Xaviers!

"We try to make sure our princesses can rescue themselves. Take Lady Vivienne as an example."

"That just means you get the fun of fighting alongside your chosen princess."

"There is some fun in that," she admits, "Though I'm more partial to fighting alongside princes myself."

"Heard you and Trev had a date. How'd it go?"

"Well enough that I think he will get another one. It's an... unfamiliar custom, but not unpleasant."

"Not like he's going to joust to win your hand."

"...he would totally joust to win your hand if you told him it was a thing."

"I'm not positive that anyone around here knows how to joust."

"I don't think he's even been near a horse before, but he'd probably try it."

"Considering what happened when we sparred at the pool, I doubt putting him on a large animal would be wise."

"...sparring in the pool in general sounds like it can only end in tears."

"It was on the edge of the pool. He fell and hit his head. I was forced to heal him as I'd promised him no lasting injury." One of her hands flexes unconsciously.

"I guess I'm glad he ended up okay, and all."

"Just ah... don't break the boys here, aye?"

"Why would I break them? Are they prone to fighting?" She seems confused.

"Maybe not... so much?"

"But boys do stupid things, and changing that to boys with powers just expands the range of stupid things possible."

"I see. I will endeavor to be careful."

"Nothing personal, just... you seem to have your deal under a lot more control than most people here."

"Most of my 'deal' is bound against my will. I'd actually be more comfortable in my armor."

"That's... a shame, really. I've seen with Viv how much her obligations hurt her."

"We all make sacrifices to do the things that need to be done."

"It's not a sacrifice if you don't have a choice. It's just an injustice."

"I didn't have to come, but I was asked to. That conditions were laid on me coming doesn't change the choice."

"So you care for Viv? I'm not accusing you of anything, but... what we're going to end up doing here, it's going to be hard."

"What she stands for is important. The deal she received..." Sam can sense her struggling through the words with some pain. "...is less than ideal. My sword is hers to command, even if I have to wield it against a Grey Lord on her behalf." She stops, rubbing her temple in slow circles.

"...don't hurt yourself on my account."

"I... feel pretty strongly about this shite. There's this nagging feeling of... having done this before, sometimes. I don't think it was the same Grey Lords or even the same me, but... they're wrong. They made the wrong choices, and they keep compounding it."

"You will find little disagreement from me."

"It's kind of scary to have a feeling like that well up out of nowhere, but it doesn't feel wrong."