The moment he heard the princess coming out after him, his jaw set ever so slightly and his anger began to even out instead of fade away while in front of the elderly lady. With a curt nod, Maleki said.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#0080ff">“Forgive me for knocking you over, gran. Your royal charge misunderstood situations entirely, and it led to me becoming a bit blinded.”</span>It was automated, surely, but at least the first bit was honest. It was a common thing for Todori's: They could apologize, despite rumors to the contrary. The only problem with them is that they sounded fake and rehearsed instead of genuine. Obviously, it was a trait left over from his father. Maleki was apologetic of bowling the lady over, but he was not able to display that, especially with the disdain that Aleksandra had put into him just a few moments prior.<br/><br/>Then the offer to escort them came, and after a quick glance at Aleksandra, his anger built up further. She’d planned this to make it impossible to say no.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#0080ff">“I am sorry, ma’am, but your charge has kept me from applying for quite some time, if I don’t hurry, the job I want may be taken,” </span>Maleki said.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#0080ff">“I don’t want to have to take a job out in the Flats again.” </span>And with that, Maleki glanced off to the side out of the corner of his eyes for but an instant, before beginning to move at a quicker pace away from them in the opposite direction that he had looked. Unfortunately for him, his ruse was noticed and foiled, as Storka’s arm quickly looped through his own and with a surprising grip kept locked to him. A knowing smile met Maleki’s gaze and his shoulders slumped, defeated.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#0080ff">“Very well.”</span><br/><br/>Maleki began to walk in the same direction he was heading during his short lived quickened pace. He did not bother attempting to remove his arm from Storka’s grasp and simply continued to walk as fast as she would allow. His path was not the same that they would have planned. He wanted to cut down on even more time, so -normally- he could be the first one at the caravans to ensure he had the job he actually wanted. So using them now would just help ensure he actually got a job. So quite a few times, he would head off the road, or take a turn that wasn’t expected, and so on as he headed closer and closer to the edge of town and the caravan’s resting place. As they walked, they passed a stall selling a deep pink liquid in small vials. Without a word, Maleki swiped two, and left a coin purse in their place without even stopping... though he would be pretty far out of town by the time the vendor would realize that they were shorted by about fifteen pieces. Either way, Maleki slid the vials into his pocket and continued on the path.