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"A gift fit for such a gentlewoman?” the ragged stallion asked, with an intonation so subtle that she nearly second-guessed what must have been sarcasm. The bright green eyes looked her over, but even as she resisted the urge to flinch, staring steadily back at him in all of her shamefully decrepit glory, there was no disdain in them—only the smallest of twinkles, that, like the ambiguity of his tone, was gone before she had fully realized it was there. He reached into his pouch and instantly had her attention, her selfish mind both surprised and thrilled all at once by the action. While she did not crane her neck, her gaze searched greedily for the trinket he offered as she turned the possibilities over in her head. She did not know what the old man might possess that she could possibly want (after all, he didn’t look like the jewelry-collecting type), but the opportunity of extortion was a thrilling thing in itself.
Finally, the dark muzzle emerged, clutching something that she could not see. He did not offer an explanation, merely extended it to her, and she could barely contain her delight until--
A leaf?! she realized, seeing the trick for what it was too late; he was already scrambling away again, out of reach of her swiping horn and stormy expression. She had to hand it to him, it had been well-played, using her own desire against her like that. Perhaps the man was cleverer than she had given him credit for.
Yet, aside from the movement of her horn and the fleeting display of aggravation, Sheba reined in her temper. The stranger had just taught her not to underestimate him, and she wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Instead, she grasped at the last remnants of the joke, eying the paper-dry leaf that had fluttered to the ground at her hooves. “So you’ve lost your fortune as well as your looks, then,” she commented with the trace of a pout. “Pity I’m not the romantic type who’ll fall for that sort of prince. I’m in it all for the castle and the crown jewels,” she finished, raising a brow. Yet still, she bent, not taking her eyes off of him, to scoop up the leaf. After all, it was hers now, and she wondered if perhaps more value to the gift than met the eye—why else should he carry such a silly thing around?
"speech"
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