Aluren kept his eyes on the inky darkness, not responding to her thanks and knowing better than to look back. Without looking, he could feel the strange craft of the blade, the weight and balance was certainly foreign, though not unknown to him. But still, it was strange for him to imagine the sword when it was such a trivial thought.<br/><br/>At her question and the sound of leather no longer straining, he’d turn back to her, once more puzzled by what she had asked. “Shouldn’t you know?” His tone held genuine confusion as he took a moment to look down at the blade before back at her.  However, his bewildered state fell to the back of his mind as he again, rudely began to stare at her, watching as long, beautiful hair draped over her. She wasn’t like anything he had seen before, the alien beauty that the women in his realm paled in comparison.<br/><br/>Realizing he had not given her an answer, the more coherent side of him dipped his head in a bow before replying calmly. “My name was once Aluren, once a paladin of Ilivara and commander of the order of knights.” His lips flattened as he once more turned to look over his shoulder. The moon was rising higher, bathing the small clearing in pale light, though one couldn’t see past the first line of trees.  “What brought you here, Isabella?” His tone remained calm, though curious of the strange beauty. He almost relied on her telling him something new, something his own mind couldn’t forge to break the vicious cycle if even for an evening.