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Sophie would like it on the record that, when she accepted the job, she didn't know that the Librarian had to do so much bloody politics. She could be out healing the sick, like Natan in his day. She would love to be out healing the sick. Instead, she's in one of the innumerable studies of Hush House, searching for a book for Hokobald, even though she wishes dearly that she could toss him out on his shiny arse. She doesn't mind helping out Yvette, or Arun, or really most of the others. It's just Hokobald in particular who should really go fuck himself. But it is her duty to remain strictly neutral, and she takes that duty seriously. So she'll find his damned book, and watch like a hawk while he reads it. And should he happen to violate that neutrality himself, well, she might have a few things in her pockets to introduce him to. (Swaddled Thunder isn't casual to make, nor the Rubywise Ruin in case of violence. But she's made them enough to feel they're replaceable, at least.)
She rolls that around in her head.
"Can I ask... why did you do it? I'm extremely grateful you did, you've given us the chance to get our family back, but it... you barely know us."
"I did it because... I am here. I do not know you, but you are the only ones here with me. You are good. You are... Good. You were in pain. I thought of something that I could do to help you."
Then she shakes her head. "...it was not really for you. It was to make me feel strong. To say, I have solved your problem, and I am important. I am very stupid."
...oh. She nods in understanding. "It may have been a thing you did for you, but... you still solved our problem. Thank you."
She reaches out and pats Sophie on the knee.
"...I am the stupid one, in my family, the one who does impulsive things when feeling scared." smile. "I have never killed a dragon about it, though. It was very impressive."
...awww, Sophie has such a nice smile. "Even if we ask very nicely?" She bats her eyelashes.
Yesss she made their new attractive and dangerous friend laugh!
Luto giggles. "You have only met two of us! Maybe we will get Zan back and she will say" (she adopts a noticably different voice and register) "'Oh, Great Sophie, I know it is not easily done and I do not wish to impose on your kindness, but I do have a small, tiny, very big and also urgent problem with this other dragon, and I have nobody else to turn to in my hour of need, please help me', and then poor Ridaya will be out-voted..."
Her eyes are sparkling in a way Sophie's never seen them before.
"I'd want to see if that one dies to thunder, at least! It's not my first instinct. That would be terribly expensive."
"Maybe there are kinds of dragon who die easily to thunder... I don't know much about the kinds of dragons, just that there are lots of them. Umakhi, the one with the wings, is the our main Knower of Things. A scary number of things, really. We joke sometimes that has a hard time with people because she is too busy being friends with every book she ever meets."
She sighs, and continues in a softer voice. "...I miss her. Miss all of them. I really hope we can get all 3 of them back without more problems."
She hugs her knees.
She uncurls a bit. "We have the money to buy diamonds, once we get to a city. You got us the bodies back, and that we could not have bought."