❛ you’re an asshole, you know that? ❜ ( said as a compliment tho xD )
When his attempt to barter his way into the deeper parts of the dwarven fortress had proven a spectacular failure and no amount of coin had managed to buy the compliance of the two sentries guarding the entrance to the mines (if there was one thing dwarves had in abundance, as the pair of stone-faced guards had informed the mismatched trio seeking entrance to the caves below the city, it was gold), Algrim had been forced to resort to threats. Intimidation had never been his preferred tool of the trade, but the situation had called for radical measures. The Accursed’s name carried enough weight to open doors for his envoys that would otherwise have remained locked, and Algrim was as high up the political tree as one could be. Though he could not say he had enjoyed recounting the story of Painted Xan, the philosopher warrior made famous by his discovery of how many pins one could press into the eyes of a dwarf saint and how hard one could laugh while doing so, the threat of what could happen to whose who kept Malekith’s servants from carrying out his commands had served its purpose and cleared the way for them.
Algrim sniffed at Helena’s wording, but he recognised her remark as the compliment it was intended to be. He even thought he could detect the tiniest trace of awe in the woman’s voice, a mix of bewilderment and incredulity, which he found he rather liked coming from her. “The end justifies the means,” Algrim informed her matter-of-factly as they descended the roughly hewn steps leading downards into the torchlit darkness of the mines. “I thought that was a credo you lived by?”
She was struck by a wave of an overwhelming and even childish impishness. It seemed that Helena wanted to contain her smile to a certain degree, but she had failed in such an endeavour, and it grew wider, wider. Until it reached far into the area of slightly surreal and remained on the creepy side as well.
'The credo is for me, not I'm for the credo.' She responded and graced him with a wink, implying that the Machiavellianism she often displayed was but a tool. Conveniently tools could also be discarded. 'It's more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules.' The increasing intensity of the mischievous light in her eyes suggested that she was going on with her initial intention to tease him. Even though, as always, Hel managed to mean every word turned into a joke.
To herself, she considered, and a lot she did for there to be such a display. Many details about the situation made her feel coincidental delight. The resemblance to a classic quest where bribery had failed as an option. And the party had to resort to picking another line of dialogue, which strongly reminded her of home and board games. The interest was piqued due to the story he recounted. And how well he told it - captured her attention entirely while making the correct impression on the guards. Another welcome consequence was Per's response: he fell quiet for once, then distanced himself from his companions.
The thought process that went through her mind made her content and simultaneously caused pain. It was unlikely that a friend of hers would ever be anything but an asshole - how fun! A friend Algrim, indeed, had become. How dangerous - that. For a brief second over the realisation her eyes dimmed, and the expression in them turned morbidly dead. That reaction she contained expertly, however. Having moved and allowed herself to sway a tad more than is usually required for walking, she let the force guide her back. It led to her gently colliding her arm with Algrim's, rewarding him lightly in passing with a quick, playful push.
'Nicely done.' How mighty generous of her. My friend was left unspoken. He perhaps wouldn't mind that it was so, and she would be very grateful to him for that.
