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That got an unseen raise of her brows. Flattery and compliments from men were, of course, no new thing to Elspeth Sirl, but she supposed it was rather the last thing she'd expected from him. He'd seen her all dolled up in her finest at the Oban galla and not said anything of the sort then. Now here she was, dressed in military uniform behind a lifeless mask and he was all charm.

"That charm must have worked on the Warden," she remarked with humor as she leaned to check inside his mouth and throat. Clean as a polished whistle. If she didn't know any better, she'd say the man had lived a very comfortable and healthy life, but she knew now his good report was more due to his magic than anything else.

Surely no other Initiate or Dreadlord would have come out so unscathed from the horrors she kept learning about.

With her duty done, Elsi stood straight and pocketed her tools, then glanced to her two guards, "Not a word of this reaches her ears."

"Yes, Lady Sirl," they replied in unison. Sometimes it was good to have money, clout, and power to throw around. But only sometimes. She reached up and pulled her hood back, then lifted the mask from her face. Elspeth's famous vibrant red hair had been pulled back into a tidy braided bun to fit beneath the hood and her face held no sign of makeup. She was as he had known her in Wissburg, scars and freckles on display instead of being hidden behind the face of a noble Lady at court.

"I never much enjoyed the attention having a pretty face brought me," she admitted to him, "but it's still nice to hear I have one from time to time," Elsi smiled at him.
 
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"Truth be told, a few years ago I wouldn't have paid it any mind." Edric admitted quite truthfully.

Though he had been at the Academy and partaken in...shenanigans on certain missions, things like that had never much been a drive for him. Something to be enjoyed, sure, but not something that he chased after like other Initiates did.

"But." He said. "I've learned to appreciate all sorts of things over the last few weeks."

Edric admitted in turn, leaning forward towards her ever so slightly. The Guards off to the side tensed as he did so, one almost stepped forward. He could see it out of the corner of his eye, the way they moved. This entire thing was far too close for them.

"Thank you, but you probably shouldn't be this close to me." He warned, though there was amusement in his tone. As though he were being playful. "They think I'm going to try to kill you."

Edric said, gaze flickering to the guards. "I am very dangerous, Elspeth."
 
Last few weeks.

So being put in prison had opened his eyes to new things? Curious, hadn't she read he'd been imprisoned several times before? She'd also read he'd escaped those prisons. Academy missions - sending their students to far off encampments where they likely were beaten, starved, tortured. All for what? What had been the point of such horrific things?

Her smile faded at his warning. Not out of fear, but out of some solemn knowledge of truth.

"I know you are," she said to him in return, "and I doubt I even know a fraction of the truth. You don't have to prove anything to me, Edric."

"My Lady, please step back outside the cell," replied one of the guards while the other planted a hand one Edric's shoulder while the other grabbed him by the hair and yanked him back into his chair.

With a frown, Elsi did as requested and removed herself from his near vicinity, stepping back into the hall where she replaced her mask and pulled her hood once more.

"Is there anything more I can do for you," she asked before turning to face him once again, "a message to anyone? A friend still in Vel Anir? Your sister?"
 
"No." Edric said with a smile.

Perhaps he should have felt a string of guilt. He knew he wasn't going to be executed today, knew that sooner rather than later Gilram would be coming to get him. A part of him wanted to just tell her that truth, that he would be fine, that he just wanted the pleasant view of her features before his escape.

But something else took over him in that moment.

Something of the old Edric. The one who acted without thought or regard.

A spark born of the knowledge that he would probably never see her again, that after today, he might never see Vel Anir again. "Wait."

He said suddenly, as if he thought of something.

"There is something." Edric said, then glanced to his left and to the right where the Guards flanked him. "But..."

His head shook again as he looked at the Guards wearily. Clearly he did not wish to say it with them able to hear. He beckoned, clearly intending to whisper whatever truth he had for her.
 
She stared at him, nonplussed. Perhaps she hadn't caught the jest before, but Elspeth was working on frayed nerves from an entire day spent tending to those on death row before and after their departure. Death wasn't new to her, but typically she served those in much different situations. War, injury, illness.

Not like this.

"Edric..." now wasn't the time to be playing games.

A heavy sigh passed through her lips, filling the space between skin and mask with an uncomfortable flush of warmth.

"Leave us," was her next command. Most Guards would have given pause, questioned the word, but neither of them did. Edric was secured in his cell, his magic cut off, and the Lady had given an order. They exited, closing and locking the cell door behind them for additional security. Not that Ed could get to the door anyway. After a few moments their footsteps faded and the sound of the cell block entrance echoed through the hall.

Elspeth approached the bars and looked in on him, waiting.
 
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