[AW] si vis pacem para bellum

[Inkheart]

The pale and scarred stallion next to her remains silent while Only speaks, while she speaks. She wonders what his purpose is, or if perhaps the only thing he is good for is greeting and observing. The black maiden ignores him, except to briefly acknowledge his question to the traveler. It briefly occurs to her that this is actually a very good question to ask. After all, though it may seem flippant and irrelevant, knowing the cause for his departure is much like asking why one has left a job: was there a problem with Only living there? Did he leave of his own volition, or was he forced out? Why. She does not let on that the thought has entered her mind. Perhaps her fellow Solterran is more useful than she thought. Only continues to appear much more confident than when he had first spoken to her. He readily accepts the warning she gives, and then continues to answer the stallion's question without hesitation. Calm and clear. And it's a good answer. Why remain in a stagnant nation? After all, isn't that what Maxence is trying to achieve in gathering them all together - to bring Solterra out of stagnancy, improve the land, and make them a force to be reckoned with? The last might have not been explicitly stated as such, but it was heavily implied. But then he admits to liking to steal and fight. The fighting is fine - that's a huge part of Solterra's core - but the stealing will be less accepted. More of the rules. For her part, Inkheart does not mind stealing so much. Sure it is a crime, but not one that is so truly evil. His begging to not be told to write book reports causes a small laugh to slip past her lips from pure amusement. That's really what she ought to be doing - pouring over the books. And yet here she is. The laugh dies when suddenly Only asks if she is a religious girl. This question would never have bothered her if asked by anyone else, in any other circumstance. It's not the question, but the timing and the way he asks it that bother her so much. The golden-green eyes seem to have changed again, but not back to the cautious and trembling stranger he had been. Her muscles tighten throughout her body, but otherwise she shows no signs of suspicion or discomfort. Is there really a demon inside of Only that recognizes her spirituality, her connection with the light of Solis? She must maintain the façade. "I am a religious woman." She may only be four, but she had left childhood long ago. She does not ask him why he poses the question, nor does she ask why he asks the next question of her companion. Her suspicion continues to deepen, and though she cannot give a logical answer as to why Only has aroused such distrust, she cannot shake the feeling. @Eik @Only

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