Ronin found Vala most curious. One minute she looked scared out of her mind, the next she was brutally attacking him, and then the next she was once again scared and apologizing for her actions. She was an enigma that would not be easily cracked. It was a good thing then, that Ronin loved a challenge. He began thinking about her behavior and what he had done just prior to each change. Ronin hoped that tis would provide some insight as to what had set her off in the first place.
The first change had occurred what he went to shake her hand. Ronin thought back to that moment and tried to recreate it in his mind. The only thing he could figure was that, as a unfamiliar man reaching out toward her, she had become frightened. He thought freezing as she did was a strange reaction to being frightened, but he thought it plausible and moved on. Next was the question of why she had attacked him. Why did he reaction go from being rooted to the floor to ripping out his hair? Maybe he shook her a little too hard when he tried to snapped her out of it. Ronin thought to himself. That is when Ronin realized that his mind had been wandering, and he hadn't really been paying attention to her response. Luckily it seemed like she was just starting to reply as she stammered slightly.
Ronin smiled and nodded to her when she apologized. He did not know whether she meant it or not, but at least she said it. He also considered her offer somewhat strange. Ronin had assumed that she would want to get away from him as soon as he said that she could go without him telling anyone about what happened. So an invitation to her home seemed a bit out of place with his initial conceptions about her. Maybe she really was just a normal girl, and this had all been a great big misunderstanding. For some reason Ronin still doubted that. He knew there was something strange about her, he just didn't know what is was of what caused it. Hoping to find out more about her, Ronin decided to agree to her offer.
"Alright, I will come with you. Thank you, miss..." Ronin thought for a moment. "I just realized that I never got your name. What should I call you?"
When Ronin finished speaking he walked over to where he had set his bow and quiver. He was not going to try to shake her hand again, since everything had gone wrong the last time he did that. Ronin slung his things over his shoulder and turned to face her again. If Vala had wanted to make a run for it now would have been the time. But Ronin figured she deserved at least a little faith, so he turned his back on her anyway. Besides, every friendship has to start with some small leap of faith, doesn't it?
Once Ronin had his things collected he started toward the door. "So, you gonna lead the way, or do I have to guess which room is yours?" He laughed at his own joke and made a motion with his hand. At the sign Ronin's falcon flew over and perched on his shoulder. Ronin reached up and stroked the bird's head lightly as he waited for Vala.