@8500 = ~Oh! You've... startled me. I'm sorry, I'm not really... available for company right now.~
@8501 = ~Please, I just need some time alone. It's been a... difficult night, and I'm still trying to... make sense of things.~
@8502 = ~I don't want to pry, but you seem troubled. Is there anything I can do to help?~
@8503 = ~Steady yourself, Aisha. I'm clued in on the bounty. I just want to know why someones got it in for you.~
@8504 = ~Cut the crap, Aisha. I'm here for the bounty. Best not make this messier than it needs to be.~
@8505 = ~Not available for company? What do you mean by that?~
@8506 = ~Seems like you've got a lot on your plate right now. I'll leave you to it.~
@8507 = ~Oh, it's kind of you to offer help, really. But, I... I'm not sure if there's anything anyone can do.~
@8508 = ~It's just a complicated situation, you know? The kind that you hope to wake up from and find it's just a bad dream.~
@8509 = ~I'm just trying to stay out of sight, out of mind. Maybe it'll all blow over soon. That's what I keep telling myself, at least.~
@8510 = ~Sorry, I wish I could say more, but I'm just... not sure it's safe to, for you or for me.~
@8511 = ~Thank you for your concern. I just... I really need some time alone right now. I appreciate your kindness.~
@8512 = ~Ah, you mean my work... Yes, I am a courtesan, and normally, I'd welcome company, to offer conversation or... comfort.~
@8513 = ~But right now, I'm just not in the right frame of mind for... for any of that. Recent events have left me a bit shaken, and I need some time to gather myself, to process everything.~
@8514 = ~My mind's a whirlwind of thoughts, and fears... It's not often that I find myself wishing for solitude, but here we are.~
@8515 = ~I appreciate your discretion. Sometimes it's hard to know who to trust. I'll manage somehow. Thank you.~
@8516 = ~Please, wait! This bounty, it's... it's all a terrible mistake, a misunderstanding. He... Amrius, he's the one who should be answering for what he did, not me.~
@8517 = ~I was just trying to protect myself. Please, you have to believe me. There's more to this than what it seems, if you'd only give me a chance to explain!~
@8518 = ~Alright, spill it. I'm listening.~
@8519 = ~Sorry sweetheart, but you ain't my type. (Snap her neck.)~
@8520 = ~Oh, gods. A-alright, where do I even begin? I... I work as an escort in the taverns around here. It's a job, just like any other, and it's always been on my own terms.~
@8521 = ~But, the other night, I was at the Burning Wizard, just for a quiet drink, not working or anything. That's when Amrius showed up, completely drunk, reeking of ale and arrogance.~
@8522 = ~He demanded that I leave with him, but I told him no, that I was off duty... but he wouldn't listen. He just got angrier, and more insistent. He grabbed at me, and I had to fight him off.~
@8523 = ~He was so drunk he could barely stand. He stumbled back into a table, crashing down in a mess of food, drink and blood, his face mangled from who knows what.~
@8524 = ~The whole tavern erupted in laughter at the sight of him. I was so scared, but I saw my chance and I ran. I haven't stopped shaking since.~
@8525 = ~The next morning, when I heard about the bounty... It's like my worst nightmare coming true, and I haven't dared to leave this room since.~
@8526 = ~And... there you have it. That's the whole, frightful mess I find myself in now. I never imagined a simple refusal could turn my life upside down like this.~
@8527 = ~What else can you tell me about Amrius? Any details that could help me understand the situation better?~
@8528 = ~Where can I find him? Maybe I can convince him to remove the bounty.~
@8529 = ~Tragic story, but it changes nothing for me. A bounty is a bounty, and I intend to collect it. (Snap her neck.)~
@8530 = ~Well, Amrius and I... we have some history, you could say. He's been a client of mine, more than once. I always thought it was just business... he paid, I provided company, nothing more.~
@8531 = ~But, looking back, there was a certain... intensity in his eyes, a way he spoke that made me uneasy. It's as if, with each meeting, he believed he owned a part of me.~
@8532 = ~And last night, when I said 'no', it was like I shattered some illusion he had about us. Like he thought our history gave him some kind of... entitlement to me.~
@8533 = ~I can't help but feel that it's my fault somehow... that I somehow led him on. Did my professionalism give him the wrong idea?~
@8534 = ~I'm just... really frightened, about how wrong I was, about how dangerous his obsession might be. I never imagined it would lead to this.~
@8535 = ~Really? You'd do that for me? Oh, thank you! Thank you so much. I've heard that he's still at the Burning Wizard, probably nursing his wounds and his pride after... our altercation.~
@8536 = ~Please, be careful, though. Amrius can be... unpredictable, especially now. But just knowing you're willing to help, it means more than I can express.~
@8537 = ~N-no! Stay back!~
@8538 = ~Any updates on this dreadful situation? The suspense is almost too much to bear, and I'm clinging to any shred of hope here.~
@8539 = ~Amrius told me a different story about jealousy and a fight that you started. Is there any truth to that?~
@8540 = ~He's demanding a ransom of 1000 gold to call it off. It's an outrageous amount, but that's his condition.~
@8541 = ~Things with Amrius are settled, and he's agreed to remove the bounty. You're out of harm's way.~
@8542 = ~I haven't spoken to Amrius yet. But don't worry, I'll sort this out and get back to you with answers.~
@8543 = ~Oh, I see. Well, I'm holding onto hope that you can sort things out with him. Your willingness to help means the world to me in such a frightening time.~
@8544 = ~But please, be cautious around Amrius, he's not the most reasonable when he's upset. I'll be here, trying to stay calm and waiting anxiously for any news you bring.~
@8545 = ~His story? About jealousy? Well, it's... You see, things aren't always black and white. But jealousy over Ilena? That's... ridiculous.~
@8546 = ~I mean, why would I be? She's just another face in the crowd, nothing special. But the way Amrius was parading around her, laughing and whispering, as if I wasn't even there.~
@8547 = ~It was like a game to him, a way to get a rise out of me. And maybe, just maybe, it worked. It's not that I care about Ilena, but the disrespect, the way he disregarded me, treated me like I was invisible.~
@8548 = ~It was humiliating, infuriating! And yes, I was angry, who wouldn't be? To be made a fool of in front of everyone. But to say I started a fight out of jealousy? That's not the whole truth!~
@8549 = ~One thousand gold? That... insufferable brute! What on earth does he think he's going to do with that much? Oh, wait, I know, he's probably planning to elope with that... that Ilena!~
@8550 = ~Can you believe the nerve of him? Asking for a king's ransom as if he's entitled to it, and for what? To run away with her? That's just like him, scheming and dreaming up grand plans.~
@8551 = ~And Ilena, oh, don't get me started on her. She struts around like she owns the place, batting her eyelashes, thinking she's the town's darling.~
@8552 = ~It's all an act, I tell you. A performance to fool everyone into thinking she's this innocent little flower. But I see through it, I do.~
@8553 = ~They're both as bad as each other, him with his delusions of grandeur, and her with her little miss perfect act.~
@8554 = ~But I'm onto them. Ilena's sweet facade doesn't fool me. Beneath that veneer of purity, there's a manipulator, a schemer. She's not above this, not above using people for her own gain.~
@8555 = ~And Amrius, he's just a pawn, a puppet in her hands. Well, let them have their little game. I'm not playing by their rules anymore.~
@8556 = ~They think they can control me, sideline me? I'll be the one to turn the tables. I'll show them, just you watch. They won't see me coming.~
@8557 = ~I'm no expert, but I think we might have found the root of the problem. I'll come back after speaking with Ilena.~
@8558 = ~Wait, Ilena from the Gorgon's Eye? I'll go and see what she has to say about all this.~
@8559 = ~Uhh, that escalated quickly. I'm going to need some time to... process my thoughts here.~
@8560 = ~Well, that was quite the performance. I'm not sure if I should applaud or be concerned.~
@8561 = ~Just be careful with that one. She's got a way of twisting words and batting eyes that can turn the heads of even the most discerning.~
@8562 = ~Don't let her sweet talk fool you. She's more cunning than she lets on. But then, I'm sure you'll figure that out soon enough.~
@8563 = ~Well, I might not have Ilena's talent for weaving tales and charming every ear in the room, but at least I'm honest.~
@8564 = ~She's the one you should watch out for. All sugar on the surface, but underneath? Well, let's just say, she's got her own agenda.~
@8565 = ~Just remember, not everything that glitters in Ilena's world is gold.~
@8566 = ~Oh, off to see Ilena now, are we? She's just wonderful, isn't she? So charming, so beloved by everyone. They all adore her, hanging on her every word. She can do no wrong in their eyes.~
@8567 = ~Don't mind me, though, go and hear her side, her perfectly crafted, honey-dripped words. It's what everyone does.~
@8568 = ~But remember, while she's weaving her sweet little stories, there's always more lurking beneath that perfect veneer. Oh, but you'll see, you'll see... everyone does, eventually.~
@8569 = ~Oh, you're back! I've been thinking about earlier, and I... I just want to apologize for how I acted. I don't know what came over me, really. It's not like me to be so harsh and catty.~
@8570 = ~I guess the stress of everything with Amrius just got to me. I'm usually not that kind of person, you know? I'm truly sorry if I came across as unpleasant.~
@8571 = ~But, um, have you had any luck? Any updates on Amrius and the situation with the bounty?~
@8572 = ~Ilena spoke with Amrius, and she managed to convince him to remove the bounty. You're safe now.~
@8573 = ~Truth be told, I've actually decided to kill you and cash in on that bounty. (Snap her neck.)~
@8574 = ~Not yet, Aisha. I'm still working on it. I'll update you when there's news.~
@8575 = ~I understand these things can't be rushed. Just knowing you're on it gives me some peace of mind. Thank you for keeping at it.~
@8576 = ~There you are! I've been so on edge waiting to hear from you. Any updates on our situation? Anything at all would be a relief to hear.~
@8577 = ~He... he lifted the bounty because of Ilena? I can't believe it. Why would Amrius listen to her? It doesn't make sense. It's... it's absurd, preposterous!~
@8578 = ~She's nothing, a nobody, and yet... yet he just drops it at her say-so? Because she bats her eyelashes? I can't believe it. I won't! It's a mockery of everything, a complete farce!~
@8579 = ~All this time, the threat of the bounty... it was a connection, a twisted acknowledgment.~
@8580 = ~It was proof! Proof that I was still there in his thoughts, his heart... that I got under his skin enough to push him to that extreme!~
@8581 = ~But now? Am I so insignificant that he'd just toss me aside for her? It feels like a betrayal, like I'm worth less than... less than whatever she offered him. It's infuriating!~
@8582 = ~Ilena, with her pretty words and perfect hair, coming in and stealing my place? No, it's more than that. She's stolen my significance, she's made me a ghost in his mind.~
@8583 = ~It's all a game to her, and now she's won. She's taken my place... made me irrelevant. It's humiliating, degrading!~
@8584 = ~I refuse to be forgotten! This isn't the end. No, I'm going to find Amrius, and I'll make him see. I'll make him realize what he's done!~
@8585 = ~He thinks he can erase me so easily? I'll show him, I'll show them both. They can't just discard me. I'm Aisha, and I won't be overlooked, not by him, not by anyone!~
@8586 = ~He did? Amrius removed the bounty? Oh, I can hardly believe it... That's incredible! I've been living under this dark cloud for so long, and now, just like that, it's gone.~
@8587 = ~This is... it's a miracle, a true miracle. I can finally breathe, finally live without looking over my shoulder every second. Thank you, I can't thank you enough for this.~
@8588 = ~But, you know, it's odd. Amrius, he's not one to change his mind easily, especially not when he's all riled up. I keep thinking back to that night at the tavern, the way things unfolded.~
@8589 = ~Ilena was there too, you know. I'm not saying she's involved, but it's curious. I can't help but wonder... Did she have something to do with this?~
@8590 = ~It's not like Amrius to just... forgive. Not unless there's a reason, a push. And Ilena, she's always been so... perfect, and so poised. But what if she's not what she seems?~
@8591 = ~What if she's been playing a game this whole time, weaving her web around Amrius, around all of us? It's all starting to make a twisted kind of sense.~
@8592 = ~She's the puppet master, and we're just her pawns in this elaborate game of hers. It's chilling, really, when you start to see the strings. I wonder what her endgame is, what she truly wants.~
@8593 = ~But one thing's for sure, I'm not going to let her pull the wool over my eyes. Not anymore. I'm going to find out what she's really up to.~
