[ He murmurs that incredulously to himself. Nikolai had thought he was doing well with pronunciation! (Although, he knows he wasn't, not at all.) He tries it again, ignoring how she seems at odds with whether or not she's allowed to touch the bottle of wine before she actually does so.
Despite being well-travelled, Nikolai takes Ravka's freedoms for granted. Then again, he supposes he's always had more freedom than others. It's why he enjoyed studying in Ketterdam, far away from where he was Nikolai Lantsov and instead was someone else. It's why he liked that most of the military hadn't recognised him when he returned to Ravka. That anonymity is gone now, but it'd been a luxury he'd taken for granted for years.
Annoyed he can't quite get the word to mimic how it sounds coming from her, Nikolai falls back against his chair and rests his hands in his lap. He's certainly not one for defeat—and he won't be defeated!—but, Saints, is her language hard with all its volley ups and downs. This is why he's always had someone else speak to him.
Being royal encourages such laziness. He really is ashamed. ]
This is very hard, you know. [ He says that with a laugh, ignoring how his face heats. ] You're not a very good teacher. [ Lie. She's an excellent teacher. ]
no subject
[ He murmurs that incredulously to himself. Nikolai had thought he was doing well with pronunciation! (Although, he knows he wasn't, not at all.) He tries it again, ignoring how she seems at odds with whether or not she's allowed to touch the bottle of wine before she actually does so.
Despite being well-travelled, Nikolai takes Ravka's freedoms for granted. Then again, he supposes he's always had more freedom than others. It's why he enjoyed studying in Ketterdam, far away from where he was Nikolai Lantsov and instead was someone else. It's why he liked that most of the military hadn't recognised him when he returned to Ravka. That anonymity is gone now, but it'd been a luxury he'd taken for granted for years.
Annoyed he can't quite get the word to mimic how it sounds coming from her, Nikolai falls back against his chair and rests his hands in his lap. He's certainly not one for defeat—and he won't be defeated!—but, Saints, is her language hard with all its volley ups and downs. This is why he's always had someone else speak to him.
Being royal encourages such laziness. He really is ashamed. ]
This is very hard, you know. [ He says that with a laugh, ignoring how his face heats. ] You're not a very good teacher. [ Lie. She's an excellent teacher. ]