As much as he would have sincerely intended the compliment, the rhetorical turn had been intended more to ease her into a different perspective--rather than flatly rejecting her pessimistic view of the situation, conceding that real difficulties and challenges did indeed exist and that it would be insulting to merely dismiss how it appeared to her, so that his counterpoint could be heard as a suggestion or an expansion rather than an argument.
For a brief moment, at least, it seemed to work; she was at least listening, rather than answering with defiance. It was certainly less promising as she turned away from him, her posture folding as though torn between her usual poise and a wish to implode and vanish into herself. Watching her carefully, even without the evidence of the flurry picking up intensity around them, he could tell she was still upset, following some series of thoughts that she left unspoken but that clearly served only to agitate her all the more. Frustrating as it was that he couldn't answer whatever worries were silently feeding her anxieties, he had experience enough--with himself, and with diplomacy in general--to know all he could do was to wait for her to express herself, to respond to what he could.
When she turned back to him at last, Alric winced at the sight of her tears seeming only to be renewed by his attempt to soothe her fears. He glanced downward, a hint of a scowl crossing his brow before he worked to compose himself with a brief huff of a sigh. However worried he might be that his impulse to take action, to do something to help, had been foolish or might render more harm than aid, it was no time to start nursing his own insecurities.
"...I apologize, Lady Elsa."
He shook his head lightly, doing his best to calm and soften his own expression, at the very least; he was still confident that she needed a steady-handed advisor, in that moment--a sturdy rock to brace against, not a comrade in turbulence and doubt. The smile he managed was decidedly on the wan side of confidence, but hopefully at least moderately reassuring. Hopefully at least more help than harm.
"...for insisting on a topic that so clearly pains you. I would far rather see you cheered than..."
He trailed off, his eyes flicking indicatively from hers down to her cheeks, then to her hands carefully clutched to herself as though they might spring free and attack him if she allowed it. Meeting her eyes again, his expression had grown more contrite and solicitous, clearly more concerned for her at that moment than for himself.
"...but... I feel I best serve your interests by speaking honestly with you, rather than attempting to distract or confuse you... and... though it may be a fault on my part, I cannot very well leave a friendly monarch, and--if you would pardon my impetuousness--someone I've thought of always as a friend, in such distress."
He glanced down at her hands, again, raising his slightly in a gentle reiteration of the offer, and allowed himself just a hint of playfulness, hoping to coax her gently into a slightly more relaxed state. The snow whirling about them, he seemed to take entirely in stride; it was no longer a surprise, at least, and he was dressed warmly enough to shrug it off for at least a while longer yet.
"I, too, saw--and I did indeed hear what they said. And... at the risk of contradicting you, Your Majesty, I must suggest that after so many years apart from them, you may be attributing to your people more of your familiar concerns than their own. ...I can speak only for myself, of course, but I've found that when I am at my most troubled, my... assessment of events is often colored by my expectations. I believe they do not see you--even now--nearly so harshly as you seem to presume."
He glanced up to her eyes once more, hesitating briefly before putting forward the offer he'd been working toward. Again: not the time to dwell on his own insecurities.
"...do you trust me enough to discuss the matter? To tell me what you perceive--what you observed, and what you took it to mean--and permit me to suggest another perspective?"
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Date: 2022-08-20 02:33 am (UTC)From:For a brief moment, at least, it seemed to work; she was at least listening, rather than answering with defiance. It was certainly less promising as she turned away from him, her posture folding as though torn between her usual poise and a wish to implode and vanish into herself. Watching her carefully, even without the evidence of the flurry picking up intensity around them, he could tell she was still upset, following some series of thoughts that she left unspoken but that clearly served only to agitate her all the more. Frustrating as it was that he couldn't answer whatever worries were silently feeding her anxieties, he had experience enough--with himself, and with diplomacy in general--to know all he could do was to wait for her to express herself, to respond to what he could.
When she turned back to him at last, Alric winced at the sight of her tears seeming only to be renewed by his attempt to soothe her fears. He glanced downward, a hint of a scowl crossing his brow before he worked to compose himself with a brief huff of a sigh. However worried he might be that his impulse to take action, to do something to help, had been foolish or might render more harm than aid, it was no time to start nursing his own insecurities.
"...I apologize, Lady Elsa."
He shook his head lightly, doing his best to calm and soften his own expression, at the very least; he was still confident that she needed a steady-handed advisor, in that moment--a sturdy rock to brace against, not a comrade in turbulence and doubt. The smile he managed was decidedly on the wan side of confidence, but hopefully at least moderately reassuring. Hopefully at least more help than harm.
"...for insisting on a topic that so clearly pains you. I would far rather see you cheered than..."
He trailed off, his eyes flicking indicatively from hers down to her cheeks, then to her hands carefully clutched to herself as though they might spring free and attack him if she allowed it. Meeting her eyes again, his expression had grown more contrite and solicitous, clearly more concerned for her at that moment than for himself.
"...but... I feel I best serve your interests by speaking honestly with you, rather than attempting to distract or confuse you... and... though it may be a fault on my part, I cannot very well leave a friendly monarch, and--if you would pardon my impetuousness--someone I've thought of always as a friend, in such distress."
He glanced down at her hands, again, raising his slightly in a gentle reiteration of the offer, and allowed himself just a hint of playfulness, hoping to coax her gently into a slightly more relaxed state. The snow whirling about them, he seemed to take entirely in stride; it was no longer a surprise, at least, and he was dressed warmly enough to shrug it off for at least a while longer yet.
"I, too, saw--and I did indeed hear what they said. And... at the risk of contradicting you, Your Majesty, I must suggest that after so many years apart from them, you may be attributing to your people more of your familiar concerns than their own. ...I can speak only for myself, of course, but I've found that when I am at my most troubled, my... assessment of events is often colored by my expectations. I believe they do not see you--even now--nearly so harshly as you seem to presume."
He glanced up to her eyes once more, hesitating briefly before putting forward the offer he'd been working toward. Again: not the time to dwell on his own insecurities.
"...do you trust me enough to discuss the matter? To tell me what you perceive--what you observed, and what you took it to mean--and permit me to suggest another perspective?"