Marduk was not roused by the clamor of armor – it was after all a city at war, and the armored men patrolling the city could only be the Egyptian soldiers. They would not turn spear against their own assets, after all. It was not until a cutting Norman voice reached his ears that the he turned.
Although the tongue was foreign, Hayate’s threat was clear. Unwilling to retaliate, the well-trained dragon stepped nervously away from his assailant and lowered his head – a display of submission meant to convey that he was not dangerous! That he did not want to fight! His ears flattened against his skull, conveying just how nervous he was.
And then, it was as if people had begun to come out of the woodwork. First this knight, and a woman – although clearly Frankish, like the first, she seemed to be protecting him. Or at least trying to talk the man out of making what would surely be a very big mistake. Marduk himself could not retaliate, but his master would certainly have something to say if he were killed! Not that this gave him much comfort, as it wouldn't help him a whole lot if he had bits of metal stuck in him. Yet… for all that, her voice was sweet, and he couldn’t help but feel as if he were just a little safer.
Hesitantly, the dragon would try and speak up. He knew better than to try Arabic – Dhimma were forbidden to speak it, and there were no Muslims from the West. Not, at least, as far as he was aware. Even if they did know the language, they might be reluctant to use it where they might be punished for doing so – one was very clearly Christian, after all, judging by the mark on his shirt. On the other hand, Latin was… worth a try. He knew of its significance to Christendom – even if he was under the probably mistaken impression that every Christian was fluent, just like Muslims in the city spoke Arabic – and he had learned enough of it through his master to be able to function.
“…I do not want to fight. Not allowed to fight. I am not a… warrior.” He says, grasping for the right word. He would not dare rise from this self-subjecting posture, though – not until the threat was withdrawn. The arrival of yet another human only further complicated matters and he wasn't liking where this was going, not one bit. After all, religious tensions were running a little high at the moment, and here he was surrounded by Christians…
Hadn't they all been expelled from the city, though? Where were they coming from? He couldn't help a glance toward where he knew the nearest siege tower to lie, off in the distance… even if he knew better.