Instinctively San’s lips curled back from his lips as Princess Juli suggested that the fault for Zyel’s behavior was shared between the two of them. She went on to suggest that Sanguine had cause and opportunity to sabotage the peace process, and that she believed both kingdoms would pay him handsomely to do little more than “Get Lost”. This idea did not appeal at all to Sanguine.<br/><br/>“Princess Juli- Or, Juliette rather, I do not know how I’ve wronged you to make you detest me so, but I assure you that it was never my intention. Nor do I know how you imagine I have ‘antagonized’ the Gypsy who threw stones at us and railed against the memory of the fallen warriors from both kingdoms.” San said, his voice more firm and less mirthful than it had been. “Though I agree, that war is in fact quite beneficial to my business, I have done nothing but aid the peace process wherever I was able. I’ve gone out of my way to gain even a crumb of your respect, and instead you continue to try to be rid of me.”<br/><br/>San was trying hard to keep his temper in check, the wine made this task more difficult still. He drank another deep swill from his goblet, and swallowed loudly. It was one thing to scrape and bow to the likes of Gerrard and Henrik; but Juli was not full-blooded royalty, and San was getting more than a little tired of being disdained by a newly recognized daughter of a Theiri whore.<br/><br/>“You see, Prince Henrik has already paid me to remain here and see to the safety of himself and his family. So, here I will remain. And while you may think that you know everything about me, I am, above all else, a professional.” San was gritting his teeth as he spoke. “Now if you find my profession so distasteful that you find yourself unable to keep a civil tongue in your head, you are more than welcome to reseat yourself. I merely proposed a toast in the hope that remembering fallen comrades might ease us in the direction of finding common ground, but it seems no such place exists."”<br/><br/>With that, San leaned back in his chair.<br/><br/>“Despite what you say about me and my intentions here, I have yet to draw blade or even take aim at a single soul. Which is more than I can say for you or your ‘associate’ back there, Princess<em>Juli</em>.”