Ah-- not at all! [Rinea's fingers crumple into her skirt, anxious to reassure him. How astute of him to pick up on her undercurrent of nostalgia, though his conclusion is unnecessary.] I would not have accepted your offer if I did not wish for it, after all. Please.

[The twine bracelet no longer binds them, but Rinea feels almost compelled to over-explain herself, to admit the sentiment behind her decor. Still, the words die away in her throat. For some reason, she doesn't really want to let Berkut's shadow hang over them any longer than it already has that afternoon.

It's that thought that returns her strength: the strength of making a conscious choice.]

I do wear them often, but I shan't wilt without them. I promise. [It's a silly notion, but in the face of Somnus's inevitably solemn reception Rinea cannot help but titter at her own jest.]