Pathfinder [Frontier Justice] In Character

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She didn't even get out the door, so she huffed. "Magic is cheating Talon." She mock pouted. "I'm not much for being tied up, although I've never tried it." The idea of playing a game with stakes was exciting though. "What kind of stakes are we talking and what kinda of game? I haven't played tag or hind and seek in a while. Perhaps the game should be, whomever sneaks up on the other first win's hmmm?" Hide and seek was a game she was very good at, so it would be a tad unfair. Still he could get lucky and she could trip up and make a mistake. Or she could just let him catch her.
 
"Magic is not cheating," he replied. "No more than using any skill you might have would be." He smiled.

"I'd love to discuss the terms of our game, but I must tuck in my slave before we do, and she's still cleaning herself up. So for now... we must wait." His smile grew smug. "But that doesn't mean we have to simply 'wait'. We can do other things as well."
 
Alita, still more than a little surly followed Talon into his room, doing her best to ignore the insipid giggling flirtations between he and Tala. She tried to convince herself that it wasn't because she was jealous, but it was hard to rationalize it any other way. She liked it when Talon took control of her, when his hands roamed her body in such a commanding, yet casual way, like he had every right in the world to touch her however he liked. She wanted more of that, but it was not to be; Talon had eyes only for Tala and he would always prioritize Tala over her. Alita was a plaything, nothing more. There was no promise of devotion between herself and Talon and Talon seemed intent on wedding Tala despite not knowing the first thing about her, so Alita supposed she should have been grateful for not being bound to such a reckless man, but she still felt her gut twist in envy. So the best thing she could do was not grow attached; she would harden her heart and live out the next year as a servant and try to find a partner who would not disappoint her so.

Of course, it was hard to harden her heart when Talon pulled her close by the collar. She'd be lying if she said she didn't like the collar: there was something primal about it, something in the way it controlled her, that made her knees go weak and her loins begin to burden with need. Her breathing grew slightly heavier as Talon held her close, any traces of anger or resentment vanishing from her face, and she had to stifle a sigh of disappointment as he let her go in the direction of the bathroom. She quickly reminded herself that Talon had no real interest in her, which helped to put her back in her bad mood.

Alita walked into the bathroom and took the lockpicks from her belt. Carefully, in the mirror, she buried them deep in her hair near the back of her head so that she could keep them even if she was striped naked (Slight of Hand: 1d20+12=30). It wouldn't hold for too long, but it would hold for more than long enough for her to get into the cage. She walked back out into the bedroom and stood silently, waiting for further instructions.
 
"Other things? Even with her standing right in there, wouldn't that be rude?" The thought was exciting, but Tala didn't know how open Alita was to walking out of the bathroom and seeing them doing whatever it was Talon had in mind. On the other hand Alita was now a slave and didn't have any choice in what she saw or did. It was rather exciting as well, the thrill of possibly being caught. "W-What is it you wish to do while we wait?" Of course Alita would walk out as soon as she asked the question causing Tala to blush a bit.
 
It took a few minutes for her to manage something resembling composure. She shivered slightly as he stroked her hair and praised her, her eyes half lidded and heavy as a bone deep weariness settled over her. He looked so pleased with her, and while she was a bit confused and bewildered about all of it, she couldn't help but smile shyly as he told her how well she did. She didn't really know what she had done so special; he'd been the one to do all of the stroking and kissing and teasing and she'd merely responded. Still, it was a lovely, languid sort of peacefulness that settled over her as he washed her gently, his hands soothing and tender and surprisingly arousing to her once more, making her wriggle a little under his ministrations. By the time he had finished, she was squirming against him, nuzzling against his chest with soft, warm little sighs of pleasure.

She sighed a bit when he stated that they should finish tidying up and go head up for dinner. She looked up at him as he spoke, blushing a bit and biting her lip. "I...alright, if you say so." She wasn't terribly eager to go up and meet the others for dinner; Talon never seemed to be interested in speaking to her, Alita was always so angry and Tala was sweet, but Meri always felt like the ranger was laughing at some private joke that she was loathe to share. She cared about her companions, but sometimes she felt very small and useless and easily forgotten. She stood up, holding on to the side of the tub to steady herself before stepping out bashfully, taking her robe and wrapping it around herself, sitting down on one of the benches to brush her hair out.
 
Markus strode confidently out of the tub, his member still partially erect, and began drying himself off casually, occasionally shooting a look and a smile in Meri's direction. Once he was dry, he pulled on his tunic and trousers and sat down beside her, taking a strand of her hair in his fingers and playing with it gently. "I have always admired your hair," he said, grinning at her. "It reminds me of the crimson sunrises of the mornings when my father and I were preparing to go out into the forest to check our traps and forage for wild berries. I was not born into knighthood, you know: my father was a woodsman and my mother was the stablemistress in my little village. I spent my childhood helping both of them, depending on who needed assistance. It was only when I turned ten that I was apprenticed as a squire to a knight. Still, I never lost my love of the forest. When I earned my knighthood, I would take every opportunity I could to go hunting with my comrades. Alas, I never truly enjoyed the way that the upper class hunts: it's far more enjoyable to prowl through the woods with a bow than to crash through it on horseback with a pack of hounds all to find a single fox. It seemed counter-intuitive to me to announce one's presence so loudly when a true hunter uses stealth to their advantage."

He set her hair down and placed a massive arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently against himself. "I always find myself recalling gentler times in your presence, Merised. I enjoy the way you set my mind at ease. It is a shame that so many of our comrades do not appreciate your company. I hope to rectify this in time, though for now I am more content to savor your companionship."
 
She looked a bit surprised as he expressed an appreciation for her hair, pausing in her brushing and looking at the crimson red mass of wet curls and waves. He liked her hair? It was uncommon enough among the people of her village, had caused her to be eyed with a bit of wariness during her youth, until she'd been shown to be a quiet, calm sort of girl. It was strange for her be complimented on her hair, and she couldn't help but smile a bit as he spoke of what the color put him in mind of.

Her own family...well, she wasn't sure what happened to them. They weren't the sort to settle down, even as little settling down as their community had done. When she was chosen as the successor to the village's wise woman, she had gone to live with the older elf and her parents had been proud of her but the itch had never left their feet. She wondered where they were now, if they were still alive. Perhaps their travels would take them here to Ide.

She couldn't help but agree with him and his opinions of how hunting should be done. The idea of hunting so loudly, in such a large group with hounds and horses and such all for a single fox...what purpose could be found in that? No food could be gathered for so large a group, and the pelt, while useful, couldn't be split among so many. There were a great many things she'd heard of from the humans of her acquaintance that made little sense to her elven sensibilities, and for now all she could really do was shake her head inwardly and hold her tongue out of affection for her companions and politeness. But then his arm was around her shoulder, drawing him against his side and she blushed a bit as he confessed that she helped put his mind at ease and remind him of good times.

She would have smiled at that, had he not mentioned the apparent low regard everyone else in the group seemed to reserve for her. She bowed her head slightly and didn't speak up, finding nothing that she really could think of to say in response to that. After a moment she finished brushing her hair and braided it back into a sensible, stern plait going down her back and looked up at him. "I'm finished, if you are. We can go now." She said quietly, playing with the cloth belt of her dressing robe.
 
Markus bent down and kissed her forehead as he saw Meri frown; he had not meant to upset her. He watched as she finished braiding her hair and nodded and stood with her when she said she was ready to go to dinner.

"I shall accompany you back to your room," he said, offering her his arm. "It would hardly do for you to wear a bathrobe to dinner. Come: I shall help you find something lovely to wear tonight and you can do the same for me."
 
She nodded wordlessly and stood, taking his arm after a moment's hesitation, walking with him back to her quarters at the guildhall. Her room was small, one of the smaller rooms in the guildhall. It made sense; she didn't have many possessions, had never really been the sort to have an attachment to such things. And she was small anyway, didn't take up much space. A bed, a desk, a bookshelf full of scrolls and tomes, and a small chest at the foot of her bed was all she really needed. Still, it was homey, though a man of Markus's size took up a good portion of her living space. She looked a bit bashful as she stepped in and allowed him in after her, going to the trunk and opening it up to display her meager clothing selection.

"I...I don't have that many clothes. I never needed them. I have a couple of robes, a tunic and pants, and my bathrobe. That's...that's all." She said softly, worrying at her lip slightly. She had never worried about such things before but now...well now he wanted her to wear something lovely and she simply had nothing of the sort.
 
"That's fine," said Markus, smiling. "Why don't you pick out one of your robes for tonight and I'll wear something casual as well? We can fin you something lovely after our next hunt. As a priestess of Sarenrae, you should embody the radiant beauty of the sun and I can help you find a few things to add to your wardrobe to help you get better in touch with your faith. Tonight, though, I'd simply like to enjoy your company." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and gave her a smile.

"Shall I wait for you outside while you change?" he asked. "I would hate to make you feel uncomfortable."
 
She bowed her head and nodded, glancing towards the door. "I...I would appreciate it, yes please." She said softly, uncertain of why she was still bashful around him, considering their activities in the bathhouse earlier. Still, it was embarrassing to even think of dressing in front of him, and when he left the room, she set to work quickly getting ready. Oils to soften and smooth her skin, as the climate here was different than the lowland forests she called home. Cooler and drier, it tended to make her skin painfully irritated if she didn't take precautions. And the oils were scented of the essence of several flowers and plants that had wonderful medicinal properties as well as wonderful scents, so it functioned well as perfume also. A much more natural, sweet scent than actual perfume usually had, and it softened and smoothed her skin even in the coldest, driest of seasons.

Her robes were simple for the most part, a muted green robe that cinched just under her breasts and flowed down to her feet, soft from many washings and comfortable, with sleeves to her elbows and pretty embroidery in gray thread along the hem, neckline and sleeves of leaves and branches. It had been the first thing she'd purchased for herself when she had arrived in Ide, more sensible for the climate than the warm weather clothes she'd worn with her tribe and it was one of the nicer things she wore. Still utilitarian and plain by many standards, it was still luxury to her. Sliding on a pair of gray slippers, she made her way to the door and opened it once more, bowing her head to Markus. "I am finished. Thank you for waiting." She said apologetically.
 
"I would gladly wait years for you, my dear," said Markus, bending down to kiss the little elf on the lips. "You look beautiful, Meri, and you have a ravishing scent to you as well. Come: I must change into something a little less casual, then we may be away to dinner."

Markus lead Meri down to the opposite end of the hall, where he lived. His room was a bit larger, with much more standing room, though fairly spartan in its decoration. He had a book case, a rack that held his armor and spear, a dresser for his clothes and a mirror over the dresser. His bed seemed to be the only thing besides his armor that he'd spent a good deal of money on. It was large enough to accommodate his massive size, as well as one or two other people depending on how large they were. The sheets were made of smooth silk and goose down pillows graced the head of the bed. The books were on various subjects, ranging from religion to animal husbandry to a handful of novels. There were even a couple of tomes on the tactical uses for magic, both divine and arcane.

"Feel free to take a seat on the bed or wait outside," said Markus. "I will be changed presently."

Markus changed from his plain tan tunic and trousers to a dark blue tunic and black trousers with boots that were more suited to the city than the wilderness. He belted on a simple leather belt with a small knife attached, though it was small enough that it was more useful as a tool than a weapon. He returned to Meri and offered her his arm once more.

"Let us be off to dinner!" he said, cheerily.
 
It would take time for her to become accustomed to Markus's habit of kissing her, and she was visibly blushing as he led her from her room and down the hall to his own. His room was a bit more decorated than hers, with a bed large enough to fit several people, as opposed to her tiny bed that was made to fit her alone. She found herself going to the books and looking through the titles with interest; she had known that Markus was a well educated individual but she hadn't realized the breadth of his knowledge or the subjects that his interest apparently spanned. She was just about to pull one of the books on the saints of Sarenrae from it's place and read through it when he spoke up, letting her know that he would be changing.

She blushed a little and bit her lip, opting to turn to face away from him instead, fidgeting a bit nervously. Normally him undressing or her undressing in front of him wouldn't have presented much of a concern for her, but now rather than it simply being a comrade (albeit one she had always had a slight tendre for) who was undressed before her, it was a man that had seen and done things to her body that she had never expected him to do, and that lent a slight charge to the air when she was around him. When he was finished, he came to her and offered her his arm, and she startled just a bit before she realized he was dressed, and quite nicely at that. Nodding, she placed her hand on his arm delicately and allowed him to lead her from the room.

She wondered as they walked whether or not the others were at the tavern for dinner yet. They tried to eat together, to discuss things and make plans but so often things devolved into snappish comments and thinly veiled insults, almost to the point that Merisad found it more nerve-wracking to be around them than to be alone. She thought very highly of all of her compatriots and would protect them with all the strength she had but sometimes...sometimes she had to admit that she didn't like being in their company very much. She prayed silently that Sarenrae grant them a peaceful dinner for once.
 
Upon arriving in the tavern, Markus and Meri discovered that their usual table was empty of the rest of their party. Markus was somewhat glad that he and Meri would have the table to themselves; while he appreciated everyone's talents, the bickering became tiresome quickly. He understood that Alita was a prideful woman and, despite the fact that she clung to her own sense of honor, he felt that her fiery temper caused her more trouble than good. Talon too was a bit too prideful for his own good, though he simply replaced Alita's anger with arrogance. Tala was more tolerable, but Markus found her optimism to border on naivete more often than not and he dreaded the day when she discovered that the world was not the happy place she believed it to be. Perhaps that was why he was so drawn to Merised; she was kind and had an air of innocence about her, but she understood that, while the world could be a delightful place, it held terror and hardship that most could never dream of.

Markus took a seat facing the menu and, without much warning, pulled Meri down into his lap. He looked at the menu, scrawled on a large blackboard behind the bar, and was delighted to see that they had pheasant available. It was expensive, but he didn't mind dropping a few gold on a meal for himself and Merised. He waved Anna over and placed his order. "Meri will have the pheasant with the wildberry salad," he said, ordering for Meri like it was the most natural thing in the world. "And I shall have a thigh of turkey with gravy and stuffing. We would also like a bottle of wine, please."
 
Anna looked a bit surprised to see the two of them alone. It was more customary for the five of them to dine as a group, though many of the serving girls in the tavern had come to expect those meals to result in broken crockery and flung silverware, so the prospect of the two more quiet members of the group being there alone, while causing a bit of speculation, wasn't unwelcome in the least. She smiled at Meri, who looked rather surprised by the whole thing, and clucked to herself inwardly. Poor girl didn't know what was going on, that much was evident. Anna inclined her head to the two of them cheerfully and went to place their order, as well as fetch the wine that Markus had requested.

Meri looked at Markus a long moment, uncertain of how to respond. On the one hand, she was a bit taken aback by the fact that he would simply speak for her without her leave to do so. But on the other, he ordered precisely what she would have ordered for herself, and that showed that he had a bit more of an understanding of her than she'd expected. She decided to stay with a more neutral approach, immensely glad that the others weren't here to rage or make silly jokes about Markus's actions. "Is it...customary in your homeland to order for your companion?" She asked, keeping her voice curious and light. "I didn't realize that you were so familiar with my eating habits."
 
"My apologies," said Markus, sincerely. "It is not universally customary, though it is common among the knighthood and nobility for a man to order for his woman. If it makes you uncomfortable, though, I can stop. As for your eating habits, I simply pay attention to what my comrades eat. It is helpful to know each of your preferences and allergies in case we run out of provisions and need to forage. While I might not be able to find something exactly to your preference, I would certainly try my best to keep you all satisfied."

Markus did not feel nervous or ashamed in the slightest to be seen with Meri or act the way he did around her. It wasn't so much that he was shameless as he simply saw no reason to take shame in his actions. He was a knight courting his dear Merised and there was absolutely no reason for him to be ashamed of that. He would treat her as a knight was expected to treat a lady and that would be that. Well, not quite; Markus had one or two proclivities that not all of his knightly brethren shared, but he would still cherish Merised as was her right. When he returned to Londo bearing the head of a dragon, he would also have Merised on his arm. He had no doubt that any lord would wish to cast him aside then. Pride was not generally a trait that was praised in the knighthood, at least not in excess, but Markus was certain that once he had a few more valorous deeds under his belt even the high lords of Londo would be vying for his loyalty, even despite his strange abilities.

Still, it would not do to lose himself in machinations for the future. Tonight was about Merised and the two of them getting to know each other. He hugged her against himself with one arm and used the other to gently tilt her chin up and towards himself. "Tell me a little more about yourself," he said. "Not necessarily about your past, but I wish to know your preferences, your hobbies and your dreams. You are a fascinating soul, Merised, and I wish to know you as well as I can."
 
"Ohh! No no, it's not a problem at all. I just wondered because I have never had anyone order food for me. It isn't a bad thing in the least, I was just surprised." It was a very obvious thing to do to display one's courtship status, she reasoned. Elves didn't do it, but Markus had declared his intentions towards her very openly, so it made sense that he would follow the traditions of his people in that regard. His questions about her made her blush slightly, and she found herself at a loss for words. She truly didn't find herself fascinating in the least. Quite the opposite, she was very ordinary in her opinion. At least she had been until for some reason Sarenrae had chosen her as an oracle and her entire world had been turned upside down. She would never dream of questioning the will of a divine being but sometimes...sometimes she wondered if her life would have been so terrible if she'd been able to stay in her village and follow the path she had chosen, rather than the path that had been chosen for her.

"I...don't really know. Ever since I've come here, there have been healers more skilled and more powerful than I am, and there is no call for me to practice the other arts I was trained in. Things are very different here than among my people. There is no veneration of the spirits of ancestors, no worship of the spirits of nature so there is no need to perform any rites or rituals for that purpose, or for blessing homes or births or things of that nature." She frowned slightly, looking down at the table. "I...there is very little that I have to remind me of my home, and even less that I can have with me. There were so many rituals and festivals and celebrations that...that humans do not revere. Even now, we are the middle of one of our lunar festivals. And yet...I look everywhere and see nothing even resembling a glimmer of the familiar. It is...unnerving sometimes."

She sighed slightly, feeling as though she were being entirely too negative about the situation. She supposed that she should be more grateful for the position she was in, even if it was nothing that she had ever prepared for or desired. Her dreams had always been very close to home, a family of her own perhaps, a position of respect among her people. "I do have my studies of course. I've been studying the anatomy and physiology of humanoid species. I am not the most powerful healer of course, so I hope to strengthen the effect of my spells with a detailed understanding of the workings of the body. That is...that is going well." It really wasn't because a working internal understanding of the body and how it operated required dissection and corpses and she was rather certain no one around here would care much for researching in a manner that so closely resembled necromancy.

She tried to smile a little but it felt a bit flat. "I..read, quite a bit. I confess I haven't really gotten out much. It feels very awkward being one of the only people in a town to be of a certain race. There are other elves but not very many, and none from my village or even region. We weren't the highborn elves in their shining cities. We were a small village, and we didn't have much contact with the outside world. I didn't even see my first human until I was...sent away from my tribe after the whole...you know...oracle calling was revealed."
 
Markus smiled as he listened to Meri share her story with him. He had always found the elf to be melancholy, but he was beginning to understand why that was now. He cuddled her against his body and gently, absentmindedly stroked her hair as she spoke. He nodded when she finished and thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully.

"It occurs to me," he said, speaking a little slowly at first, hoping that he did not offend Merised, "that no one comes to Ide because they wish to. A simple look around the place will tell you that this is not a place one would willingly settle and start a family in. Creatures of all sorts attack almost daily and the only protection the town has is a guild of mercenaries. Indeed, were it my choice, I would be back in Londo serving happily under a lord and making a name for myself with acts of valor. Alas, I am stuck here until I can prove my valor and return home with my head held high.

"You are not the only one who finds this place strange, either; I find their carefree attitude towards sex... distasteful. I was brought up to treat intercourse as something that is to be cherished between two lovers and not something that is to be sold or given away cheaply. Sarenrae smiles upon unions between the betrothed and the married, and though she does not outright condemn casual sex, she makes her opinions on the subject known. It is alright to experiment to see if two courters are sexually compatible and virginity is not necessary for marriage, but I don't believe that sex should be a frivolous matter." He sighed and gently began tracing a finger along the length of her ear.

"I too enjoy a good book," he concurred. "I brought a good many books with me when I left Londo. Mostly technical manuals on various subjects to better lead my comrades into battle, but that skillset is hardly required for my current duties. There is a catharsis in slaying my foes, but I was trained to lead soldiers and defend the realm. I find simply exterminating monsters largely fulfilling. Still, it is not necessary that we stay here forever: it should be a simple matter to save up some money and journey elsewhere if we do not find life pleasing here."
 
FuriousloverXD said:
"Other things? Even with her standing right in there, wouldn't that be rude?" The thought was exciting, but Tala didn't know how open Alita was to walking out of the bathroom and seeing them doing whatever it was Talon had in mind. On the other hand Alita was now a slave and didn't have any choice in what she saw or did. It was rather exciting as well, the thrill of possibly being caught. "W-What is it you wish to do while we wait?" Of course Alita would walk out as soon as she asked the question causing Tala to blush a bit.
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"I suppose we'll never know now, will we?" Talon smirked at Tala. He guided his slave to her cage and indicated that she should crawl in, then he slid her tray of food in after her and locked a door.

"Be a good girl, Alita, and don't cause too much trouble in there." He smiled at her as he knelt by the door. He was actually very impressed with how she had controlled her temper that day but he didn't want to say anything to her lest she become too confident in her new position. Once he was certain that she was tucked in for the night he stood up and extended a hand to Tala.

"Shall we?"
 
Tala felt a bit relieved that Alita had finished so quickly. Another smaller part kinda wanted the thrill of possibly getting caught or even being watched by the slave. That would wait for another time. For now they needed to get to know one another without Alita there to watch the two of them. "Yes let's go. Lead the way Talon." He had an idea of what he wanted to do. Be it lead her back to her own room, outside to simply walk and talk, or perhaps to the baths. Tala cared not, since she would have fun and attractive company Tonight was surely a night she'd remember for as long as she lived.
 
Alita settled into the cage and rolled her eyes at Talon's instructions. She might have enjoyed the prospect of being locked in a cage a bit more if Talon wanted her as something more than a glorified sex toy, but as it stood she had simply resolved to bear with whatever Talon decided to do with her for the next year and then leave the moment her possessions were returned to her. She would be bored at best, humiliated at worst and she'd be lucky to walk away without her belly swollen with child. The duelist found herself a comfortable position in the cage and began nibbling at the food that had been given to her, patiently waiting until Talon was done with whatever it is that he had planned and went to sleep.
 
Talon offered Tala his arm, and made sure to secure the door to the room behind him as they left. The sound of his footsteps retreated in the hallway. His easy laughter, a sound not heard in nearly a year, drifted back to his room until it disappeared.

In the hallway, Talon smiled at the vivacious woman next to him. "I suppose that you wouldn't mind if we were to go to your room and spend the next few hours getting to know each other more intimately?" His fingers brushed her lower back where it curved. "It doesn't seem to avoid doing what I believe we both want to do.... unless there is some custom that ordains that we need to spend a certain number of weeks getting comfortable with the idea first?"
 
Tala gladly accepted the arm and grinned as he laughed. It was a welcome sound she could stand to hear more often. "I don't mind showing you to my room. There is no custom and we've spent a year working together. I'm honestly surprised our group has gone this long without anyone being intimate with one another." That was a pretty good record considering how good looking their group was." Her hand took his off the small of her back and simply held onto it as she led the way. Her room wasn't far and it wasn't all that different from the others. Arrows of various shorts rested in the corner alongside a spare bow and several other weapons on a rack. There was a chest of drawers made by her father next to the weapons rack that held her much of her cloths. A desk to read or do paperwork with a lantern and several candles. An ever-burning torch was lit over the bed which had deer skin blankets. It was a cozy room which got all the cozier as she shut the door and locked it behind her.
 
A locked door, eh? Talon smiled. He supposed she didn't want to be interrupted during their time together...

He walked up behind her and put his hands on her hips, bending down to kiss her neck as her hand left the door. "You are such a bold woman," he murmured into her ear, "not at all like any of the women I'm used to back home. Are all your people this straightforward when they are attracted to someone?"

His hands moved up her waist and then rubbed across her abdomen as he pressed himself closer against her back.
 
Once his hands found her hips and his lips pressed against her neck, Tala's hand rose to cup his cheek. "Heh, I'm not really bold at all. I'd have done this when I first met you instead of messing around for a year. It took awhile to work up the courage to do this." She leaned against him as her flesh became more flushed and her pulse began to quicken. Her free hand rested over one of his as his hands ran over her stomach. "I see it's that the rumors about mages with wandering hands is true. I rather like it." Despite her confident tone, she was unsure how to proceed. Should she take the lead or let him continue at his own pace?
 
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