As Meesei responded, Ariel was glad that she had brushed up on her Jel earlier that day, else what she said might have completely flown over her head.

Juseich nodded and responded to Meesei in Jel, [i]"I see."[/i] Her attention went to Ariel again, "Have you become familiar with Thorn?" Neiseed interpreted every word of Jel spoken to Ariel. Before Juseich let her respond, she tapped a clawed finger on the table and let out an "ummm," as she tried to recall more Dunmeris. "How much time ssince you arrived?" She said slowly.

Ariel thought it strange at first that she was asked two different questions in two different languages, but she realised that perhaps Juseich was trying to communicate in terms of time to make things easier. Such a thing was difficult in Jel, but the question would roughly translate to how familiar she was with the city. Ariel almost responded in Dunmeris, but continued to speak in Cyrodilic to Meesei could keep up. "I arrived yesterday," she swallowed before continuing, "I didn't have any contacts with anyone, but one of the innkeepers at the [i]Wamasu's Nest[/i] has been helpful. I've since gotten to know the layout of the city, a bit about its history, and a few people I might make deals with to get the business up and running." Ariel glanced sideways to Meesei for a moment, "Meesei here has been teaching me more general Argonian history, and has been helping me to learn Jel."

Juseich's brow raised in pleasant surprise. Even Hasyat slowly turned his head to Leaps-Over-Turtles, silently exchanging impressions. "Learning Jel? Such a thing is difficult for outsiders. How well do you speak it?" Juseich asked with Neiseed's translation.

"Oh, um," Ariel raised one hand with her thumb and her forefinger almost touching, [i]"Only small. I can understand better, but it's..."[/i] Ariel spoke her Jel slowly so she could attempt to get the hisses and sounds correct, but she was still heavily accented. She brushed her fingers together trying to find the final phrase, [i]"...it's hard to speak."[/i] She wasn't sure that there was a word for 'pronounce', but it was not currently in her Jel vocabulary.

Juseich squinted for a moment. Ariel's pronunciation had left some things to be desired, but she still managed to communicate well enough. "Indeed it is hard to speak for outsiders," Juseich agreed, "but I can see the effort you put forth. That is admirable. Now," Juseich leaned back and looked to Hasyat, "Hasyat here has a few questions to ask you about your background." Juseich took a small jewel on a chain out of her pocket and placed it on the table in front of them, the point of the jewel directed at Ariel. "I hope you don't mind, this will glow if you speak betrayal in your thoughts. You must understand that in order to keep steady relations with Morrowind, we cannot harbour criminals. It will not be a problem for you, I think."

As Hasyat steadied a scroll in his hand in preparation to begin asking questions, Ariel tried not to get any more worked up. She stared at the jewel. She wasn't in trouble in Morrowind, not unless the coven convinced the Redorans to put a bounty on her. What if she thought the wrong thing by accident? she didn't want to be thrown in a dungeon or kicked out of the borders.