Surprise offer

JP with Winteroak

"Truth be told even of we could arm you with a few maps, they will be vague at best." He started thinking as he went along what the answer to her request could be. "If you made it this far from Desdem you will hace notice that there are very little features to guide you in unfamiliar territory. Most of our people learn the pathways and where to travel by years of experience. Knowledge passed down from fathers to sons." He paused drinking his water.
"And if you were to face such a journey alone, you eould likely perish, regardless of how resilient you might be." He gave his honest assessment stroking his chin in thought.

"No, you will a guide at least, and resources. Water, food, a couple of camels." He said. "All of which won't come cheap. Which leaves you only one option."

Sobering, though not wholly unexpected. She still appreciated his honest assessment. Indeed she was painfully aware that she simply lacked the skills to navigate the desert and she had long since come to the conclusion that she was better off not to bank on any divine support despite the fire god’s own interest in furthering her research, be it that he couldn’t or that he wouldn’t.

What Izil described required funds far beyond her possibilities, and that was before including the inevitable you-are-an-evil-outsider-tax.

So she would probably have to start considering lanes not including the obelisks.

One option, aye? In her experience, that fabled ‘only option’ was rarely a desirable one, but…

“Let’s hear it.”

Izil stood up and picked up a nearby small rectangular black slate and a piece of chalk. Erasing the figures and characters on it with his hand he started streched a crude mad of the Desert of Skulls.
"We are here. The Obelisk of Death and Birth can be found here and here." He said making small crosses into the map. One closer to the north edge of the Ozainae territory and the other to the west.
He drew a small mountain plateau outside the boundary of the desert to the west.
"This is Rorath. My next stop." He said looking at Alexis. "I can easily detour my caravan to take you the the Obelisk of Death. But..." He paused gravely. "I fear that if you insist on visiting the one north I cannot offer my help. And alone it will be an almost impossible journey." He said and waited for her to take his words in.

Alexis stepped closer and followed his explanations and his sketching attentively.

His offer sincerely surprised her and it probably clearly showed on her face.

“That… would still make it one impossible journey instead of two.”

The hope to find some answers with the other obelisks was a vague one to begin with. Quite possible that it would turn out to be yet another dead end, and seeing one of them might be enough to come to that conclusion. And if not… another bridge to cross when she got there.

“You would detour for me?”
She looked up from his sketch into his eyes.

“What would you want in return?”

He stopped thinking for a minute or two smiling. "It would be a very short detour." He said truthfully. "Adding little more than one or two days to our journey."

He wondered himself why he was doing this, for this strange, for this soon to be enemy of his people.

"Your company will suffice as payment. And knowledge of your homeland." And who knew the more time she spend with him the more chances of him convincing her into staying.