[That earns a scoff, though Astarion’s attention remains on his preening. Between the horrors of last month and everything going on in this one, it’s admittedly been some time since he’s given his cuticles the proper attention.

Hm. He clicks his tongue and makes a mental note to address that later.]

Ah, yes, of course. Silly me. [A bit of filing wouldn’t hurt his nails either, honestly. The length is beginning to edge on the concerning side.] I’ve certainly heard that servitude does wonders for a coward’s complexion. If nothing else, eliminating the need to think for one’s self frees up a lot of time, I’d presume?