Maybe he'd been a bit of an ass to imply that she ought to do the lion's share of the work just because she'll inevitably be far better at it, but he looks taken aback nonetheless. He doesn't think he'd been putting on airs.

"Well, not...beneath it, as such, but there's just no call for it, beyond picking a bit of elfroot if you get hurt on the road. If a Circle tower needs herbs, someone grows them. It's not as if the mages there are going anywhere. Or like they've got any shortage of time." In an ideal world, anyway.

"Does everyone really gather in an Avvar clan, then? Even the thane?"