Aesa gave Gerwulf a wink when he 'took offense' to her comment. She knew he was more than that, but she also saw how tense he'd been since she woke. It was nice to try to east that if only for a moment. The way he explained what might happen to her this time made more sense. Less confusing for her. Maybe her mind was clearing a bit. He did say it would fade soon. "What kind of abilities are those? How would they help me?" She knew about tolerance, but with the things he dabbled in, she didn't know what it would take to build one to it. It must be pretty easy if he was worried about one dose causing her to build a tolerance.
Her eyes went to Gerwulf when he stood. She hadn't meant to upset him. "Escort usually means to protect and keep safe. It is what I would expect. Or at least to get me out quickly if something went wrong." There was nothing she could offer him to leave. "I suppose I'll have to settle for bandages or borrowed clothes then, because I have nothing to offer you. I don't imagine someone with the power to create his own realm would be interested in any of my mundane possessions." She glanced at Gerwulf, then Cicero and gave a chuckle. "I could draw your portrait."
She thought Gerwulf might appreciate the comment. Though, she'd not gotten to show him what she'd done. "Other than that, I'm already in debt to you enough. And I wouldn't dare ask Gerwulf to go further in debt with you on my behalf. I hate that I gave him what I did." As she was talking, she was eating between breaks in sentences and pauses. It felt like she was never going to get full. "So lets just forget I asked that and I accept the offer of the dress you gave me once the bandages are able to come off. And I'll take care of the dress in case you want to wear it again sometime." She lifted her eyes to Cicero. "Because if you want my form moving around here with no barrier between me and your eyes... that's not free." She'd not walk around naked without some kind of payment herself. Or some of her debt knocked off.
"The type that can help you smooth over any transitional hurdles. It'll dull pain and provide you with other benefits," Was what he said in response. She'd already felt some of what he meant, though it was never directed and therefore didn't break the agreement. Aesa would either have to agree sight unseen or refuse. As for how potent his drugs were, the issue was not just tolerance; it was addiction or other side effects if multiple uses were made. Most of them were for short-term use only.
"No, Cicero would take you there and back, but likely wouldn't lift a finger if outside influences were to appear. As it wouldn't be his issue," Gerwulf would state, though unsaid were things about debt being transferred to the killer and such. It still wouldn't stop something bad from happening to Aesa. Cicero was fine with either option, not even telling Gerwulf to stop as he spoke on what Cicero may do in certain situations. Everything had a price, which was a phrase that Aesa would likely learn unconsciously when it came to Cicero.
"Possessions don't interest me, though a portrait would be a small price for me to bring you back and forth. The issue is that you don't seem to understand that what you believe has value does not, and the intangible is fine; you would be worse off if you were dealing with someone who could trade in life span, for example," Cicero chuckled, picking up his forgotten glass and sipping lemonade from its contents. "As for debt, you hold the cards. We haven't actually stated the terms, only that you would bear seventy-five percent. Are you willing to go all the way?" He whispered, leaning forward.
Gerwulf's eyes widened slightly as he paused eating. Renegotiating was not a part of the deal, though he couldn't stop Aesa from doing so if she opened that can of worms. "The bandages can come off at any time, the problem is that human sensibilities shame nudity," cocking his head to one side and then the other, with a grin. "Now you're speaking my language, nothing is ever free... yet, you believe certain things should be. I am nothing if not curious about how much you value your dignity." Waving a hand to gesture to her before he glanced over to Gerwulf momentarily.
Aesa hated that he brought up her taking the full balance of her debt. She felt like a terrible person giving Gerwulf twenty five percent. Her eyes went to Gerwulf as she ate a bite of food and reached for her drink. "If it weren't for the fact that I feel that I'd be come your property in full, as in a slave, then I would. I'm sorry Gerwulf... I just... I would but I don't do very well with being fully controlled. I will make it up to you somehow." She knew that somehow that would land her with owing two debts, but she didn't mind owing Gerwulf. She didn't expect him to ask for her freedom or her to do other things that would make her horribly uncomfortable. "We should probably figure out those terms before we to deep into making other deals, don't you think? Beyond the suggested payment you've already given me, of course."
When he began to grin, she bit back a groan of frustration. This had been a bad idea, but she had to try it right? "I think to give up my dignity for the whole time I'm here would be worth knocking down some of my debt. In advance. Since we don't know what will happen to my body over the next bit, you might not find it nice to look at some point. As that wouldn't be under my control, it doesn't seem fair to make me wait to remove the balance in such a situation." It wasn't so much that she was ashamed to be nude around him. They had both seen her naked. She could only assume her clothes had been removed prior to the bandages being put on. It wasn't a new visual for them. It was the principle of the matter.
She still had to figure out how to tell Gerwulf she was pregnant. Part of her still didn't want to believe it, but he had no reason to lie to her about that. It didn't gain him anything at all. Her head was starting to hurt from all the deal talk and trying to figure this man out and how he ticked. "As I said, I'm content with going back to the dress you offered me and just staying here with things as they stand. The seventy-five, twenty-five split. The waiting to see if my brain melts. All of that. Unless you're also going to charge me for the dress you freely offered when you asked if that would make me stay."
Gerwulf sighed, as if a weight had removed itself from his shoulders. "No, it is fine. We have prior... agreements, that means Cicero won't harm me" - "Taking responsibility for your entire debt wouldn't be slavery. Just a little less leeway when it comes to certain topics," Cicero corrected, though he didn't push. If their thoughts could be heard, Cicero would have laughed as his idea of fun and games would likely make Aesa horribly uncomfortable. "Perhaps it is a good idea to iron out the terms," He murmured as they continued into the discussion.
"If this were a strip club owned by a Demon, the deal may well suit. This is, however, another plane of existence, and the terms of time are not worth a percent. Standard boiler-plate for augmentation and life extension is a thirty percent of earnings over three hundred years or the equivalent in blood, flesh, or magic," Cicero commented, not harshly, just stating like someone speaking from the position of a CEO or lawyer. "I don't mind changes, I change my form as it suits me. Finding something attractive is like enjoying art, your form may change, but the mind that fidgets within will still hold your intensity, will it not?" Waiting for a moment as he stared into her eyes.
"One percent, if you agree to forgo clothing of any kind within my presence for the next hundred years. Five percent if you agree to a lifetime." Cicero didn't really care, yet he kept the interested look in his eyes as Gerwulf's mouth dropped open to the side, wondering what the fuck was going on. "As for the dress, it was offered so that you would stay until you felt better without drugs. If you accept, I will give that option to you". Still smiling as he took in a smooth breath. His slender fingers came together as he held his hands together, one hand over the other, with his thumbs locking like a handshake.
Aesa had just lifted her lemonade as he was beginning to state the terms. She nearly choked at three hundred years. He said she'd live longer, but... that long? Now it hit her. Just how different her life might be. She had thought her mortgage for thirty years was forever. The "...three hundred years..." left her in a whisper as she tried to fathom the idea of taking that long. Could she pay more than thirty percent? Her eyes lifted to Gerwulf and all his stories of travel suddenly made way more sense. If you live that long, you couldn't stay too long in one place. When Cicero's gaze moved to her, she looked that way without thinking, not enjoying the intensity of the stare. "I sure a hell hope it is."
One... one percent? "I am insulted by one percent." Aesa crossed her arms. "Let's table that for a later date, perhaps. For if or when I want to pay off some extra percentage. Is that alright?" She didn't really want to be stuck here, but she didn't see how she had much choice. She didn't want to be out in the world and her mind start to go crazy. Aesa picked up her lemonade and swallowed a big gulp of it. "Alright. Alright. I'll stay, with the dress, until I feel better without the drugs. And Gerwulf can stay or go as he pleases, or as your former agreements permit."
The reality of how much her life was changing with the age comment had her pushing her plate back. Leaning back in her chair, she sighed. "You said before you didn't know how long I'd live. Just that you suspected it'd be longer. And that you didn't think I was immortal. So what happens if I don't live long enough to pay off my debt?" She knew if she died here, that he could bring her back and keep adding debt until she paid it off, but if she was out in the world he couldn't stop her from passing on in time. She'd lose Thorin in a few decades. And that hurt. It wasn't fair she got to live on and on and he didn't.
