It's hard not to look appreciatively, so Wallie looks away purposely, as unobtrusively as he can. He has a wife, even if she's not here, and he's not so arrogant as to believe himself irresistable, no matter how attractive Shonsu might be.

"I did, actually." He wipes his hands on a tea towel, thinking. "The gods wanted a wordsman who didn't think like one, and I was a good fit for that job description. I was promised a long and happy life in reward. I'm not sure what I'm doing here, in that case."