Blackwater Islands girls of roses, thorns and crowns

I wasn’t really asking permission, Eske thinks but bites her tongue to keep the words from tumbling free of her lips. She has no interest in starting anything with the older woman and so long as Shalon does not get in her way then Eske does not think it should be an issue; but just because Eske does not want her getting in her way does not mean that Eske does not wish to keep an eye on her all the same. Shalon does not know the agreement, tense as it was, between the Nereides and Drageda and won’t because it is none of her business but there are several reasons for Eske’s distrust and not all of them have to do strictly with the Nereides, either. Eske’s trust is oft found in very limited supply and she rations it out with extreme diligence. Eske’s lips twitch when she is ordered about seeking to turn the woman’s own words against her in kind. “Likewise,” The Warrior Princess returns with a twitch of her tail against her hocks. For was not asking Eske to keep requests to minimum a request in and of itself? Eske holds the power here and she is stubbornly unwilling to release it.

When Arlo and her are finished and Eske has surprised for herself that Shalon is not apart of the Nereides and they are not laying in wait for ambush Shalon will be freed of the Cheka’s requests and what the woman does for that Eske doesn’t care. “It could have infection.” Eske offers (likely unhelpfully) but in truth she does not know if that is the case or not. She never shared in her mother’s passion for the healing arts. Eske takes the lead, though gives herself some distance from the stranger to better keep an eye on her. Eske is not sure what she looks for and the further they go on the barren island there is still no detection of scents aside from Shalon’s own. “What brought you to these barren islands?” Eske asks though her attention is only half offered towards Shalon. She is preening conversation for useful information, as she suspects that any good tactician would do. Eske cannot help but think there is nothing — aside from the current situation — that would possess her to make a trip to the Blackwater Islands. Thus far, she finds them bleak, thorny and utterly unwelcoming, which is surprising because it kind of feels like an ironic projection of her personality.