#poor peggy she deserves none of this haha

[honorhearted]

@timeguardians | continued from (x)

Ben's brow creased, his eyes appraising her skeptically. "Perhaps nothing in quite such vivid detail, but yes," he allowed. "When I am told I must make an effort, I expect the same to be done for me in return."

“And you are quite sure that I am not the ambassador selected for this mission?”

Ben grinned at that, a soft chuckle rumbling low in his throat. But once it became evident that this woman was not joking, his smile wiped clean and he straightened, looking her over with growing bafflement. "Of course I'm sure," he replied. "Tactical plans are not fit for a woman, nor is the fairer s.ex welcome to discuss strategy. It just isn't done."

Her request for tea brought a raised eyebrow, though not one borne of ill will. "We have liberty tea," Ben offered, "though I'll be the first to admit it's godawful...unless you have an affinity for boiled water and sweet goldenrod, of course. We only include raspberry if it's on hand."

When she accepted the offer of coffee, he nodded and turned to lead her farther into camp. "Can you at least share with me your name?" he asked. "If you truly are the ambassador, would I not have already heard it?"

“My time is only wasted if you refuse to yield favorable results.”

He snorted at that, resisting an eyeroll. God, she sounded just like Anna... What was with the fairer s.ex and believing they knew how to better handle his job?

"Likewise, madam," Ben muttered. "But then, I suppose that depends entirely upon what you're proposing."