Closed Stormy Weather (Clyde)

[Sayana]

The cramped space and the occasional brush of contact didn’t seem to bother him, despite his aloof nature. He paid little mind to it and Sayana tucked that bit of information to the back of her mind as something for later. Frankly he seemed much more concerned or possessive about his dog. She listened to his explanation, her eyes often meeting his in acknowledgement but also straying to look about the tent. It seemed like this was his second time giving an explanation, or lecture even. And as she figured, he didn’t want her using some magic on his dog. Briefly she smiled at his comment on ‘trust building’.

However, when he introduced himself as Clyde, there was a sudden familiarity and her eyes widened briefly in surprise. It would be hard to fully hide her reaction due to how close they were but in the next tick she tried to mask her expression with one of a relaxed nature. Was this the same man that Alexus had spoken of? A master mage with some sort of shop up in Winthrop Alley? There might be another Clyde in the city, but was there another Clyde who used magic? Or at least was knowledgeable in magic? There had been some clear disdain in his voice when he had reprimanded her for her lack of subtlety so he at least had to be rather knowledgeable to have the arrogance to tell her off like that.

His questions suddenly came at her in rapid succession even as she was still figuring out the implications of his potential identity. Fortunately the first two were relatively easy, or she at least she had her story already straight.

“I am an Herbalist at the Stormhold Salves,” she spoke slowly. She was both buying time to take in the new information about him while also enjoying the spotlight he presented her by asking so many questions at once. “I have mostly been collecting herbs this spring, hence being out here to begin with. Usually I’m well prepared… except when a storm comes out of nowhere.” She paused and gave a twitch of a smile at the comment, then carried on to his next question.

“As for my arms… I really ought to ask you what happened to yours,” she replied teasingly. She reached out with a free high hand to trace lightly over his single lonely shoulder and down his upper arm. “Why don’t you have six glorious arms? Surely you have the talent to put them to good use. Just like I do.” She gave a slight flourish of each of her arms on her left side, rather like a stylized exotic dance move as she adjusted her scrunched up position to face him better. The slight repositioning unintentionally made her daggers more visible when previously her robe had covered them. There were about four mid-sized ones and four small ones all strapped to her belt in sheaths. They didn’t make her look like an innocent herbalist even when she attempted to subtly drape her low arm over to obscure them.

“You asked where I learned my magic?” Sayana carried on. “After stating so plainly how much you didn’t like me using my magic, you’ve got just as much gall as I do to then ask about its origins.” A smile flickered to her face as she gazed into his blue eyes. “But I’ll answer your last question. I was simply seeking refuge from the storm and hoped that you might be willing to help me if I sparked your curiosity. That is, in a very direct and intimate way using my magic. Either you are very curious by nature, or my magic did something to prompt so many questions on your part.”

She paused for just a tick and seemed to relax slightly, despite the cramped conditions. With her gaze returning to his, she watched carefully for his reaction to her next words. “However, there are other ways to spark curiosity without the use of magic, Mr. Sullins.”

It was a gamble. He might not be the same man. But it was worth the risk to see a good reaction.

Note :

Sayana found out a few things about Clyde including his full name in this thread: What is Home?

[Clyde Sullins]

It wasn't hard for Clyde to note Sayana's reaction when he told her his name. The most obvious reason that came to mind was that she knew the name already and was now associating it with Clyde, though he couldn't imagine were from.

He knew people knew about his lab, quite a few people had come by it for various reasons. But so far none had known his name, which meant either he was mistaken or that this woman was better informed than the others he'd met.

Odd, since it didn't seem like she'd intentionally come out here to meet him, and didn't from his appearance know him, but only knew the name.

Perhaps then she didn't know much, even if she knew more than many others.

She quickly tried to play off her reaction, but it had been there and he had seen it, both with his mundane sight and within his aura vision.

It made sense logically, though he couldn't know for sure.

As she launched into an explanation of what she did, he heard of how she was a herbalist. That bit of information somewhat explained what she was doing outside the castle alone, though surely that wasn't the entire story. Though she wasn't the first herbalist who had looked to save money by collecting herbs in the wilds, and having it end poorly.

Last time he had ended up saving the herbalist from a group of bandits, whom he'd scared off. Those who had lived.

When it came time for her attempt at joking or teasing, the comment appeared to be lost on him, though it would be unclear if this was because he didn't find it funny, didn't understand or realize it was a joke, or simply wasn't responding. His later response wouldn't clear things up at all.

Within his aura sight he saw the blades settled upon her, an odd thing for a herbalist to carry, though perhaps less so if she had a habit of going out into the wilds alone.

“I was born with these two limbs, and only the two. I only asked if you had your extra limbs from birth, or if they came later. I've seen odder things with magic. Who knows, maybe you just enjoy having extra arms, and stole them from someone else. I don't know what sorts of things your into.”

Of course, if she was a morpher, and was shifting to add the limbs, he didn't doubt it would show up on her aura. Actively morphing that much flesh would undoubtedly be obvious... Or at least that seemed to make a logical sense to him.

“As for the magic, I never said I didn't like you using it. I'd prefer if you didn't paraphrase my words and misstate my meaning. I said I didn't like you using magic ON me, nor Rye. I never said anything about not using it at all. If you'd like to use magic until your extra arms fall off, go ahead. Though please wait till I'm far away, I'd rather not be nearby for that much overgiving.”

“As for asking questions... I suppose I am a curious person by nature. But what exactly sort of spell then did you use on me, which had the intent of sparking my curiosity? What sort of hypnotism spell is that? I know of the magic, of what it can do, but I admit I don't know everything about it, nor all of its terminology.”

Clyde was only partially paying attention when she used his last name, something he hadn't told her. He might have reacted normally if he'd had his full attention, but part of him was focused on delving into her aura. He had been focused on her arms, on the joints, the bones, gazing deep within, when he started to hear a hum.

However it wasn't the hum of djed, or of magic, but a literal hum. But he knew it couldn't actually be a hum, since one couldn't hear through an aura and he could hear the woman's words and knew she wasn't humming.

No, it was an odd hum, almost like a crooning, which reminded him of a sound a mother would make over their babies bed as it went to sleep. A calming sound that surely she hadn't made, but that he heard from some depth within her. He had no idea what it could mean, as often ones mind attempted to explain things with Auristics, but only partially managed to do so and ended up giving odd bits of information or impressions from a person which would only make sense later.

With his mind focused on the odd crooning hum, he didn't fully register or connect her use of his last name with the fact that he hadn't given it, and so simply went on with the conversation as if she hadn't said anything odd. But also not denying her words.

“True, but as I said I believe I am a naturally curious person.”

[Sayana]

For several ticks she seemed to hold her breath, wondering how he would respond. Yet when he finally replied, and with such a lack of reaction, a hint of irritation showed on her face. It had been her trump card, one that surely would have made him stop and think twice yet he seemed utterly unphased by it. His questions about her additional arms seemed to fade in terms of importance or significance. Sure he had seen stranger things with magic. She had been stranger things with magic. Though if it was an illusion it might not have counted as actually ‘being’.

The built up anticipation and tension from before began to dissipate. She shifted once more, trying to find a better position than with her legs over the backpack. Consequently it brought her closer to Clyde, yet he seemed too distracted by something else on his mind.

“You do realize that in the last ten chimes, you’ve probably asked me more questions about magic than I have been asked in my entire life. While at the same time looking off into the stars as if you’re hoping to find the goddess herself.” She chided while she looked up into his blue eyes.

“You speak of my magic as if it had techniques, spells, and concise things that you can wave your hand at. The mind doesn’t work that way. Everything is fluid when you’re toying with emotions and giving people desires. And it encompasses non-magical things as well.”

She glanced up at the sound of pounding rain upon the tent. A flash and the accompanying sound of thunder shortly followed. She placed a firm hand upon his thigh and her eyes roamed over his body. Thinly built but with a hint of arrogance that had shown itself on his face more than once.

“I can tell you more, or better yet show you, but not unless you tell me how you knew that I did it. Some people can guess, but you knew instantly.”

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde at the best of times didn't pay attention to some things. This was even more true when he was busy doing something else, such as in this case splitting his attention between talking with the woman and a deep dissection of her aura.

He was particularly unskilled at noting attempts at seduction, as he tended to work with a business mindset focused on whatever was being discussed.

Shooting off into unrelated subjects therefore didn't immediately occur to him, and he assumed others would do likewise. He was battering away at the conversation as usual, trying to pull out information and avoid giving to much in turn, a ingrained habit for a skilled interrogator. With those two things to focus on he didn't have much time for anything else.

Clyde shrugged at her first comment, the overlay of her visage hovering within his aura sight, along with a mix of colors and sensations, all of which were set over but not in the same place as is more mundane senses. They didn't obstruct his true vision though, as he looked her in the eyes, even if they did take up a portion of his mental focus.

“Considering you seem to have been trying to hide your magic, it doesn't surprise me. Why would anyone ask you about magic if they didn't know you were a mage? I on the other hand know of your magic. So wouldn't it make sense that I'd be asking more questions?”

“As for magic, doesn't it? Everything can be broken down, everything can be understood in terms of nuances and variations, techniques and spells, bits and bobbles. Or at least, I've always done so with Magic. Perhaps your mind though doesn't work that way...”

“Of course, I suppose not everyone studies Magic as I do, in the way a doctor studies flesh rot and bones. I suppose some are more of a... Practical mage. Particularly true of personal mages, who don't really need to know much and act on instinct... But still, it doesn't make it any less true even if you've never fully considered what you are doing and its component parts, and act only on said instinct.”

The word practical was said not so much with a tone of disdain, but in the way an adult would speak of a child's reading abilities. Not bad, but not fully developed, but then not really expecting it to be fully developed.

Feeling the pressure on his leg, Clyde glanced down and saw her hand resting there. He assumed it had slipped there by accident, after all they were jammed up against each other and she had quite a few arms. It didn't occur to him that it was a purposeful action.

In a rather offhand way, rather like how one might tell someone that their bootlace had come untied, Clyde stated the fact of her hands position. Not in a manner that denoted emotion, either that he was angry it was there or didn't care, more that he didn't think she was aware and was informing her.

“One of your hands is on my leg.”

“I don't see why you explaining anything to me would require me to explain how I knew what I knew. I mean, surely you understand what you know, whether or not I explain what I know. Surely you are capable of explaining something like that. ”

This time Clyde was purposely being obtuse, responding as if she meant she literally couldn't explain it to him, wasn't physically capable, unless he told her the information she was requesting, and that he was responding with that assumption of literalness in mind. He did understand that it was more likely that she was trying to make a deal, but didn't want to show his hand too much, and preferred to play along and in this case purposely misunderstand.

As he plucked at her aura, the crooning continued, though began to become more of a far off sound as he focused on other aspects. The remnants of djed from past castings was visible, settled on the periphery of her aura that overlaid her mouth and eyes.

“Magic understands magic. Everything is both different and in common. If you know one magic, you know things about many others. It takes a trained mage, in the less practical and more scholarly sense, to see such connections and commonalities. The assumptions I make about your magic are based upon such understandings.”

[Sayana]

When he spoke, there was a certain level of authority to his voice. It was as if he was well versed in magic, and not just one type. She recalled his earlier question about where she had learned her magic. For her, it hardly made a difference where she learned it, but she started to suspect that it was rather important to him where he had learned his. Perhaps something more akin to formal education in which magic was broken down into techniques, spells, bits and bobbles? He also spoke as if he knew better, was wiser, more versed, and quite used to correcting those around him.

Personal magics was an odd sort of phrase, and Sayana frowned briefly at the use. Was it some sort of category of magic? And what other categories existed? She was about to retort that her magic was better used with instinct rather than dissecting it into bits and bobbles, but he soon noticed her mid hand on his leg.

“Why so it is.” Sayana replied with a flicker of a smile as she glanced down at the intruding limb. She didn’t move her hand right away and when he went on a roundabout tangent trying to ask more about her hypnotism without answering her own question, she came up with an alternative idea to get the information she wanted. Briefly her fingers twitched, drumming upon his leg before she finally moved her hand away.

“So magic understands. You must be an accomplished mage to see such connections. How many magics do you know? Five? Six?” She plucked the numbers out of the air. For her that would be a lot, but she did not know the depth of his skill. However, she didn’t pause long enough for him to truly answer. “Let me guess. Auristics, reimancy, hypnotism…” She counted them out on her fingers. “Oh wait, not hypnotism. How about illusionism instead?”

These were all the magics she truly knew. She had a sense that there were more out there, but she had never gotten to speak with someone who did them, or see them in action. Plus, she didn’t consider Priskil’s pretty lights real magic. Even though she was laying down her magical knowledge all at once, she hoped he might respond to any correct answers, or feel obliged to correct her wrong assumptions. So she was hoping his instructor’s attitude would help reveal some additional information about him.

So long as he spoke with reasonable calmness to her questions and didn’t lash out, then she would continue. “As far as hypnotism techniques… I would say that I can make a person feel what I feel. Sometimes I can give them gentle direction. There are even ways to transcend communication in a verbal sense.”

She still kept her explanation rather vague, showing more of the potential and the results rather than the actual methods. The communication aspect was an interesting one. It was less about actually speaking words into a person’s mind and more about replacing words whose purpose it was to evoke an emotion, and jumping straight to the emotion instead. Similarly, if she wanted someone to follow her, she would simply give them that desire or suggestion to follow. It didn’t truly replace communication, since words that were exchanged purely for informational purposes did not translate well into hypnotism.

She was about to try a different sort of technique with her djed to attract his attention but not actually conduct any true hypnotism, but when she caught his eye she blanched at the thought. No, she wasn't confident enough to ensure that he wouldn't see it as using magic on him. And even if she tried something of the sort, it could easily be labeled as 'funny business'. She let out a held breath and instead put her attention towards non-magical ways to gain her information.

[Clyde Sullins]

Sayana wasn't far off in her surmising of Clyde's views on magics. He had in fact learned magic or even taught it in several of Sylira's places of magical learning. He was used to knowing more about magic than those around him, and had not met many who had parity of knowledge, except perhaps among masters at the various institutions or older nuit on Sahova.

His own initial background however had been in a much less constrained and formal manner, picking up thing as an aspiring mage in Syliras. It wasn't until later that he'd gotten more formal learning.

From what Sayana had said so far, he was leaning towards her being newly initiated into magic, or at least not well practiced if she'd had it longer. He also didn't think she knew too much of magic beyond the ones she used, and that she likely used it in the more instinctual informal manner common amongst personal mages.

Cha reverberated in his grip, his aura sight feeling out through her and lapping at the woman's aura as a kitten lapping at milk.

Her eyes let off a low hum, with a odd sheen within his aura sight. Her body crooned the other hum, the one from before, a sad tonality he didn't understand.

Clyde shook his head absentmindedly, as much for his lack of understanding of her aura as her question. Teasing. Prodding. Annoying. Tempting. Trying to get him to say thing, a leading question and statement. Other interrogation tactics he had used.

“I know enough. And I know of enough. Not the same mind you. Clearly you know of several you've named.”

He frowned, noting that all of the ones she had named were personal magics, except the last which... He thought that was a gnosis, but he couldn't completely recall. No world magics however, something else he noted.

Did she even know of the types of magic? From the way she lumped them all together personal and gnosis he assumed she didn't make such a distinction.

“I know of more than I know, though I suppose that's true of most. Yes, I do know Auristics. I suppose though I know as much about magic as I do about a specific magic. Trees, branches, and shoots. I prefer to make than to do though. Always more fun, and tends to last longer. How about you? Or do you just know hypnotism?”

He was interested though when she explained what she could do with her magic. It seemed to further back up the fact that she worked by instinct.

Taking ones own feelings, and giving them to another. Giving directions-gently. Communicate non-verbally... These each seemed like a distinct ability, though for all he knew she was only know considering their distinctness, having before just used what was right in the moment without fully considering.

“I'd be willing to tell more of what I know, some of it, in exchange for more of what you know about what you know. They do say purists are the best to learn from, ones who only practice one magic. Though I do wonder... If you make someone feel the emotion you feel, how does that work if you want them to feel something you aren't feeling? Do you have to make yourself feel it in order to make them feel it? And do you like babies?”

The last bit was slipped in at the last moment, almost as if it was a contiguous connected bit from the prior question. Really though it was unrelated, and an attempt at figuring out the odd impression he'd been getting from her with that first humming hum.

[Sayana]

I know of more than I know. Wasn’t that a rather redundant statement? Surely any magics that were known were also known of… Her eyes brightened at the mention of auristics. She had been curious about that magic for some time now. But soon her attention focused on the light blue staff he held. Trees, branches, shoots. He had either made it himself or it had been in his possession for a very long time. But what would a mage care for carving? Unless he had tampered with it in more ways than what met the eye.

“Hypnotism is also fun,” Sayana replied as she pushed the bag out of the way to snuggle up side by side against him. “I… well let’s just say hypnotism is my specialty,” she added as she changed her mind partway through to keep it vague. She was beginning to feel more comfortable talking about magic with him, but she still wasn’t sure how to play her cards.

His offer intrigued her, as with the idea that a purist might be a better teacher. But his words were of generalities when it came to exchanging information. Sayana listened attentively and nodded slightly to indicate that she wasn’t entirely against the idea. By this point she had closed the gap between them. Her shoulders would be a warm presence against his, and her mid hand attempted to gently hold his nearer hand.

“You see Clyde, emotions are contagious and…” Sayana began to explain in answer to his questions, but then his last bit slipped in. Her hand in his momentarily tightened before she had the resolve to relax herself once more. With her gaze on his face, he suddenly looked rather young and naïve.

Their faces were not very far apart and when she spoke it was with smooth silky words. “Clyde, you’re an aurist. Have you ever seen the aura of an unborn son? Felt the life within, and knew he was going to be healthy and strong?” She reached out her free mid hand to cup his cheek as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“Let me tell you, it was magical. But then he was ripped away from me, lost. He did not make it.” There was sadness in her voice despite thinking she had overcome that hurdle and moved on. It was not debilitating, but she still blamed herself in many ways. It was that event which had been the primary cause of the lacun mark of ashes that was now upon her chest.

[Clyde Sullins]

While Clyde's statement seemed somewhat meaningless, or at best evasive, it had meaning to Clyde. He often spoke in ways that meant nothing or little to others, but to him meant much. Often a small bit of knowledge that Clyde knew and wasn't commonly known or a bit of clarification would turn a meaningless sentence into pure information.

However he tended to not elaborate, perhaps preferring to come off as somewhat mysterious and to hint at knowledge without outright divulging it.

And perhaps he just enjoyed stating a fact to someone's face, while knowing they wouldn't understand it.

As someone who'd been on the receiving end of hypnotism, use of a type so strong he hadn't been aware till years later, he didn't find it as fun.

The few times he'd had an apprentice who used the magic, he'd made sure to oath them so as to make sure they didn't use it on him to tamper with his thoughts.

From what she'd done before he had a feeling she wasn't very skilled, but in time those magic users who didn't die or go insane tended to grow in power.

Clyde was nothing if not forward and future thinking in his plans.

Just because someone wasn't a threat now didn't mean they would never be one.

By now the female's attempt at manhandling and touching had gotten through to Clyde main attention, something that was for the most part focused on the woman's aura and delving deeper into it.

He found it an annoying distraction in the moment, and not particularly well placed during what he felt were serious discussions and negotiations.

His assumption was that she was attempting to use her feminine whiles to get the upper hand in their dealings, or if nothing else in an attempt to distract him and make him less effective.

It was a straightforward and simple tactic, and one he somewhat respected.

Not that he planned to fall for it. Focusing more inwardly on himself and his magic, he attempted to calm himself, to center himself and ignore the distractions being presented to him so as to better focus on the task at hand.

Clyde had spent years practicing his meditation, and as he slowed and measured his breathing, he also willed unwanted thoughts to fade away, focusing on the image of a candle in darkness whose flame did not pierce the emptiness. It burned, but cast no light beyond itself.

After a few moments of this he overlaid the image of the candle with her aura, and then slowly took away the candle to leave the aura in the blank emptiness.

After a chime of this his breathing had become slow and rhythmic, like the slow measured beat of a drum.

He heard her words, but in his focused and calmed state they seemed flatter, with less emotion and conviction to sway him with, but also with less emotional information noticed and informed to him. For after all how could one notice something they were purposely ignoring, how could one note sadness when you attempted to not be swayed by words?

“I have seen many auras. Auras of the living and the dead, of the not truly dead but not alive. Of trees and lakes, and of creatures without mouths that burned with an intensity of vision. I can't say I've ever peered within a pregnant woman, nor seen whether it came to fruit or died on the bush without flowering.”

He noticed the brush of their lips, the pressure of flesh on flesh but little more.

“Loss of life is always noticed. Every action has a reaction. I've taken lives to live myself, placing my value over them. I imagine when they did not return home, there were those who missed them. However I try not to focus on such things. While the past shapes us, it cannot be changed, only the future. I exist, and I plan to continue doing so. I get rid of threats, and I grow and expand. I learn. I am. My purpose is as such.”

“What is your purpose? What is it you truly desire and strive for?”

[Sayana]

“Clyde, you’re doing it again.” Sayana teased after the brief and rather empty kiss. Despite her lighthearted comment, she found it distinctively unnerving how aloof and detached he was. It wasn’t like it was consistent, hence the ‘again’, but he seemed so far away yet so near at the same time.

He carried on with that same level of detachment. Like stone he spoke of life and death in an obscenely practical manner. However, his casual tone revealed much. He was not an idealist who could believe in complete city-wide peace. He also did not seem to grieve the lives he had taken. While Sayana might fight and kill, she still held great meaning to each life. Be it in a positive or negative way.

She particularly noticed when Clyde mentioned that he would get rid of threats as they arose. It was not something a typical knight might say, unless he was a more ruthless knight than most. She suddenly wondered if she might be seen as a threat, and quickly tucked it away to keep in mind for later. She’d much rather downplay her abilities than find herself disposed of.

At his question, however, she hesitated and for a moment or two she had no answer. She couldn’t say that she lived to manipulate and persuade, just to see how people would react. That would be playing up the wrong sort of image. Most definitely. And then it came to her with sudden clarity. It wasn’t her only purpose, but it would certainly serve to answer his question.

“I… I seek out challenges.” Sayana replied with a bit of hesitation at first. “I push myself to do the difficult or to try the impossible… for the sheer satisfaction of having accomplished it. Could a single woman found her own city and bring it to glory? Could she equally be the cause of the destruction of a city? What if I could lead an army that no one has seen on Mizahar? What if I could fly and someday touch the stars?”

For a tick she was afraid she had done just what she had promised not to do. “Of course, not every challenge can be accomplished in a day. And as a mere herbalist, I do not do the sorts of things other people can do. Or at least not yet.”

“But you, Clyde, you’ve been a fun challenge.” Sayana added almost shyly. It was true that despite switching tactics several times, she kept wanting to know and understand him better so as to gain the upper hand. He hadn’t susceptible to hypnotism like others and even her attempts at blatant seduction seemed to pass him by. It was a game, a challenge, and incredibly engaging for her.

“Are you still interested in that exchange of knowledge? Magic for magic?”

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde placed a smile upon his lips, as he responded to her claim in his own particular fashion.

“Wiles and flies. Both try to sneak in. Both have trouble with walls. Wicked wiles willed into walls will not wing by. Walls don't have to be physical, when what they block isn't either. I throw up walls, just as you throw out wiles. Not all influence after all is of the magic kind.”

“As for your answer... You seek to be challenged, correct? No one seeks challenges, unless they are foolish. One doesn't climb a cliff, when there is a nice trail that can be used to reach the top, unless your goal is not to reach the top but to get better at climbing. But seeking challenges, one can grow. If you never face any difficulty, your skills will never grow. So your goal then, is to grow. To become stronger and better? Don't we all? And even a mountain can be built if one gathers enough pebbles.”

Clyde paused for a moment, as if he was mixing and molding the words physically in his mouth before continuing.

“A partial answer, and with an attempt to hide the truth even when more partial truths are said, to lead away from what is said truthfully once it is spoken... But perhaps not a lie even for its partialness. I suppose that's better than no answer.”

“I find it hard to believe you are 'but' anything. You can elude and evade all you want, and try to appear lesser than you are, but there is a difference of degrees between false modesty and lying.”

“I might be willing to exchange, magic for magic, knowledge for knowledge. Though I don't know all that you know, and so can't say for sure you'd have enough to interest me. I suppose it depends upon what you'd want to know. And of course I would need certain considerations.”

“You are a magic user, which in and of itself means I must treat you differently. But you are also a hypnotist. Which means other considerations must be used, particularly for my own protection. If we are to deal together, and I am to teach you, a promise would be required. A true promise, an Oath of the magical sense. Otherwise I could not trust that you wouldn't try to use my knowledge against me, or some day come back with stronger powers and do other things you perhaps can't now.”

“I think in the long term, and if I am to divulge my secrets and lore to you, then I expect a Grand Oath to enforce what you promise. Then I wouldn't need to worry about that particular threat.”

This was said more to and about himself, but Sayana would likely recall what he had said before he did with threats.