"Oh, he'd embellish it. The next thing you know, 'boiling a crab' would have some utterly filthy connotation and be on the lips of every disreputable lout in Lowtown." He chuckled under his breath. It was funny because it was completely true.

"I was fifteen when I went to the tower. I had known most of my life it was what I'd do. Admittedly, that was mostly my father's idea. I didn't find it objectionable or feel pushed toward something that wasn't me. It was more that he knew me very well." There was no resentment or underlying conflict in his tone or expression. He never had resented his father for giving him that guidance in his life. It had always seemed preferable to the idea of being without direction.

He nodded and decided against teasing her about the rumors. Doubtless, she had heard them herself. He didn't want to make uncomfortable, flippant remarks about people who were her friends. After another second or two of thought, he decided to come clean about one of them, if only because he had found it to be the most credible. "I wouldn't have been surprised if you said you had been involved with Anders. Mostly from the way he looks at you." It surprised him the apostate came to the Gallows at all, more so that Meredith had turned something of a blind eye to it due to his associations. He wondered how much longer that would last.