that could mend hurts, or protect against .. anything really. That was the nice part about alchemy and botany, they went hand in hand so well. "[color=#ff4136]You realize I've had the proposal written for a week, and I did over-estimate the budget this time, more than enough that I can take you to that nice restaurant you're so fond of as a thank you. I'll figure out a way to write it off as an expense by asking you to proof my counting of gold to pay for the meal.[/color]"
This was turning into an even better evening that she had first expected it to be, when she had darted out in the rain, holding her breath as she had counted each step away from the manor door to manor door. She knew the exact amount, and knew that she could run her way door to door, blindfolded, deaf, and wounded if needs be. There was a desire path slowly forming in the grasses, where she didn't bother with the nice paved paths. "[color=#ff4136]When I start my own garden I'll make sure there's a nice bed of petunias, begonias, and butterfly bushes to bring in all sorts of interested insects and name it for you, Rene.[/color]"
She hadn't heard about the Qunari in quite a while, so that had her interest piqued, as she pulled at a loose thread on her dress. She'd need to mend that when she got home. "[color=#ff4136]The pursuit of knowledge is the only worthwhile one, not money, not love, not fame. Knowledge is what sets us apart from the beasts, and anyone seeking that knowledge is enlightened, I don't see how they can be barbaric when they engage in the noblest of paths open to sentient beings. At least those of us who can string more than three words together in a row, there are some of the fanatics that seem to only know three words at a time.[/color]" She had no love of the Chantry, and their keeping of knowledge to their clerics in their libraries.
The smile remained across his face until she returned to her seat, the kiss to his cheek earning a mock roll of his eyes. [color=#44b8ff]“Yes, yes, but life and therefore Mathematics, is constantly changing and evolving. You should sit with myself and Francis, Astrometrics. He has some interesting ideas about something called a… what was it… Oh yes. Big Bang Theory. I found it quite compelling.” [/color]
She had benefited from his lessons. Statistical analysis of data was one of his fields, the ideas of probability and balancing the equations were crucial in the fields of science. While her prospective work went beyond analysis, it was the basis for her leap into successful experimentation. His head would tilt heavily on one side, giving her a look of mild teasing and irritability, knowing she’d probably brought the damn thing with her, but all that fell to the wayside as she let the nugget of the La Garre.
Rene stared at her, even his fingers halted against the wood of his violin at the mention of his most favourite eatery in Thedas.[color=#44b8ff] “Do not dangle the bes-”[/color] he’d frown, almost as if a bitter taste had found itself on his tongue. [color=#44b8ff]“Second. Second best thing, this world has to offer me. To dine at.” [/color]He gave her a once over, straightening in his chair. [color=#44b8ff]“You don’t have the budget to take me there.”[/color] She would, but he was being stubborn and trying to not be so easily bought over. Temptress.
Their chat moved on and he’d nod at the idea of a wild garden in the heart of Lucian’s manor. [color=#44b8ff]“Even better, you’ll get some sunlight, but please, hire a lackey to help with the graft of the manual labour. Save your fingernails for the laboratory.” [/color]
The horned beasts were not all that common in Orlais. At least, not in the circles of academics and the learned. While the Qun had some sense to it, Rene believed the Qunari had taken the few teachings he understood to extremes. Collaring and ripping out the tongues of mages, being one of those extremes. [color=#44b8ff]“‘Education is the premise of progress.’ As they say. In every society, in every family. The Chantry hoarded such things, to the detriment of us all. There’s no telling how much of it has been lost or destroyed because of their rigid dogmatic ways.”[/color]
"[color=#ff4136]I have exactly enough in the budget for the both of us to go exactly twice to La Garre, I'll have you know, I made sure of it, once in celebration of commencement, and once for celebration of completion, after all I can't completely rely on Luce to take me to dinner and sadly, I don't think Francis nor anyone else in any of the departments would give me a second look, less than noble birth and all.[/color]" It was possible the first, and only time she would have ever let on about possibly being alone, lonely cooped up in the big house with her previous boss and his new family. Having seen Lucien come into a wife and a child after such misfortune had started to turn some gears in her own head that she was far, far past the age in which she should have procured a husband by now, or a wife, Ophelia wasn't picky. But she also knew that meant she would have to leave the library, and that wasn't something she was good at doing, let alone meeting someone that hadn't been vetted by Lucien or Rene. She was too trusting for her own good, and that often times lead to her getting all her gold taken, or worse -- her books. "[color=#ff4136]If I get you to parade me about, maybe someone might make the mistake that I am of marriageable prospect and finally I can be a nuance to someone else for once.[/color]"
She grinned gently as he urged her to have someone else do the manual labor portion of her gardening. Her own nails were trimmed back and kept neat because when she wrote, a long nail pressing into the meat of her hand was uncomfortable, and she never really had seen the need of long nails, other than to signify that someone was of leisure. She had not, nor never been a woman of leisure until the past year of Lucien being back. She had been allowed free reign of a lot of things, but she had done her share of laundry, of cooking, of cleaning -- she had never known a day not to be filled with a million things needing to be done, and to be suddenly relieved of all those things -- well, she was about to go out of her mind. "[color=#ff4136]Don't you mind, I'll make sure there's someone far younger and more strapping than I to dig any holes larger than a common shrub would need. What would the neighbors say?[/color]" She teased, a little. There would be no way the neighbors could see her.
"[color=#ff4136]Many of the things now lost to the ages in which we're just now chancing a rediscovery of because "Oh the people can't know this!",[/color]" her voice dropped into a mocking timbre and dodgy pattern of speech before picking back into her normal lilt, light, and quick, in the same manner as his own -- she was in the room with someone who could keep up, so she didn't feel the need to slow down, unless it was, of course, to tease him some more. After all, he had served as family to her right along, so teasing him, teasing Luce, was all in a good day's work for her, even if her age was more than their own. They had allowed her to be the child, and in some sense she figured it was because her own childhood had been in a kitchen, kneading bread, or cutting potatoes, and not spent, like many children, being a child.
She wouldn't trade any of it at this point, because it would mean losing the both of them, the small family that was growing by the moment. "[color=#ff4136]Religion seems to have one goal and one goal only, to keep the people ignorant and thus under control, why is it such a scary thought to have people be wise to the world around them, if not just for the loss of power the status quo would lose. One would think they'd be ready to just.. not have to keep repeating the same thing over and over. No god or gods have ever benefited me, so why do I owe them any lip service.[/color]" Ahh and there it was, most likely the reason she wasn't deemed marriage materials. A mind of her own. "[color=#ff4136]But I will be more restrained in my dislike, I know Missus Fee might have a thing or two to report back about your company, and I don't wish to be barred from the house.[/color]"
The La Garre was easily the most upmarket establishment in all of Val Royeaux, while Royals themselves didn’t often grace it’s restaurant, it held a high standard. It’s dishes were all arranged and executed by the best chef’s of the season and nothing, nothing compared to their signature wine, the Forty Two. [color=#44b8ff]“Exactly you say?”[/color] A brow rose and then both knitted together into a frown. [color=#44b8ff]“Let me look at the figures, I’m certain there’s a way you can arrange a third. For your Birthday at least?” [/color]
Rene scoffed though as she hinted at his and Lucie’s luck at being born into a noble house. [color=#44b8ff]“My dear, do not sell yourself so short and entertain the fools of court. Marriage is not something to be taken so lightly.”[/color] His smile had fallen into bitter acknowledgement, he’d been engaged once… and then accusations and false charges had smeared the Dumont name until some months ago. Now they returned stronger, but he had lost his fiance, his to-be wife. Realising his sudden change in mood would worry her, Rene shook his head, grinning back at her cheekily, [color=#44b8ff]“might be you fall for the gardener? Now wouldn’t that be a thing.” [/color]
Chuckling, the professor stood meandering his way over to where his instruments case lay, partly expecting her to toss something from her pocket, aiming for his head likely. When it came to beliefs, Rene adopted a more pragmatic approach. There was the idea that some element eluded the understanding of the world around them, the invisible world beyond their comprehension, but he had yet to come across an equation to explain it.
Nestling the violin into it’s case, all Rene could offer was a shrug, [color=#44b8ff]“Evil does exist, in varying forms and ways, its not just people though people are mostly responsible. Religion acts to justify it by invoking a higher power they aren’t convinced is completely there. Certainly, there are those who find it infallible, but it is still fundamentally created by people, and people are not infallible.”[/color] Taking a rag he would clean the bow, gaze drifting off briefly before sucking in a deep breath and jostling his shoulders. [color=#44b8ff]“I guess that is why my religion is numbers. They never lie.”[/color]
"[color=#ff4136]Exactly twice, although, what do you say, we can stretch the budget some more on safety and use that for my birthday feast instead, yes?[/color]" She teased back, two meals at La Garre would be already pushing both their lucks, but she knew that if he was going to solicit for her, she owed it to him to try and secure some spot of joy for the both of them. And dinner out would be the best for them both. A bit of cheering up.
"[color=#ff4136]Oh I know, but I fear that you and Luce will eventually become too tired of my natural inclination to questioning and obsession and send me away. A good husband that will allow me to be obsessive, but never stand in the way. Well, not stand in the way of progress on my work[/color]." She gave it some thought before she turned over, to watch him work on his violin. She had made him put the instrument down with her line of questioning, as much as she had ignored his remark about the gardener. She didn't know of a single gardener that would have a woman like her.
"[color=#ff4136]It's not that they never lie, we can make numbers lie in such a way that we can make them tell the story we want. It's how I found the funds in my budget for the dinners, and how I will make a third dinner somehow appear from those same numbers. I can make them tell the story I want them to tell, and it's not lying -- the numbers are telling the truth, just, not the truth we thing they should be telling, or the truth someone wants them to tell.[/color]" She knew how to get the numbers to tell the story she wanted them to tell, especially when it came to securing a new hair ribbon, or a meal out. "[color=#ff4136]But numbers are, at their heart, not liars. It is the people who interpret them, that make them lie.[/color]"
