Old Friends

"What are you thinking about?" Anfey asked, stroking Suzanna’s hair.

"Nothing," Suzanna said, leaning closer to him. "Just a bit tired."

"I’m sorry," Anfey said with a sigh. "You really shouldn’t have been a swordsman."

"What do you mean?" Suzanna asked, confused.

"You’re a strong woman, Suzanna, but a lot of that strength isn’t yours, isn’t it? It’s forced into you. All you want is a peaceful and quiet life," Anfey said with a sigh. "I cannot fathom how rigorous your training must have been."

Suzanna pursed her lips, then asked, "What about you? What would you do if you had a choice?"

"Me?" Anfey said, smiling. "I like being lazy. I think I would be content being a minor noble, doing nothing but hunting and staring at my maids."