Welcome to Gaia! ::

Beth started a bit and stared at him, trying to pick apart his assertion. She was more shocked by his words than the gentle touch. But she was grateful that he pulled her from her thoughts, even if she was immediately ensnared by another spiral.

Did he mean to essentially pull her under his protection? Well, he certainly looked sure and sincere. Beth never knew how to take honest confessions of concern or affection. As the wheels in her head turned and she considered how to respond, a bit of a blush fanned across her face, starting from her neck. Finally, her mind concluded, 'Don't be a silly little girl. He means the Chosen as a group. He'd do the same for any of them because he's a good man. You're not special.'

With an answer that felt correct because it was familiar, she smiled hesitantly, brightness of her eyes dimming a bit. "First and last line of defense, is it? Sounds like a lot of work. Don't put it all on yourself. There's plenty of us around here to share the load." She blinked, a wry look twisting her pretty features. "Well, I suppose I'd need to brush up on my fighting technique before I start making promises like that." She was nervous chattering again and forced a laugh to convey a lightness that their conversation desperately needed.

Despite her longstanding abhorrence of violence and, more importantly, doing anything more strenuous than the occasional stroll through a garden, the idea of training with Brian sent a smile across her lips. She couldn't think of a better partner. He acquitted himself well on the battlefield and if she made herself look like an idiot she was reasonably certain he wouldn't tease her.

"Well, only if you promise not to make fun of me." Beth assented.

She looked up at him shyly, gauging both his sincerity and excitement at the prospect of babysitting her more. Part of her worried about the physical exertion and keeping her cool image intact. But, she reasoned, he had seen her quite literally covered in s**t. She doubted flailing her whip around could ruin his estimation of her any more. She was surprised at her own eagerness, but it made sense when she thought about it; she was so desperate for purpose that any movement forward, no matter what kind and under whose tutelage, was better than stagnating.

Beth's smile widened as it became clear that Brian would never dream of being so cruel to her. "Oh, gosh, I don't know, but definitely not after dinner!" She laughed down at her almost clean plate. "Maybe tomorrow? In the afternoon. Girl's gotta get her beauty rest. Or maybe evening, so it isn't hot. Wait, aren't the practice grounds inside?" She blinked, considering, then shrugged. "We'll figure it out!" She nodded in agreement with herself, despite her trepidation at getting trounced by someone she admired as much as Brian. It was all about faking it until one made it. Beth was just never good at lying.

Beth nodded, one final, large smile to show how heartily she was assenting. "Two sounds perfect!"

With their plans for the next day made, the rest of dinner passed in a companionable conversation of relatively safe and inane topics.