Keeping Cover

JP with Omni and Winteroak

Voah tried quickly to cover for Gonyaul's reluctance, perhaps going into more detail than she needed to.

"I apologize, Master Alcuin. He is... VERY modest. Perhaps not understanding the extent to which he can help us in this regard. After all, he isn't trained in combat as much as he is in avoiding it. A strange but useful defensive skill that I myself have been trained in to a certain degree. You may have witnessed this on your travels with him. His family lived so remote in Kru'll that they barely speak the common tongue of Helias if you can believe that. We are working on that."

She smiled at Gonyaul, trying to let him know she was stretching the truth and not trying to offend him.

"You know... not everyone in Helias shows the same degree of passion to every Pillar. Many are not such avid followers of Panolis, Vastad, and Zinheim... as much as they are of the other Pillars. Hoi and Kupen, for example... Sometimes I wonder if the Purger has ever even heard of Hoi."

She laughed at her own joke, poor taste or not. Then she turned to Gonyaul hoping he would understand that she had an act to maintain.

"There is much we can learn without putting you directly in the path of danger, Gonyaul."

Malacost looked at the young man and the Arbiter. What a strange couple. He obviously didn't know what happened between the two and at this stage he didn't care. He turned to Voah.

"Best to get going in that case. The young man doesn't have to help. He could be useful but a man should not be forced to go against his wishes." He looked outside. It was getting darker. "Shall we?" He asked Voah.

Keeping up the act, Voah nodded in agreement.

"Nnn! Yes, let us be on our way."

She said, covering her mouth with a hand as she chewed a last bite of meat. In truth, she was relieved that Alcuin had taken Gonyaul's lack of enthusiasm so well.

"I might be back late." she said casually to Gonyaul as if their relationship wasn't a big deal, hoping the words wouldn't be her last to him