Again the big man answered in an empty cliché, the phrase trite and so well-worn there was nary a finger nor toehold upon it to hinge further conversation. Deimos had walked beside Jigano through the Bodega, received the untrusting, hostile stares and been subject to Delah’s whiplash tongue. The bard knew the evidence of his senses and his experiences, however brief, and it was the big man himself who had said that the Fae were not open to trade. He offered nothing in the way of either support of Jigano’s conjectures, or reasonable critique to help forge a stronger hypothesis from which they could work until he mentioned a merchant’s point of view – or perhaps a king’s.
”Require?” Jigano echoed thoughtfully. ”Yes… or at least, something they want. Greed may yet be a lever to diplomacy, if we can find the right combination for this lock. I wonder… if they have mages and what they can do,” he mused, half to himself as he tilted his head in thoughtful consideration of what the Hollowed Grounds had that the outside world didn’t. He would need to ask Eliza more about the magical traditions of the Fae, when next they met. Or perhaps he could find another enterprising young Fae willing to trade with him… as Deimos apparently had?
”I was able to trade information for information,” he offered from his own store of experience, trading back what Deimos gave in even exchange. ”Some of them, at least, are curious about humans and Outlanders in general.”
Kiada was an easier point, a brighter one, for all that Jigano knew so little of the brave explorer. Deimos was clearly both close to her and proud of her, though, and the bard chuckled at the big man’s grin. ”No argument from me there! She’s certainly a brave and resourceful young woman!”
”Require?” Jigano echoed thoughtfully. ”Yes… or at least, something they want. Greed may yet be a lever to diplomacy, if we can find the right combination for this lock. I wonder… if they have mages and what they can do,” he mused, half to himself as he tilted his head in thoughtful consideration of what the Hollowed Grounds had that the outside world didn’t. He would need to ask Eliza more about the magical traditions of the Fae, when next they met. Or perhaps he could find another enterprising young Fae willing to trade with him… as Deimos apparently had?
”I was able to trade information for information,” he offered from his own store of experience, trading back what Deimos gave in even exchange. ”Some of them, at least, are curious about humans and Outlanders in general.”
Kiada was an easier point, a brighter one, for all that Jigano knew so little of the brave explorer. Deimos was clearly both close to her and proud of her, though, and the bard chuckled at the big man’s grin. ”No argument from me there! She’s certainly a brave and resourceful young woman!”
