He raised a brow at her tone, then raised it higher as she spat venom. Clearly she'd been speaking to someone else from inside the barrier - maybe several some ones? And they had not made the best impression. He could guess who at least one of them was, he thought with an inward sigh, and considered how much harder that would make his attempts to mend the bridges that had apparently been scorched, if not fully burned. Whoever she was, this elegant woman wasn't chasing him from the waterfall with a drawn weapon, at least, so there was still hope.
"I didn't mean to imply that I knew any better," he said mildly. "I'm not even entirely sure what you're doing. I was just offering an extra pair of hands, if that would make your task easier." He offered a deep courtier's bow, graceful and elegant and smiling wryly as he rose again. He mentally coaxed Isuma back to his side, and she launched herself from a bounding leap to flap up and take her place on his shoulder. "I'm sorry if anyone else from inside the barrier insulted you, though. Is there some way I can perhaps make it up to you?" Honey went farther than vinegar, after all, and humility and flattery could open far more doors than bluster alone!
"I didn't mean to imply that I knew any better," he said mildly. "I'm not even entirely sure what you're doing. I was just offering an extra pair of hands, if that would make your task easier." He offered a deep courtier's bow, graceful and elegant and smiling wryly as he rose again. He mentally coaxed Isuma back to his side, and she launched herself from a bounding leap to flap up and take her place on his shoulder. "I'm sorry if anyone else from inside the barrier insulted you, though. Is there some way I can perhaps make it up to you?" Honey went farther than vinegar, after all, and humility and flattery could open far more doors than bluster alone!
