[ Whatever happens, whether he lives out the rest of his days serving as the Lord Speaker, or another takes the position and he resumes being Lord Commander once more, he is determined to do his duty to the best of his ability, however hard it might become to him personally.

But he finds he does not wish to dwell on these topics any longer, and when she leans in to kiss him once more, he simply lets out a contented sigh. ]

Is it striving to impress you, or is it wanting to give you all the love that you deserve, and more? [ It could well be both, of course. ] I, for one, am glad that necessity brought you and your sister to us. [ To him, he wishes to say, but perhaps that is far too arrogant. ]

You are, of course, responsible for yourself, but I would sleep much easier at night if I knew that there was something, regardless of how small it might be, giving you a measure of protection.

[ And suddenly, as if spurred on by a sudden burst of reckless inspiration, he throws all reserve to the winds and leans in closer so that his face is a mere few inches away from hers. As before, there is something he wishes to attempt, and it would be a simple matter indeed to just press a kiss against her cheek, instead of his original thought. But he has come this far already, so he completes the action, pressing a kiss against her ear instead. And, after a moment's hesitation, before he pulls back, he gives a gentle nibble on the tip of her ear. ]