of the warrior towering over both of them. She can't help but feel she's missed some joke the Empress has made, but she holds Knox's gaze once she catches it and nods with a small step forward.

"I would be glad to accompany you, and to hear those stories, if you'd have me."

"Forgive me, I did keep you quite a while with this incident. The house my allies entered is under the protection of Wands Manor, by way of the Children of Dwoemerheart, and you could find few defenders more steadfast that Aronion – in lieu of your own, of course."

She nods in acknowledgment

She minds her laughter as well as her positioning, after an errant swipe if his tale grazes the back of her shoulder. Not many get the chance at something like this, so she'll bear the risk and bite her tongue, lest she offend him.

"Does that feel better?"

while she grinds the thick bark where he directs. Her arm is strengthened by years of swordplay and lance work, and she doesn't hold back a bit.

"There?"

He really does act a little like a small, intelligent hound. She's reminded of the wardogs she once trained with - before she met Stryke and the tribe that had taught her to take to the skies.

But he wouldn't take kindly to that comparison, she's sure, so she mutes her smile and stays on her feet

||as it turns out im crying bc i mourn a horse

Well [that] she can find, and she hooks onto what he's seeking rather quickly.

She searches with him, and for her trouble she comes up with a few breaks of a fallen branch, small but sturdy and still bearing their bark.

"Think this would do?"

||im cryin

Which is surprising, being Cormyrian and all.

and that he had set out to lay his fallen to rest when he found me and came to my aid. If it is not my place to offer, then I will press no further, but I would like to assist you with this in some way."

Silence from Knox, and his deference to Sybella is the last connection to confirm, in her mind, that this is the woman he spoke of earlier.

On her best manners, then. It's easy enough to fall back on old lessons.

"I believe Knox mentioned you had need of him,

You've both helped us more than you may know, and I'd like to repay that, if I can."

"Not a lady – just Kee, if it's all the same." Her words are gentle as the smile she offers him, but just as fleeting. When she answers the woman in rags, she offers the full attention commanded from her.

"We hadn't much time yet for a proper introduction, or for me to offer my gratitude.