"I know what you've been through," Dayla proceeds, still loud enough for Ancano to understand her words. "But Ancano is not the one who took your son away. He's never done you or your family any harm, and you can't hold him responsible for all the things other Thalmor would do. That's like you having to answer for a Battle-Born's faults just because both of your families happen to live in the same city."
"You can't compare that!" Fralia spits out.
"All I'm asking you is to give him a chance and stop treating him like shit. He's trying his very best, but I need all of you to make an effort as well. What else is he supposed to do? Technically, he has even left the Thalmor!"
Suddenly, Fralia Gray-Mane turns her head, and Ancano realizes she has discovered him - lurking behind that tree, wearing his Thalmor robes. Not really inspiring confidence, he can see that himself.
"Oh, left the Thalmor, has he?" Fralia snaps, crossing her arms. "Then why would he walk around like that?"
Dayla steps up closer, and Ancano prepares for the disappointment in her eyes, the coldness that is sure to return to her gaze. He grits his teeth.
Next thing he knows, Dayla is by his side, carefully grabbing his arm. "I'm sure he has a reason. You might as well ask him instead of pretending he can't hear you." Then she looks up to him, and squeezes his arm gently. "I didn't know you were coming to town."
"He saved me from a bear!" Braith bursts into the conversation, sounding as proud as if she had defeated the beast herself.
Fralia Gray-Mane stares at the girl, then at Dayla and Ancano. She obviously doesn't know what to say.
"I lament to interrupt your conversation. But I assure you that Dayla is right about my connections with the Thalmor being as good as cut," Ancano says, suddenly feeling calm and confident again, now that Dayla is back by his side, and now that he finally understands that no matter what, she'll always be there and defend him.
How could I think she would just dump me?
"Is that so?" Fralia hisses. "Then why the robes?"
He inhales deeply. "Actually, what I wear or not in no way changes how you see and treat me. I have no quarrel with you or your familiy, yet I am always the Thalmor to you, am I not?"
Fralia lowers her gaze and coughs, muttering something about urgent errands she has to run, and hurries off without looking at Ancano again.
But Dayla is still there.
He looks down at her, wondering whether the bitterness of their argument has now returned to her face, but it hasn't. "What were you doing?"
She bites her lip. "Trying to help," she says quietly. "Talking to the people of Whiterun to treat you more decently and welcoming. I know you're making an effort, right? I didn't mean to imply that you don't."
"You were talking to the people?" Ancano repeats, baffled. "About me?"
"Please don't be angry. I only wanted …"
This time, it's his turn to gently squeeze her arm so she stops talking.
"I didn't expect you to do this for me," he mutters. "Thank you."
Her eyes light up. Still, she quietly says, “I probably should have asked you if it was fine with you before I started. Not walked away like I did in the first place.”
Ancano shakes his head, biting his lip. "You appear to have been right about one thing. I suspect my demeanor might have intimidated people more than I thought," he lowly replies. "Maybe, apart from talking to them, you could also give me some advice on how to change that."
"My advisor asking for advice?" Dayla giggles. "I like that." Then she turns serious again. "We can figure that out, Ancano. I'm sure of that. And if they keep treating you like that, we'll just leave."
You would really choose me over them.
He swallows hard. "Do you still intend to spend the night at Breezehome?"
"I intend to spend it with you, actually," Dayla whispers. "Shall we go home?"
Ancano nods. "I do need to get rid of these robes."
She gives him a knowing smirk. "No way I could miss that, my love."
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