His eyes squinted slightly when she gave the compliment, trying to find motive, but something about this woman made it feel like an insult to simply assume. Something about the way she carried herself and spoke so directly, gave the impression that if she meant it in mockery, she would have just straight up went for an insult instead. And so he took it for what it was. A compliment. It was not the most original one, in fact, his most received one, but first impressions were always the looks and if that impression was taste, he would never decline such flattery.
The way she spoke of the lost autonomous region of Auverne, made her sound old. It almost felt like she was trying to teach him of the French of old, which was of course hilarious to him, as he had known it himself, yet of course he did not know how far back she went. Was she of his time, younger or older? He would put neither past her. He could easily test it, however.
He was about to reply, but then she caught him off guard, something that was a rarity. She spoke as if he had mentioned homesickness. He had done no such thing. But when she spoke of it, that same amalgamation of feelings hit him again which he had felt earlier when she had spoken. And it was then that he realised she had been in his head, plucking away at things he barely understood himself. In response, he quite immediately locked up his mind against further assault.
"Paris." he humoured, but continued with his earlier decided on experiment, continuing to speak French but with the tongue he was brought up with. A French that sounded perhaps the same, but was archaic and might be hard to even understand for a vampire of the past century. He could of course have just asked her age, but modern culture dictated that that was a rude thing to do to a woman. Not that he would adhere to such nonsense. This was just more fun.
"I have had no desire for France since I left." It was up to her to figure out when that had been. "But my heritage, childhood and family name tie me to that place more than tyrants and cults ever could. Your callous and direct nature are as French as those memories. Stop blowing off the dust and leave them be, or your invitation will be retracted faster than you can say 'C'est la mort'." It was both said in fair warning to her mental rape and yet said with an air of humour and passive appreciation for daring to be this rude under his own roof. But this would only hit if she could understand his archaic French of course. But they were not empty threats. She was in his domain and interesting or not, she would have to respect his boundaries or else be thrown on the mile high pile of tyrants that once tried to break him and risk never being welcome again.
