[There it was once more. A wall between them that hadn't exactly been there before. The long winded campaign and his jumbled thoughts regarding Dany had been enough to test his patience. While he had faced derision and frosty attitudes for much of his life in the North, seeing it in Daenerys was enough to garner a reaction.
Why had he opened himself up to her? What exactly had it achieved?]
I offer you the respect you deserve, your grace. Whether you are my Queen or not, I will still acknowledge the title given to you by fate.
[No. Fighting wasn't going to solve the problem. He had kept the truth from her, he was to blame in this.]
I don't have a gift for talking as your other advisers might, but I don't want to leave things as they are between us.
[ That flash of fire earns an eyebrow raise, keeping her coolness in place as he speaks. Perhaps there's satisfaction to be had in raising his ire, instead of only negotiating her own.
It doesn't feel satisfying, but at best, an improvement. ]
[Despite his stoic demeanor, there was ire to raise. The election, Baelish and the new distance between him and Daenerys had pushed him to his limit. It wasn't going to solve anything and would likely push her further away, but this was a moment when control was out of his reach.
She at least hadn't turned off the feed.]
No, I don't think that's possible.
I want- [How could he put it to words?] I want to try and earn back your respect.
[ He says he is no wordsmith like her advisers, but has a way of saying the correct thing. Words land like flies, judging by the way she shakes her head, subtly, as if to rid herself of them. Correct sounding words aren't to be trusted.
But one of them is 'earn', and surely, he knows that can't be done in one phonecall.
[He watches her, looking for any sign of making an impact. Yet she was hard to read, in all of the ways that his father had been. Her opinion and regard meaning as much to him as Lord Stark's had as well.
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no subject
Why had he opened himself up to her? What exactly had it achieved?]
I offer you the respect you deserve, your grace. Whether you are my Queen or not, I will still acknowledge the title given to you by fate.
[No. Fighting wasn't going to solve the problem. He had kept the truth from her, he was to blame in this.]
I don't have a gift for talking as your other advisers might, but I don't want to leave things as they are between us.
no subject
It doesn't feel satisfying, but at best, an improvement. ]
You would have them revert to how they were.
no subject
She at least hadn't turned off the feed.]
No, I don't think that's possible.
I want- [How could he put it to words?] I want to try and earn back your respect.
[And trust, but that was left unsaid.]
no subject
But one of them is 'earn', and surely, he knows that can't be done in one phonecall.
After a moment; ]
Would you like to know what it is that I want?
no subject
He nods.]
What is it you want?