A smile? It's hardly surprising, but Henri savours it nonetheless. This woman does not strike him as the smiling type. "Stories? The stories would have you at ten feet tall and slavering besides. If that were the case, you would not have fit through the doors, and I see no drool."

That wins a chuckle from him, with none of the old bitter twinge winning through. "At least two. Although I would not call them admirers to their face, one of them has already done enough damage to mine." He gestures lazily in the direction of his nose. "Court in general. And may I say, that makes the men around you fools." His head tilts slightly, and he eyes the direction of the doors. "Would the books be terribly offended if we were to retire to another location? The librarian is a bigot, and likely to toss me out should I press my luck."