You've done it extremely capably, and I want you to start handling the running of my camp more, and my business here if anyone comes wanting to make deals with me. I know the deal you worked out with a lot of the packs that's made Torren's income practically quadruple this past month."

“But what if I mess up?"

“Hal Yeah, well you'll have to own it and do your best to fix it.

Remember the last time I messed up and wound up on Valise's table with half my damn ribs broken? Well, I got back up again. I'd expect the same from you, but I'm not asking for infallibility here, and you wouldn't be doing it alone. I just have a little trouble controlling my temper when it comes to dealing with that sort of stuff. The orc way of fighting kind of involves using your anger and constantly bringing it to the surface, and I don't want it coming out in the wrong way on someone who could be giving me an opportunity. That's why I need someone with a cool head who knows how to influence people."

“Knows how to influence people? Greg, I can get my own way with some people, but if you let me do this then I might be dealing with actual freakin' diplomats and emissaries. Y'know, people who've been manipulative bastards their whole lives!"

“Well, when I got here I'd only ever beaten up a couple of bullies who didn't even know how to guard themselves in a real fight, and I'd taken a few martial arts classes in which I'd never actually thrown a real punch intended to hurt someone. Now, on a good day, I can beat angry and almost fully-trained orcs on at least a semi-regular basis. So, do what I did: Get better. Ideally without taking my approach of nearly getting broken in half in the process.”

Janette blinked in horror and then gulped down the rest of the wine in her glass before taking a few heavy swigs from the bottle.

He couldn't help but chuckle at that reaction. "You'll be fine, Jan. I trust you, and Like I said, you won't be doing it alone."

“Can I just skip the whole thing and stick to practicing sexy dancing?” she fluttered her eyelashes at him prettily.

“Nope, and I expect you to keep up with the sexy dancing. You enjoy the hell out of it and I don't want to get in the way of that."

“Hey! I was Learning that for you!"

“Jan, you don't need a sexy dance to get my interest. You just need to be facing my general direction. Or facing away from my general direction come to that, it's very good all around."

“Damn right it is." She found herself smiling despite the seeming lead weight he'd just dumped on her shoulders.

It sounded Like a Lot of responsibility, and she had historically not done too well with that concept. Then again, it wasn't like she could tell the guy fighting in orc gladiator matches every week that it was too much to handle. Not without sounding moderately pathetic. So, instead of pressing the matter she decided to shift tracks and brought up something else that had been troubling her

“Ok then. I'll do your dirty work for you." She stuck her tongue out at him, and then her happy expression faded slightly. "Whilst we're here together, there's been something I've been meaning to say to you for a while now."

“Jeez, we need to do this more often, don't we? There's a lot of stuff that's been building up for you."

“It's alright. It's not Like you've had it easy, and this is actually more of a recent revelation. I had it whilst I was talking to Valise the other day. I kind of went over everything that had gone on between us back home."

“There was stuff going on between us? I'm pretty sure there wasn't. I'd have jumped at the chance if I thought you were serious about it."

That brought a more genuine smile to her lips for a few moments before she grew serious again and began to absently spin the base of her wineglass in smooth quarter turns.

“No, it's more that I had a crush on you that pretty much made your life hell."