Their lazy dancing, their focus on the conversation more than where they had ended up in their dancing had moved them close to a window, the pillers and floral arrangements offering them some measure of privacy, although the effects of the splendid potion on the other attendees made the pair in the corner, mostly obscured by the floral arrangments, of little interest to others.

Merida looked at him under her lashes, as though the questions was unexpected, when in reality she had wondered herself how she would know her highwayman if she was to meet him in ordinary society, even if she was sure those eyes would live in her dreams for nights to come. 'What satisfaction canst thou have tonight? Th'exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine? her teasing and faux affronted paraphrasing of the bard as she cocked her head to one side, her tumult of red curls shaking as she tossed her head. The warmth of her smile affirming that she was not actually upset, but delighted at his request.

She cocked her head to oneside thinking for a moment, and trying to to read his eyes and expectations. In a moment, that felt as thrilling as it did illicit - exactly the sort of thing a water nymph might do, she raised herself on her toes, placing a kiss, austensibly on his cheek, but nearer the corner of his mouth, almost chaste but not entirely so, the overlap of her lips with his, promising and teasing, even as they just missed.

In the same motion Merida also removed a diaphanous scarf that formed part of her costume and as she pulled away, she stepped close to him to tie it around his bicep, like a knight errant wearing his lady's favours. 'Will these gifts suffice?' she asked. Her voice low and breathy, standing still perhaps a hair closer to him than propriety really condoned, but all in the name of tying her favor to his arm.

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