“Mayhaps for you,†Bellows pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on.
Roen flicked the Midlander a glance as he strolled near the bed, snatching up a towel and tossing it to the Au Ra who had risen up out of the bath tub. The paladin only kept the nude figure in the periphery of her vision, since he was not the greatest threat in the room at the moment. Rather, it was the mercenary she had brought with her.
“Quit flustering the ladies, eh?†The Hyur’s banter held no mirth, nor did his crooked grin. He snatched up a towel and tossed it at Khadai backhand, in an almost derisive way. He strolled to the side of the bed and picked up the Xaela’s greatsword by its long hilt.
Roen turned fully to face the mercenary and tilted her head with a warning. “What are you doing?â€
Bellows tried to heave the massive sword over his shoulder, but settled for sticking the tip into the ground instead. "Captain said he was to be held for questioning.†He gave Roen a sidelong glance with a nonchalant shrug. But there was more behind his narrowed eyes. “We should make sure the captain don't have questions of his own, eh?"
The paladin quickly glanced to Khadai. This was an attempt to provoke him, that much was clear. The Au Ra remained eerily quiet and made no moves towards the mercenary. But he gave Bellows a hard stare, and while Roen did not see any obvious animosity on his expression, it was obvious that the Xaela was intently watching the Hyur.
"Edda. I require clarification to this situation.†He finally broke his silence. “What is the appropriate course of action?"
The noblewoman brushed past the paladin and stepped into the room, glaring at Bellows as well. “Just what is the meaning of this? Put his sword down this instant.†She brought one hand down from the cusp of her towel and held it out to her side with a flourish. "You would be wise to heed Roen's decision, and give your superior your report. If he has any cause for concern, or any further questions, then he can come here himself!"
"Tsk, tsk." Bellows shook his head, his finger tapping on the hilt of the sword. "Your highness," he addressed her, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Your noble attitude won't get you any where with me. I know your type. Bossy, used to getting what you want. You're not in your mansion and we ain't your servants. This man is under suspicion for murder, and until the captain says so, I can't have him detained in here with deadly weapons." The mercenary leaned in and spoke the last two words slowly as if speaking to a child.
"Enough, Bellows," Roen said sharply. "I will make my report, the captain will make his decision." She gave Khadai one more glance before turning back to Edda. "It is but temporary. It will be returned to him once the decision is made."
The Midlander let out a loud snort. "Yer assumin' a lot, Deneith." He wasn't looking at her though, he was squarely meeting the Au Ra’s gaze. His tone was daring. "What if he orders the Xaela’s execution in the morn, eh? Mayhaps I use this sword to do it."
It was then that Edda quickly closed the distance between herself and the mercenary and struck the man clean across the face. Without even waiting for his response, she turned her back to him and looked to Roen with a stern look. "You would do well to tell your captain to take care in who he hires. You may keep the sword for now. I will come to retrieve it at first light, tomorrow. It will be returned to me."
"The princess has got a bite!" Bellows winced and rubbed his cheek. The paladin ignored him.
"Leave this room, now." Roen glared icily at the Hyur to which he snorted but complied. Oak soon followed, the look on the Roegadyn’s face uncertain.
The paladin kept her silence as she watched the Midlander leave with the Hellsguard, their armored footsteps growing more distant down the hallway. She let out a quiet sigh of relief that the matter did not escalate despite Bellow’s efforts. And yet, a part of her still could not blame the man. For all he knew, this towering Au Ra cared nothing for the lives he took, even if he had the justification of self defense. Killing soldiers under the jurisdiction of the Holy See, no matter how loose the affiliation, never boded well for anyone. Roen wondered how much of this Edda truly understood. She knew the noblewoman was learned in many things, and yet with her flash of indignation in Khadai’s defense, Roen believed Edda’s perspective in this could be slightly biased.
Roen glanced to the woman and found Edda’s gaze keen with determination. The paladin wondered why the noblewoman defended the Au Ra so fervidly. Did she care so much for all who were in her association?
A sidelong glance was then afford to the Xaela. Khadai still stood unmoving, not caring for the moisture running in rivulets down his body. He held an odd expression as he continued to stare out towards the hallway. It was still an austere countenance, but now somewhat unreadable. Gone was the impatience and contempt that always seemed to etch his dark, scaled visage, and in its place was a perplexed foreigner.
The paladin turned back to Edda with a tired sigh. “He was trying to provoke him.†She turned her head towards to Khadai without really looking at his form. “It was fortunate that you did not take the bait.â€
The Xaela jerked his head towards her, his glance one of disapproval. “I do not understand,†he rumbled. But that was all he said before he picked up the towel that was thrown at him to dry himself.
"They fear your actions, and so they seek to neuter you by stripping you of your weapon," Edda stated simply.
All of her earlier vexation had faded, and now Roen just felt weary. "Had there been an incident, had you shown yet another proclivity to react with sudden violence, consequences would have been much more dire." The paladin glanced up at Khadai, careful to keep her gaze strictly above his jawline. "But I think you proved my case rather than his."
Khadai frowned, his confusion evident. "I am treated as if I am a weather pattern, or a storm," he murmured as an idle observation. "I do not understand," he repeated to nobody in particular.
Roen flicked the Midlander a glance as he strolled near the bed, snatching up a towel and tossing it to the Au Ra who had risen up out of the bath tub. The paladin only kept the nude figure in the periphery of her vision, since he was not the greatest threat in the room at the moment. Rather, it was the mercenary she had brought with her.
“Quit flustering the ladies, eh?†The Hyur’s banter held no mirth, nor did his crooked grin. He snatched up a towel and tossed it at Khadai backhand, in an almost derisive way. He strolled to the side of the bed and picked up the Xaela’s greatsword by its long hilt.
Roen turned fully to face the mercenary and tilted her head with a warning. “What are you doing?â€
Bellows tried to heave the massive sword over his shoulder, but settled for sticking the tip into the ground instead. "Captain said he was to be held for questioning.†He gave Roen a sidelong glance with a nonchalant shrug. But there was more behind his narrowed eyes. “We should make sure the captain don't have questions of his own, eh?"
The paladin quickly glanced to Khadai. This was an attempt to provoke him, that much was clear. The Au Ra remained eerily quiet and made no moves towards the mercenary. But he gave Bellows a hard stare, and while Roen did not see any obvious animosity on his expression, it was obvious that the Xaela was intently watching the Hyur.
"Edda. I require clarification to this situation.†He finally broke his silence. “What is the appropriate course of action?"
The noblewoman brushed past the paladin and stepped into the room, glaring at Bellows as well. “Just what is the meaning of this? Put his sword down this instant.†She brought one hand down from the cusp of her towel and held it out to her side with a flourish. "You would be wise to heed Roen's decision, and give your superior your report. If he has any cause for concern, or any further questions, then he can come here himself!"
"Tsk, tsk." Bellows shook his head, his finger tapping on the hilt of the sword. "Your highness," he addressed her, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Your noble attitude won't get you any where with me. I know your type. Bossy, used to getting what you want. You're not in your mansion and we ain't your servants. This man is under suspicion for murder, and until the captain says so, I can't have him detained in here with deadly weapons." The mercenary leaned in and spoke the last two words slowly as if speaking to a child.
"Enough, Bellows," Roen said sharply. "I will make my report, the captain will make his decision." She gave Khadai one more glance before turning back to Edda. "It is but temporary. It will be returned to him once the decision is made."
The Midlander let out a loud snort. "Yer assumin' a lot, Deneith." He wasn't looking at her though, he was squarely meeting the Au Ra’s gaze. His tone was daring. "What if he orders the Xaela’s execution in the morn, eh? Mayhaps I use this sword to do it."
It was then that Edda quickly closed the distance between herself and the mercenary and struck the man clean across the face. Without even waiting for his response, she turned her back to him and looked to Roen with a stern look. "You would do well to tell your captain to take care in who he hires. You may keep the sword for now. I will come to retrieve it at first light, tomorrow. It will be returned to me."
"The princess has got a bite!" Bellows winced and rubbed his cheek. The paladin ignored him.
"Leave this room, now." Roen glared icily at the Hyur to which he snorted but complied. Oak soon followed, the look on the Roegadyn’s face uncertain.
The paladin kept her silence as she watched the Midlander leave with the Hellsguard, their armored footsteps growing more distant down the hallway. She let out a quiet sigh of relief that the matter did not escalate despite Bellow’s efforts. And yet, a part of her still could not blame the man. For all he knew, this towering Au Ra cared nothing for the lives he took, even if he had the justification of self defense. Killing soldiers under the jurisdiction of the Holy See, no matter how loose the affiliation, never boded well for anyone. Roen wondered how much of this Edda truly understood. She knew the noblewoman was learned in many things, and yet with her flash of indignation in Khadai’s defense, Roen believed Edda’s perspective in this could be slightly biased.
Roen glanced to the woman and found Edda’s gaze keen with determination. The paladin wondered why the noblewoman defended the Au Ra so fervidly. Did she care so much for all who were in her association?
A sidelong glance was then afford to the Xaela. Khadai still stood unmoving, not caring for the moisture running in rivulets down his body. He held an odd expression as he continued to stare out towards the hallway. It was still an austere countenance, but now somewhat unreadable. Gone was the impatience and contempt that always seemed to etch his dark, scaled visage, and in its place was a perplexed foreigner.
The paladin turned back to Edda with a tired sigh. “He was trying to provoke him.†She turned her head towards to Khadai without really looking at his form. “It was fortunate that you did not take the bait.â€
The Xaela jerked his head towards her, his glance one of disapproval. “I do not understand,†he rumbled. But that was all he said before he picked up the towel that was thrown at him to dry himself.
"They fear your actions, and so they seek to neuter you by stripping you of your weapon," Edda stated simply.
All of her earlier vexation had faded, and now Roen just felt weary. "Had there been an incident, had you shown yet another proclivity to react with sudden violence, consequences would have been much more dire." The paladin glanced up at Khadai, careful to keep her gaze strictly above his jawline. "But I think you proved my case rather than his."
Khadai frowned, his confusion evident. "I am treated as if I am a weather pattern, or a storm," he murmured as an idle observation. "I do not understand," he repeated to nobody in particular.
