Her eyes burned on his. Certainly she had asked the question but his answer was … so much bloody information. Almost too much, and in that moment, for a moment, she regretted coming down here at all. Truly, this man had had time to think about his life and what he believed. She felt a slight pang as she listened to what Khal’Jaren accepted as being acceptable and it jarred in her mind of what she had learnt about her childhood's gods. Her hands folded tightly around the container of beer and she let out a huff as she tried to refute all that he was saying in her mind.

But who was she to deny the entire belief system of a whole country and culture? Who was she to argue against a being that some of them worshipped and who - well at least they believed he did - supported their scientific endeavours.

Raising a hand she tugged it through her hair, her jaw working as she tried to not think of Celandine. Instead, she tried to organise in her mind what she was steadily learning about this man before her, and understand herself why she believed what she did.

“Stupid girl,” she muttered quietly, her thoughts slipping to how Celandine had gone wandering. Just as lost as she was in this conversation.

“I doubt it.” His voice was still calm and collected, bringing her back to the present. “Unless you are not referring to yourself, in which case, I cannot argue for, nor against your statement.” He shrugged slightly, the chains on his hands rattling.

She blinked, looking up, frowning slightly. “What?” Her head tilted back, her mighty horns casting away from him, but in such a manner that they could be preparing to be thrown forwards into a harder pitch.

“You, are not a stupid girl. Young perhaps, but youth does not imply stupidity.” He shrugged.

She blinked a moment, still confused, before her eyes widened and she gasped a little, realising she had said her thoughts out loud.

“Oh fuck. No I didn't mean me. I might be apparently naïve and a bit younger than yourself, as you say, but I know I am not stupid.” Philomel paused for a moment before she winced, looking away. Or perhaps she was an idiot. For letting her thoughts here become mixed. Clearly it was too early. “Fuck,” she muttered, swigging back the beer. Her heart pounded, and her thoughts urged her to get up and leave but in all honesty here was as good a place as any. The beer was helping. A lot. All she needed to do was steer the conversation back the way she wanted it. “Fuck … what was I going to say?”

“Well. You seemed distraught as you came in here. Perhaps.” And the man tilted his head, one corner of his mouth quirking upwards. “Perhaps you were going to share your woes with a captive audience?” He rattled his chains once as he spoke.

Her eyes flickered back to him, blinking slightly. The beer was half raised to her lips before she fakely laughed. “Oh ha ha. Hilarious, Mr Huntsman.” A genuine smile though played on her lips, the first in many, many days it felt like.

Gently, she snorted a note of laughter, looking back away and shaking her head. But the beer did not return to her lips, and the smile slowly faded, as did the joy in her eyes. It was replaced again with the firm look of despair again as she listened to his words and knew there was some genuine truth in them. All the past week she had been stalking the ship and shouting orders. People had been running to her, either asking questions about the 'latest news’ or to give their condolences. Yes, the sentiments were nice, but honestly - repetitively, from the same people, over and over again?! It made her feel like there was no hope. That she had already lost Celandine to the monster. That what Drys had told her last night had come to pass. That … that …

She dragged her hand through her hair. “I want you to be able to see the goodness of what life is like without your industry. I want you to realise what other potential there is. I want a whole heap of things right now, for one not to be so confused by you and the other to damn …”

Tipping her head up to the ceiling she let out the biggest, most exhausted sigh. “My daughter has gone missing. In a place where … where a medusa is said to have stalked recently.”