Seothrunn was not too surprised by Vala's reaction when she worked out who, or more accurately, [i]what[/i], he was. Still, he could not help but feel disappointment filling his heart as her indifference turned to slight hostility. His eyes were drawn to her hip as she rubbed it and made it known that it was one of his people that had injured her. "[i]Isk år hvågur.[/i]" (I am sorry) Seothrunn said rather stupidly, though in all honesty he had no idea how he was supposed to feel. On one hand, he did feel sorry for her; the bone weapons were impossible to make smooth, and so more often than not their blades had unintended hooks or snags that tore at skin and muscle with every swing. It must have hurt intensely when she received the wound.

On the other hand, he did not like how she acted as if he had any part to do with her wounding. As far as he was concerned, she engaged a Boneman in combat and came away with a wound. That was how fighting worked. You fought, you bled and at the end of the day, you rejoiced at simply having been given the chance to live another day while your opponent became food for carrion. Maybe that was one difference between the Bonemen and Vala's people. Seothrunn found himself wondering, much to his own amusement, just how she would react if she found out that the Bonemen actually respected her people by no small amount. The ships of her people were strictly off-limits to younger, less-experienced captains and at times some were even to be left untouched.

Still, Seothrunn knew that there was little he could do now; he could not speak for the future, but he was being carefully optimistic. Vala was a northerner, despite their differences, and he would have preferred it if they had not gotten off on the wrong foot. Now all he could do was just hope that their next step did not make things worse. He gave her a little, almost undetectable smile and said, "[i]Isk hårt stjälunin-nejat et vesa sætt dejan sämnta.[/i]" (I have no intention of being at your throat) She was a person of the sea - or at the very least she had the look of one - and Seothrunn felt confident that regardless of her misgivings, she would be willing to set aside her personal grudges endanger their mission.

If they were going to have one, at least. The king was certainly taking his own sweet time.

Seothrunn reached forward and picked up a slice of smoked meat from the plate and took a small bite out of it. Now that was something that reminded him of home, of the smokehouses filled with the scent of smouldering charcoal and raw fish, of his mother chiding him for eating too much of the stuff and his sister and him sneaking off a few slices for their own consumption later on. He glanced sideways at Vala and noticed her stuffing her mouth. [i]She must be very hungry.[/i] Seothrunn noted. That, or she could just be eating to prevent any conversations from taking place. His own sister did the same, and once ate herself into sickness.

"[i]Mäk isvokk fæthet dejarin.[/i]" (My people respects yours) He said, not even noticing the words leaving his mouth until he heard them for himself. Quickly, he added, "[i]Isk båri väskett dej skeld vasa.[/i]" (I just thought you should know.)