To his credit, he took the sudden invasion of privacy in stride. It was clear that the Schnee matriarch was a bit inebriated (he probably wasn’t helping with that). All the rumors said as much, of course, that she was a bit of a drunk, but all things considered she didn’t seem that off her rocker. Just a tad buzzed at the moment. He couldn’t fault her for that. This was a party, after all.
“You know, I almost believed your angry expression for a moment. If you had kept it up a bit longer you might have had me worried.” Renatus smirked at her words. “Perhaps here in Atlas the people are eager to worship the very ground Jacques Schnee walks on, but I am from Mistral, where he rakes us over the coals.”
He took a sip of his glass and hummed. This was a delicious vintage. “I do not hate the man, for he can be a boon at times, but I don’t hold any particular love for him either. Everyone always tries to woo the man like he’s some high class escort.” Renatus snorted. “I’d much rather challenge him at his own game. Or at least I would if I had any business sense. Alas, my mind is much more attuned to politics.”
Renatus met Willow’s gaze. “Besides, I’ve only just met you and you already strike me as far more interesting than Jacques Schnee could ever be. You actually have a personality, for starters, and a lovely laugh.”
I do not hate the man, for he can be a boon at times, but I don’t hold any particular love for him either. After that was said, Willow blurted something she probably should be more careful with.
Her eyes widened, realizing what she just said. She nervously laughed it off, not wanting to exactly advertise a disillusion of them not looking like a happy and powerful family. Who was she kidding? They were dysfunctional. Her eldest ran off to the military just to get away from Jacques, Weiss was missing all over again, and her son was just becoming Jacques Number Two.
“Thank you. You’re sweet to say that. I could tell you weren’t from Atlas, though. You don’t have the stick-up-your-ass walk about you. No, you have the grace of a Mistralian. So that makes sense.”