If anyone ever wondered why the dummy had been lashed in half with one clean swoop of his blade, they would have easily understood had they been listening into their conversation. Perhaps he was wrong to assume women were fit for their positions. Surely, they could not all be vipers, but from what he had seen being so immersed with the upper class...
Vipers they were all in truth.
It was hard for Zannrick to hide his scowl, creases were already set upon his face in that manner. But both these women were already trying his patience. Maybe he should have ignored propriety and just let himself have some sword play with General Kilandre. But the whispers, that even he could hear from the Duchess, would not be entirely inaccurate a claim. Were he a man with a more terrible reputation, he might have indulged something of that nature to simply take himself out of the moment (but only if a woman asked, would oblige).
He hated to admit it, but when he had been reprimanded by Grand Duke Allarrick in regards to that damn bitch Calent was bedding, he knew it was partially due to his stressful position. Battle fields were one form of scarring, but he dealt with a whole other batch of secrets and motives when playing the card games in this war.
He had considered a whore, but those were of course, short term solutions and sometimes sloppy. But when a wife was suggested, he scoffed at the idea. But if his Grand Duke was so determined....
Thankfully, the conversation over that had been dropped. Of course, it might have been implied Calent hadn't pressed the topic since... A lot of gossip was going around in regards to Sir Austengarde's sexual orientation. Most men, due to the war, were eager to marry and Sir Austengarde had too many potential women to choose from that it was strange he chose to abstain from it. Then again, perhaps he was not the type to consider a wife, nor the idea of children and any obligations it brought. Or perhaps he wasn't sure if he enjoyed men's company better than a woman's. Maybe it was both, but he never fully indulged either party for long-
Again, this evening might be an exception. He'd need a drink before even going down that road, but he had too much pent up frustrations. And why was he even thinking about the horrid words suggested of this foul, magic casting Duchess?
He was thinking too much. And felt like he could split another dummy in half.
Swallowing it all back, for he was too good at all of that, he flattened his lips from his scowl and addressed the Duchess as respectfully as was expected.
"My duchess, please realize Mordecai and Adhara are not mages. We do not cast our abilities. They just are. Ansgar blessed our blood at random, for none of my family bore any mordecai until I had been born. It is not something you can breed from any man or woman." It was why they were so highly regarded, after all. Or was she implying breeding because of her statement? At the idea, his scowl was seeming to return.
Zannrick remained stiff as he continued to address, "And how the ability is effective varies from one mordecai and adhara to the next. A range for one may be small, just a few feet from a person, while others can range to nearly half a city wide. And each ability can house it's own strength itself, but generally the mordecai are as they are- In their presence you'll never be able to cast magic. Ever."
He sighed after all of that, and it was a hot sigh. He had come out here to the lawns for a lot better conversations than this.