"Either you understand my people far too well or not at all, I can't decide which."
Slowly and with apparently an exertion of great effort, Cassia turned her back on the hard, unforgiving mountain landscape and locked eyes with the hard, unforgiving north woman instead.
"First of all let me educate you a little. Despite what you think, you are not innocent; I have the judges paperwork that says you are not. I can not overturn that and even if I could it would take far longer than the four moons or so I need to say that you are no longer a threat to the empire or it's people."
Pausing, Cassia listened to the low howl of the wind. Oh how she detested these god cursed mountains.
"As for Reva, she is my ticket out of this sun forsaken hell just as she is yours. Stupid and impulsive and frankly insane as she is, she is also valuable. Her tendency to hit anything that confuses her makes it hard to realize that value and that's where you can help me."
Silph scoffed lightly. If anything had changed in the past few seconds, it was only that her stance had become even more aggressively rigid, if not hostile.
"Papers spell what lies we speak. You teach me nothing." Her twin braids were the only thing moving on her, until her chin jutted forth stubbornly. "And your four moons are still four moons too long. And for what? To contain the girl's wild insanity?"
What had Rowan called Reva again? Osa...Aasi..mar?
"Is it because she is Aasimar?"
For the first time since she stepped out onto the balcony, Cassia smiled.
"So there is a spark of intelligence in there. Yes, in part at least. If Reva and your horned cellmate share one thing in common it is that they are both rather unique specimens. In Reva's case though, her value comes more from the life I suspect that she has lived. Uncovering it has been a project of mine. I probably know more about her than she does."
The warden's words passed and receded into the cold, tense silence. Her prisoner was unresponsive. Indeed, as Cassia had so insulted, the human's appearance was dull, all emotion squashed as she stared back lifelessly.
No, perhaps that wasn't all true. There was something churning in that thick skull of hers, barely registered beyond the blank look of her eyes. A grand decision was to be made...and it took her no less than fifteen seconds to consider it. Her eyes drifted down to the metal about her wrists. The frigid winds had helped to make them brittle and cold. Silph raised her head slowly, meeting the warden's eyes.
"I don't want to help you." What was the point of lying? The warden herself had said Silph wasn't particularly good at it. "But...I will keep an eye on her. As you've said."
"Chain her to the bottom of your bunk for all I really care. As long as she isn't doing anything my guards have to write down, my plans can proceed to both our benefit."
Apparently satisfied by the north woman's grudging acceptance of her deal, Cassia stepped gracefully around Silph, one hand already reaching for the clasp that had held her cloak shut against the freezing air while the other reached for the door handle.
"I have a bottle of the best whiskey in the empire if you are inclined to a drink to toast our little arrangement. Even if not I'd suggest you take it if you want a good night's sleep. Reva does scream rather doesn't she? The poor thing only seems peaceful when she is a few sheets to the wind. Give her a bottle and you'll be her best friend and well rested."
"Hold. One question."
Silph spoke with an authority she did not have. She glanced up, blinking in the wind.
"Why me? Why not Rowan instead?"
"You really need to ask?"
Halfway through the door, Cassia turned on the spot to look at Silph. Her face was a mask of genuine surprise.
"I don't trust that creature. I don't trust it's kind. They are tainted. You, well your peoples ways are certainly hmmm, different to my own, but, well you are a business woman. I can work with that. The hellspawn is only here because I am certain it terrifies Reva. I thought it might help her to take a shine to you. I can have it moved to more suitable accommodation if you would prefer that."
"No. That is alright."
For despite the warden's previous insult, the Diane woman was an intelligent woman. Inwardly she weighed the authenticity of the Warden's disgust against hellspawns with her own deep-seated suspicion of lizard words. She trusted the other's prejudice, and in so doing solidified her own plans in cement.
The hammer would come against stone soon.
"Like you say," The human continued in the same airy tone, "It might help Reva like me more."
With that being said, Silph came along, following Cassia out of the frigid cold and back into the warm hallway.