Rollan only grinned. He'd love to welcome Coldan into his family!
"Well," he said, "here's three mites of advice for you, that my own pa told me when I first wanted to start courting Brinn: be confident, be patient, and be very, very stubborn. And I know they're all a lot easier said than done! But. You can't go around acting like you're terrified of her, just because you might take a shine to her. You've got to respect her"--he pounded his fist on the table, maybe a little too heavily--"but you've also got to show her she should respect you, and your intentions towards her. Oh," he added, "and flowers don't hurt either.
"As for Asta herself--well, it's right hard getting into a woman's mind, and I've given up trying. She seems to think you should know exactly what she's thinking, and whether what she says is truly what she means. I don't think Asta's one of the worst in that matter, but as soon as you think you know a woman..." He snapped his fingers in the air. "That's part of what makes married life such an adventure! But go ahead, give her a try. Why, even if the worst happens, you'll be no worse off than you are now--better, even, for you'll actually know a good deal more than you do now."
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