[Sauti] Will you catch me if I fall? [Nadiya x Jolanta]

[Sabra Knight]

Orpheus Solon

It was a day that the sun found itself shinning brilliantly over the grasslands of Sauti highlighting the flowing blades as a sea of vivid greens and teals. Barely a cloud was in the sky and the wind was light and refreshing, a sign that the bitter touch of winter was retreating back to the northern mountains of Zena and opening up the lands for Spring. Usually Nadiya would find herself ecstatic that Spring was coming but for some reason the Matori felt more pensive than anything else. Like the clouds floating above her mind was constantly drifting, mulling over the events that had occurred in the past few weeks, and struggling with her decisions.

I can't even decide if I should wear the green tunic or the mahogany dress. She noted as she held both up in a mirror before her. Why was this so hard? Why was everything so hard lately? It was just like she didn't have the energy anymore. Nadiya closed her eyes and shook her head. No! She simply had to clear her head and not worry about any certain man and push forward with her life. She had paid for her help and he had left. That was it and nothing else was going to happen there. Nadiya rubbed a palm against her stinging eyes before forcing a small smile, "I have a ship to catch." She quipped to her reflection before settling for a different teal tunic and tights. Tying the straps on her sandals the Matori twisted one last time to make certain she had all of her belongings before slinging a satchel over her shoulder. Her trunk was already on the ship and she just had to go and grab some food or something before the ship left.

She had time...not too much but a little. And it was a beautiful day - surely she could take the time to enjoy it. In a week or so she would be in Belrea again and she could go back on stage and just sing her worries away. Her music could lighten the mood of the crowd and ease the confusion that continued knotting her heart. That decided the Matori pressed forward towards a stall so that she could buy a steamed bun and pop it into her mouth as she proceeded towards where the airship was docked.  

[Orpheus Solon]

Sabra Knight

Ever since he'd got to the place in Sauti where the airships made port he couldn't help but to feel nervous. It was as though a knot of keldari had taken up residence in his stomach or something. It was a feeling that he didn't care for but it was one that he couldn't just brush aside because he was doing something that was so... well, crazy. Who rushed all the way across Tendaji chasing after a woman that might not even remember him at this point? They had concluded their business and they had gone their separate ways. The only reason that he was even able to find her trail again was because he'd gone to talk with her brother to get directions to where he might be able to find her.

Since coming to Tendaji he'd only been in two parts of it, that being Matori and Oba, so the travel through the other lands was an adventure in and of itself. He'd had to ask directions a few times in a few different villages along the way to make sure he'd still been on the right course. Something that was made awkward for a number of reasons, the main ones being the tribe he came from and the questions that seemed to pop up upon them realizing who he was and where he was going. Everyone seemed to assume that he was part of a delegation from Yael that was meant to help with fighting against the Dretch.

Had he known such a thing was happening in Oba he might have stayed just to see who came across the ocean. At the same time maybe that wasn't the best idea? He was in a state that made him quite a disgrace after all. To the point where it seemed Lurin had finally turned his back on him completely as the glow in Jolanta's eyes had faded completely. It was what happened to those that left home and didn't go back, a sacrifice that had to be made after what he'd done. It seemed strange that he'd gotten in trouble for spilling blood and now a delegation of his people might go to war and do the same thing... but no matter. What he'd done had been petty, what they were doing was more noble a cause. Perhaps that was why it would be allowed?

Shaking his head he continued forward, pausing again to get a final set of directions, and hurried on his way. He knew where the airships were located now, he knew where he had to go, and he could only hope he wasn't too late. He wasn't sure what he thought about getting onto an airship to continue his search, especially since he had a janarim pup in tow. From what he'd heard it cost extra to bring beasts across... but he did still have a lot left from what Nadiya and her brother had paid him from the word he'd done for them. Enough to keep going for a while even if he needed tickets for both himself a Daffodil. Hopefully Dafiel was still on his side and would allow him to at least catch a glimpse of Nadiya because it would let him know that he was at least on the right track.  

[Sabra Knight]

Orpheus Solon

Hurry ma! We'll miss the ship!

An apprentice was yanking at his older mother's hands dragging her forward up the ramp that connected the hovering airship to the ground. All around them a swarm of earthlings moved, mostly lightnings and gaeins who had attended the earlier meeting, and Nadiya easily found herself pushed back and forth by the rushing crowd. Some were saying goodbye to new friends, others departing for the time being, and then some like her were gathering up their belongings and making certain they were carried on board before they too stepped up from the ground and into the hovering craft. Nadiya surveyed it with a keen eye, the ship was massive the decks swept and cleaned for the new passengers, and flags decorated with some strange beast from Belrea flickered lazily in the early afternoon breeze. It was a perfect time for lift off someone commented as they brushed past Nadiya who took a step to the left to avoid being knocked to the side again.

I know I'm a bit petite but sheesh. She shook her head, fingers tapping impatiently against her hip, and after one final survey of the crowd she finally stepped forward. Her trunk had just been carried on board and she knew that she had a cabin waiting for her - a special perk considering she had known some of those connected to the captain of the vessel. Even if no one here realized it Nadiya was decently known in Belrea for her music and she hoped that upon her return she could surprise them all by singing her heart out. My heart... She slightly winced at the phrase, her pain coming from the inside of her very soul, but Nadiya pressed forward. She had needed a few days to gather her thoughts and thankfully the meeting had delayed the ships by a couple of days to allow her to do so. But why did she still feel some hesitation?

"Captain says the ship will be leaving in five minutes!" A booming voice cried out, a robust gaein who was standing on the very top of the ramp so that the crowd below and those on board could hear him, "Everyone who is leaving for Belrea should git on board now so we can embark!" Nadiya shook her head, a faint smile of amusement decorating her features. It was obvious that they were eager to go home, many were after all determined to get far away from this land with its dreadful contagion - the Dretch. Was that what she was running away from though? Nadiya pursed her lips thoughtfully. No, it was more like she was running away from home again and from something even worse...Steel Eyes....no Jolanta She rubbed a palm over her stinging eyes before moving out of the way of those climbing onto the ship.

A lady with rather wide hips found herself misjudging the distance between another and Nadiya which in turn forced her to bump into the Matori and shove her forward. After latching onto the railing of the upper deck Nadiya opened her mouth to send a sharp retort before something else caught her attention. Her gaze riveted towards the ground as violet hair stood out from the sea of blondes and orange, but she refused to believe it. Jolanta... No, it was impossible? Why...why would he be here?! And the ship was about to leave! Surely it was just coincidence...yet she found herself leaning further out, the whistling winds from the powering engines freeing her teal tresses from their ribbons, "Jo....Jolanta!" If it was him then she had to see! But movement from the ship caused her to stumble mid-wave. Maybe...he had just come to see her off? She leaned forward a bit more to try and get a better look at where she had last seen the familiar figure. Now wouldn't it be silly if she had just imagined him? That probably was the case, no? So why was she pushing herself, running along the upper deck, in hopes of seeing him?

Just one last time and then I'll gladly go...
 

[Orpheus Solon]

Sabra Knight

Jolanta found himself giving pause, looking from side to side, a look of slight confusion on his face, "Diya?" He'd of sworn that he'd heard her voice calling out to him but he found himself wondering if maybe he was just going crazy instead. He had been chasing after her so long that he just wanted to see her, hear her voice, anything that told him that this wasn't just a waste of time or that he'd already missed her. He set to looking from side to side he tried to spot Diya in the crowd, then found himself glancing up... and his eyes went wide as he spotted Diya, though just for a moment before she seemed to vanish from sight.

He blinked a couple times before rushing forward, whistling for Daffodil to keep up. It seemed as though she was already on board and if he didn't hurry he was going to miss her completely. As he approached the gangplank that would bring him onto the airship he found himself getting stopped for a time, forced to negotiate prices, before he was finally let on. There was a part of him that was a bit terrified over the idea of heading into the ship because the moment it took off there was no going back. Especially given the moment he got on there was a call for 'final boarding' and when nobody seemed to be going forward the way out was lost.

Here was to hoping that he'd actually seen her on the ship and that he wasn't chasing after a ghost. If she wasn't on the airship it was going to be a long trip to and from Belrea, wasn't it? Even more so if she was on board but wasn't interested in the reason that he'd come this far. Now that was on board he found himself flushing a bit, not sure about going forward. He really should try to figure out if Nadiya was on board or not, huh? Once he'd done that he could see about approaching her, talking to her, and trying to hammer out the feelings that had him running around in the manner that he was of late. The only way to clear things up was through them talking, which wasn't exactly his strong suit, but he was here so he'd best be ready. At least he'd best be ready if she was actually here as well.  

[Sabra Knight]

Orpheus Solon

If he was here then....oh gods why would he be here?! Nadiya felt her heart racing in her chest, like a little bird flapping its wings rapidly while trying to flee from a cage whose door had been slightly left ajar, and she couldn't tell if it was nerves or her breakfast that had her stomach in tight knots. Jolanta? The name repeated itself in the back of her mind as she struggled through the tightening throng of earthlings who were finishing boarding the ship. If anything she now knew what it was like to fight ones way out of quick sand since very few of the passengers wished to budge from their lines. Would it be too late then? If he had been there would she even get to see him before the ship left the ground? Already the familiar vibrations of flight were slowly rocking the great airship, its propellers preparing to lift the vehicle far from the ground to take everyone overseas to Belrea.

The shuddering ship caused Nadiya to loose her footing and she tumbled forward into someone....maybe Jolanta? The hope was quick to vanish as she uttered an apology to the Gaein man and took a quick step back from him, "So that's that then." She whispered under her breath, the energy suddenly depleted from her as her shoulders sank and she twisted on a foot away from the loading area. They were already up in the air, the take off having started, and she doubted he was anywhere near them on the ground. And even if he were what did it matter? Everything, every last moment of it, had just been business for him. Nadiya's fingers trembled as she lifted her hands to brush away the loose curls that had escaped their ribbons. It was all a fantasy and I'm a fool for believing in it. She was the story teller, the bard who spread rumors and tricked others with playful lies...so how was it that she had fallen for her own acting?

Nadiya rubbed a palm over her stinging eyes before twisting around more of the crowd which thankfully was thinning out now as many were heading to their cabins and others to the great dining hall that was just below the top deck. Maybe it would be best if she simply went to her own cabin as well. At least she had privacy there unlike others who shared their sleeping quarters with others. Swallowing against the growing lump in her throat Nadiya turned to head right before finding herself bumped forward by a running teenager who only called out an apology to the Matori woman who lost her balance and stumbled forward. Wincing at the sudden impact into a stranger so prepared to apologize to whoever had caught her but when she looked up into a familiar pair of silver eyes Nadiya's mouth simply opened with no words escaping before she closed it again with her gaze widening in pure surprise as she studied Jolanta's face.
 

[Orpheus Solon]

Sabra Knight

Jolanta looked around, taking in those that were around him, finding that there were a lot of members of various tribes here. A lot of them were Wind Tribe members as well as those that he assumed were from... Belrea, perhaps? He'd never run into any of those from that place, only heard a bit of about them here and there in rumor form. What about the Water Tribe though? What of the singular entity that he had been chasing since they had gone their separate ways in Matori? He didn't spot any member of the tribe straight away. Had he just been seeing things?

Well, there was a lot of space and a lot of people, so that meant he had a lot of space to search in hopes of finding any sign of Nadiya. It was going to be beyond embarrassing if he found himself taking a ride to and from Belrea for no reason. The search began, with him scanning each of face he went by with his steely gray eyes behind his glasses. Nobody that he recognized, not that there were many people that he knew on Tendaji, and nobody at all that he knew on Belrea either. That meant that he was risking being completely alone on this ship, just himself and a janarim pup, for a weeks time. It was something that caused him to sigh a bit.

Just when he was about to give up and go to find his room someone was suddenly crashing into him. He lifted his hands to catch said person and he was about to force them away when he realized who was standing there. Instead of pushing her away he stopped, his hands tightening a bit unconsciously, and he murmured, "Ahh... Diya?" He'd found her! Before his mind had been racing, eager to find her, to talk to her again, but now that she was here he was struggling with his words. What to say? What to do? He wasn't sure so all he did was just sort of... stare.  

[Sabra Knight]

Orpheus Solon

He was...standing...right....here? The words slowly processed themselves through her mind and the petite Matori woman simply found herself standing there in his grasp. If anything the solid feeling of his hands on her arms was the only thing keeping her from believing this was a mirage rather than reality. How was he here? Why was he here? Like a puzzle trying to piece itself together Nadiya's mind spun through multiple scenarios. Perhaps he was on another job and had simply been hired to be here? Her golden gaze dared to lift from his own for a brief moment before realizing that they were alone. Was he not guarding some merchant's goods then? The slightest of frowns decorated her brow before she finally found herself laughing...yes laughing at his 'Ah...Diya?'

Tears gathered in her eyes, both from the sudden burst of laughter and from the mixed emotions that had her heart knotting and tearing in half at the same time, "Ah...Jo-Jolanta?" She repeated the question shakily as she finally managed to get her breath back, "I'm...I'm sorry." She breathed as she still stayed there in his arms, "But...how is this possible? Did you come here with someone on a job? What luck!" She started forcing a bright smile though her insides still felt like shattered glass. It was best to damage the hope now before he confirmed that it was simply coincidence that he was here, "I never took you for the flying type...I guess whoever it is pays well?" She made a move as if to survey the deck again for any obvious merchant who would surely be waiting on Jolanta or Steel Eyes to join them.

But it was strange it did seem as if most passengers had left for the lower decks now that they were rising high above Sauti, the cool winds from the mountain tops whipping her hair about her face and chilling her skin. It was possible that they were already below deck and trusted their guard to join them? Or maybe he was just here to make certain a cargo would get to Belrea safely? Some merchants weren't comfortable flying yet and she had heard stories from Ahren about how they sent others with their goods in their stead. Maybe that was it as well? At least she could have company on the trip then! For the little time that it would be...since no amount of time would be enough if she knew that Jolanta was leaving again. The gods surely had a sick sense of humor to toss him here only for her to have to know that they would be parting again. At this rate how was she supposed to forget the stupid feelings that she had nearly started to believe in before?  

[Orpheus Solon]

Sabra Knight

How was it possible? Jolanta actually felt his cheeks get a bit hot as he tried to think about exactly how to answer that particular question. He knew that he should be honest even if she just laughed at him and told him that she had zero interest in the person that she'd hired to evade her family. At least that way he'd know for certain and he could then return to his life as usual. There was a big part of him that didn't want to return to such a thing but if that was what was decided by Diya then that was that, right? Even if the thought of her telling him to go home did worry him.

"Huh?" Did he come here on a job? He felt himself flinch slightly as she took guess at his motivations and missed the mark by a long shot. It seemed that she thought he was working, that it was just luck that brought him so far. To be fair it would normally take a lot to get him to come so far, more so to get him to get on this strange flying contraption that he really didn't trust all that much. Coin motivated Jolanta to do a lot of things because coin was a solid thing that he could hold in his hand, it was real, and it was tangible. It was easier to deal with him then emotions that were fleeting and could often get a person in trouble from his experience. Even now he knew that such things had already gotten him in over his head.

After a struggle to get his thoughts into check he finally said, "No... not a job... I..." He lifted a hand to adjust his glasses, more of a nervous tick then anything, before he said in a muttered tone barely above a whisper, "I was looking for... for you." Oh for the love of Dafiel he sounded like nothing more then a love sick prentice. He wouldn't blame Diya if she laughed all the way to Belrea.  

[Sabra Knight]

Orpheus Solon

Nadiya simply blinked and then blinked again, "You...were looking...for me?" She managed, her heart leaping at the words in a moment of delight, "But why?" Despite her emotions, the warmth that was spreading through her chest at being in his arms again, the woman was trying to be logical. The Jolanta, the Steel Eyes, that she had known had always claimed to be about business and nothing else. So why would he suddenly be here on a ship heading to Belrea while claiming to be looking for her and not here with someone else?

Her mind scrambled for any possibility, anything to prepare herself for his true intentions. After all she didn't want to break down into tears while standing right before him on a ship that neither of them would be able to leave for the next week. That would simply be too unbearable. So instead Nadiya reached for some logical explanation, something that would have paid Jolanta to appear. Her gaze studied him, her amber orbs thoughtful as she finally tried to press for an answer, "Is it Ahren? Was he already so worried about me that he hired you to come get me? If so then we're in a bit of a pickle considering that the ship is already in the air and they don't turn around...." She swallowed, "So if that's the case then I hope you're okay with a week on board but I'm not going back home, not when I barely got away with things...." She trailed off, her lips curving downwards in a contemplative frown as she continued to study his face, "I mean if Ahren hadn't sent you and you don't have some assignment that happened to take you to Belrea, then why else would you be here?" Nadiya shook her head slowly, "I mean I understand my brother's concern but honestly I don't need a bodyguard I'm perfectly capable of being on my own...I've done it for years you know..." She trailed off again while biting the inside of her cheek thoughtfully as she realized that she was rambling from nerves.

Seriously why would running into Jolanta like this have her feeling all fluttery?  

[Orpheus Solon]

Sabra Knight

The words 'but why' send a shiver through Jolanta, making him wondering if she was asking why he was looking for her because she didn't want him to. The idea that she might think him crazy for chasing after her instantly started to run circles in his head, filling him with doubt and worry. Had this all just been a fool's errand that he was meant to fail at? He supposed that if it was and she wanted nothing more to do with him after their playacting that was her choice and nothing that he could really argue against. That was just the way that things went and he knew that it was a possibility.

As she mentioned him coming along because her brother he started to nod... then the nod turned quickly to a shake of his head, "No, no... it wasn't..." He gave another sigh, "If you would rather I be on my way I can be, Diya. I will also do my utmost to make sure that you don't have to deal with me during the rest of the flight. I kind of know it was a possibility when I chased you here that it was possible that you wouldn't want to see me again since I was paid and sent on my way."

Taking a step back from her he moved his hands off of her and said, "You need only tell me to shove off and I will, Diya."  

[Sabra Knight]

Orpheus Solon

Oh. So he was here for Ahren then? While Nadiya kept a tight smile something on the inside had begun to crack. She wasn't certain of what she had been hoping for when she saw Jolanta standing below the airship but whatever it was had kept her heart racing when she had stumbled into him on the airship. It had been a myriad of feelings, many of them fluttery and making her feel light on her toes from the overwhelming excitement. If she had seen him first instead of stumbling into him, if she wasn't afraid of rejection, if things were so much clearer then she could imagine just racing across the ship to leap into his arms. But that was simply fantasy. The reality was that Jolanta was a hired sword who only cared about coin and had already left her when their time in Matori was over. He had gotten his pay, said his farewells, and Nadiya had only imagined how happy he was to have gotten rid of such a troublesome woman like her. The Jolanta who loved her was part of a fantasy, a story to appease her family and to prevent them from trying to arrange a marriage for her. She kept repeating such things in her mind but to see him nod his head just then shattered whatever tiny shard of hope had existed below that cloud of doubt.

Oddly enough her vision seemed to become a bit blurry and Nadiya found her gaze darting away from the Yaeli, "Then you can tell Ahren to come after me himself..." She began before realizing that he was suddenly denying being sent here by Ahren. Confusion had clamped her mouth shut as Jolanta's words started to ring inside of her head but frustration nearly had her storm away from the Yaeli. Chased her? He had chased her here without being ordered to do so? It had been his own decision? Something stirred inside of her but the hope and happiness of earlier had been shoved aside as hurt led to bitterness and a hint of anger, "Chased me and so ready to leave?" While her back had been turned to him, as she had taken a couple of steps away once his hold on her had lessened, Nadiya now spun on a heel angrily to chastise him, "Did you really want to come find me if you're so eager to just let go like that?" She managed, ignoring the stream of tears that were rolling down her cheeks, "I don't understand Jolanta so please! If I tell you to shove off right now would you do so that willingly?"

Her amber gaze burned as she stared at him daringly, her petite frame pressed towards him as she strode back to stand right before him, "You're on a ship going to Belrea....but you're already so willing to give up on whatever it is that you want? Without even truly trying first? Or were you even saying anything other than 'please Diya just send me packing?'" She quipped lightly as frustration boiled up inside of her. Yet while she wanted to act she didn't dare say it, didn't dare make the first move - not until she knew what he truly wanted. And if he was so ready to just disappear then was what she hoped to be his reason true? Please Jolanta...you've already appeared and made me lose my reason again so please don't leave me.... The thought burned through her mind but stubborn pride kept Nadiya rooted to the spot as she stared him down and waited for a response.  

[Orpheus Solon]

Sabra Knight

She was angry? He found himself starred, unsure of what he should say or do in this situation. Given the way she acted when he approached it didn't really seem as though she wanted him there. It seemed as though she thought he'd come along because he had been paid to do so and nothing else. At her question he found himself giving a nod of his head, "If you told me to leave I would leave. I am not going to force my presence or intentions upon someone that isn't interested." Though he found himself floundering a bit. Was she uninterested? Or was she? She was upset with him, even had tears coming from his eyes, and he wasn't sure how to react to all of that. Did that mean she wanted him to stay? Or was he being a bother?

As she came stalking toward him, despite the difference in their sizes and the fact that he was a warrior while she wasn't, he still took a step back away from her. Dropping his gaze he gave a sigh and said, "I... it wouldn't be the first time I've had to give up on what I want... it's just the way of things. Nobody gets everything that they want." He'd had to abandon his entire way of life and start from the ground up once already. Finally lifting his gaze he said, "If you don't want anything to do with me, if you tell me that it was just playacting and nothing more, then I will go. I just felt that I should at least figure out if there was anything more but... I don't know, if you think the only reason I came was because I was paid... which is fair, I guess."

Though he supposed it made sense, he didn't do anything without being paid these days. Maybe she just figured that was the only thing that would bring him here because it was all she knew of him? Lifting a hand he took off his glasses so he could rub at his eyes before replacing them once more.  

[Sabra Knight]

Orpheus Solon

Nadiya shifted as Jolanta spoke, her arms crossing lightly at her waist as if to either comfort herself or keep space between them. Was it so hard to say, 'yes I wouldn't give up on you until you heard me out?' The adventurer, the romantic on the inside of her soul stirred eagerly but Nadiya shoved it down with stubborn pride. If he didn't seem like he wanted to fight for her then was he truly invested? She wanted to quip at him but her gaze softened as he continued speaking. Already he had been through so much...had he simply lost his resolve in chasing what he wanted? Yet if he didn't truly want her would he be on a ship heading towards Belrea now? Was she the one holding back now? Was her frustrations also at herself for being so afraid to move forward?

She had never committed to someone before. Always before she had danced from one place to another, flirting with both men and women here and there, but never before had she actually had someone make her heart clench like Jolanta did. It had ached the full night that he had first separated from her, the illusions of love shattering her on the inside as she gave up on what could be and relented to it simply being a fantasy. Yet it appeared that love was not exactly a fantasy, now did it? Couldn't she prove to him that there were things you could get, especially if you worked towards them? Or perhaps that the gods kept him from something because in the end they knew that he had something else or rather someone else waiting for him?

And hadn't she always been the one to always speak her mind, to always show her emotions, and to never let go of what she wanted to do? While he seemed so willing to give up and to let things go, even at the cost of his own feelings, she was quite stubborn about them instead. "Always so different..." She slowly stated finally breaking the silence that had surrounded them after he had waited for her response. Nadiya glanced up towards him, her lips slowly curving upwards despite her confusing words, "Are you....are you really here for me?" She finally asked as she studied him with her gentle amber gaze that seemingly glowed in the sunlight, "No pay, nothing but the risk that you took to see if I have feelings for you?"  

[Orpheus Solon]

Sabra Knight

Jolanta stood there in silence, feeling uncomfortable and out of place at the moment. He wasn't sure what he should be doing or saying, a part of him wanting nothing more then to retreat because he was certain that Nadiya wasn't pleased with his presence. He lifted his gaze as she spoke up, mentioning something being 'always so different'. He blinked a couple times and watched the Water Tribeswoman closely, a curious look on his face, "Diya?"

"Ahh..." He nodded his head, "I knew that it could be a foolish idea, one that might not pan out, and that you would just tell me it was all exactly as it seemed to be, play acting to ward off your family and their terrible choices for fiancees..." He murmured, knowing very well that this all might be for naught. Something that would end up quite embarrassing because the two of them would be trapped together on this ship for some amount of time, unable to truly escape from each other without having to really go out of their ways to not have to see the other or interact. He knew all of that but still he'd climbed aboard.

He gave a nod of his head as she mentioned there being 'no pay' involved, "I mean... I did talk to your brother if I am being honest... I didn't know where you'd gone and I couldn't just search without any direction..." So while her brother was involved it wasn't in the way that she was expecting him to be. There was no money exchanged between the two of them, just words.  

[Sabra Knight]

Orpheus Solon

Despite the current situation Nadiya couldn't resist quirking an eyebrow at Jolanta's words, "You follow foolish ideas?" She replied quietly, the faintest twitch of her lips revealing the hint of a grin, "I'm astonished." If anything the little spurt of humor dissipated the previous anger and frustrations that had almost made her walk away from Jolanta. While she still had some feelings to deal with, some fears to fend away, the woman was slowly beginning to embrace that this was her reality. The man who had haunted her thoughts had come after her - for her and not for some mission, pay, or anyone else. In fact, she was his mission in a sense. The thought caused her heart to jump in her chest and it took all of her willpower to behave. But another thought did cause her to frown slightly as she studied him some more, "But you're so willing to leave if I do say that?" Well that wasn't any fun. Even if she didn't notice it in a sense Nadiya was actually pouting at such an idea. It was silly, especially considering all that he was already doing for her, but in a childish way it made her feel like he could easily replace her and not like this was their chance for something that....maybe could never be found again.

A bit drastic, buuuut. That was how she was, wasn't it? She always had a flare for the dramatic but the fear of accidentally chasing him away held her rooted to the spot. There was no need to be so mean, no need to pretend to ignore something that was there when the man she had never imagined coming after her had actually arrived. How could she be angry when just seeing him had her heart fluttering?

His honesty stopped her rambling thoughts and Nadiya found herself letting out a soft laugh, "You did?" He had even went to her brother? The Matori found herself shaking her head, tendrils of hair bouncing with the movement, "I'm glad Ahren was honest with you though I'm sure he was surprised that someone was coming to him for information on me for once rather than him looking to others to find me." Her gaze glimmered as she studied Jolanta again and a slow smile spread across her heart-shaped face, "So...." She began, her feet taking a slow step towards him with every word that escaped her lips, "you came here for me, but are you really so willing to let me go now that you've found me again?" She found herself finishing the question, her face barely a breath away from his own, "Would it be that easy to just let me disappear?" Nadiya teased though in the depths of that amber gaze a hint of sorrow emerged. What if she was the one who held the deeper feelings right now? Would he tire of her after a while? It was one of the many ideas that had her frightened, but her bold spirit kept her moving forward.

"Such words make me worry." She whispered quietly, honesty coming forward in her teasing approach, "What if I don't know if you really do like me? Or that I'm worried that you think I can be replaced easily?" Her hands slowly moved upwards so that she could wrap them carefully around his shoulders, "Can I trust you with my heart, Jolanta? Because I'm worried that I really may be falling hard for you." The truth slipped out as she stood there with her fingers clutching lightly at the back of his shirt while she stood on tiptoe and waited for his response.