The answer seemed to dismay him.
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As he lowered his weapon and foraged for its harness, Edda let out a sharp sigh through her teeth and relaxed against the tree. She kept her eyes trained on him as he moved. Had he planned to hurt her, he would have done so already, and the genuine vexation in his expression made him seem less the cold-blooded killer she had first taken him for.
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Rather than make his way towards the road, as she had expected him to, the man turned to her once more and spoke. “I require guidance towards snow and mountains. Point me in the proper direction and I shall be on my way.†This was a far more ambitious request than his prior need for the road. Edda narrowed her eyes at the man in doubt – that he would simply let her go was doubtful at best. With his sharp eyes, her injury had almost certainly not escaped his notice. Even still, setting her free would no doubt lead to trouble for him later on, as she would likely alert more Wailers to his heading.
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Either he was daft, or overly-trusting, or both. It would be just as easy for her to point him towards Gridania, where he would be likely to run into trouble. And even if she showed him the correct route, he had little assurance that he would not become lost once more.
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Edda watched his features morph into a shadow of frustration. “I will offer my body in return.†This was much more unexpected. Edda gaped at the man, her brows furrowing and lips parting. What possible use could she have for his body? Use his scales as a washboard? Hang her underwear out to dry on his horns? There was little else she could imagine what he, or anyone else for that matter, could mean by such a thing. His expression remained stern, and it became clear his offer was quite serious.
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Her eyes focused once more on his sword and outlandish clothes. He appeared unhurt, and felling three Wood Wailers with little issue would mean he was quite skilled with a blade. It was not uncommon for one to bargain their services in exchange for another, though Edda had not done so before. He was not very well-spoken, but the assumption was a likely one. It did not seem a fair trade, to offer himself as a weapon in exchange for mere directions. If he planned to go alone, she would not be able to obtain his services anyway, rendering the proposal negligible.
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Oh.The meaning of the offer clicked as he stared at her expectantly. Whether he did not trust her for accurate guidance, or he feared losing his way yet again, the veiled suggestion in his appeal became clear. However, it was still an assumption on her part, though she saw little harm in testing the waters.
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“Are you asking me to take you there personally?†Her lips curled into an uneasy smile, her brow still furrowed. She did not wait for an answer, and once more test her left ankle with her weight. The pain still persist, but she would be able to walk if need be. “If I refuse, will you take me as a hostage?†The question sounded more like a challenge than the actual fear she felt at such a thought. The Au Ra seemed observant enough to realize she would not put up much of a fight – at least in the ways that he would expect.
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Waiting for a response, Edda looked up at the clouded sky.Perhaps she could yet find some use for the man. It would not be the first time she consorted with a killer, and the thought did little to perturb her. She knew the way to Coerthas in theory alone, having only flown in by airship once before. Despite being a native of Vylbrand, Llymlaen had not blessed her with any navigational skills to speak of, though she saw little point in bringing that up now.
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As he lowered his weapon and foraged for its harness, Edda let out a sharp sigh through her teeth and relaxed against the tree. She kept her eyes trained on him as he moved. Had he planned to hurt her, he would have done so already, and the genuine vexation in his expression made him seem less the cold-blooded killer she had first taken him for.
Â
Rather than make his way towards the road, as she had expected him to, the man turned to her once more and spoke. “I require guidance towards snow and mountains. Point me in the proper direction and I shall be on my way.†This was a far more ambitious request than his prior need for the road. Edda narrowed her eyes at the man in doubt – that he would simply let her go was doubtful at best. With his sharp eyes, her injury had almost certainly not escaped his notice. Even still, setting her free would no doubt lead to trouble for him later on, as she would likely alert more Wailers to his heading.
Â
Either he was daft, or overly-trusting, or both. It would be just as easy for her to point him towards Gridania, where he would be likely to run into trouble. And even if she showed him the correct route, he had little assurance that he would not become lost once more.
Â
Edda watched his features morph into a shadow of frustration. “I will offer my body in return.†This was much more unexpected. Edda gaped at the man, her brows furrowing and lips parting. What possible use could she have for his body? Use his scales as a washboard? Hang her underwear out to dry on his horns? There was little else she could imagine what he, or anyone else for that matter, could mean by such a thing. His expression remained stern, and it became clear his offer was quite serious.
Â
Her eyes focused once more on his sword and outlandish clothes. He appeared unhurt, and felling three Wood Wailers with little issue would mean he was quite skilled with a blade. It was not uncommon for one to bargain their services in exchange for another, though Edda had not done so before. He was not very well-spoken, but the assumption was a likely one. It did not seem a fair trade, to offer himself as a weapon in exchange for mere directions. If he planned to go alone, she would not be able to obtain his services anyway, rendering the proposal negligible.
Â
Oh.The meaning of the offer clicked as he stared at her expectantly. Whether he did not trust her for accurate guidance, or he feared losing his way yet again, the veiled suggestion in his appeal became clear. However, it was still an assumption on her part, though she saw little harm in testing the waters.
Â
“Are you asking me to take you there personally?†Her lips curled into an uneasy smile, her brow still furrowed. She did not wait for an answer, and once more test her left ankle with her weight. The pain still persist, but she would be able to walk if need be. “If I refuse, will you take me as a hostage?†The question sounded more like a challenge than the actual fear she felt at such a thought. The Au Ra seemed observant enough to realize she would not put up much of a fight – at least in the ways that he would expect.
Â
Waiting for a response, Edda looked up at the clouded sky.Perhaps she could yet find some use for the man. It would not be the first time she consorted with a killer, and the thought did little to perturb her. She knew the way to Coerthas in theory alone, having only flown in by airship once before. Despite being a native of Vylbrand, Llymlaen had not blessed her with any navigational skills to speak of, though she saw little point in bringing that up now.
