No sooner had Isolde recovered her poise from making eye contact with the Ice Queen then “Loki” came in to sit a few chairs down from her. He positioned his hat on his lap, and greeted her,<br/><br/>“Good evening.”<br/>Isolde smiled in return, a formal smile that held little warmth and masked any feelings. Going with her intuition, Isolde summoned a talent forward to guard herself in this environment she was beginning to understand was fraught with more than evil people. She called upon iron walls to surround her mind and spirit making provision to only allow Erlind in.  As she did so, the now familiar warmth on her arm returned, but this time she did not find it peculiar.<br/><br/>Erlind joined them, his body providing a buffer between them. The black haired man leaned around his and said,<br/><br/>"How did this cold winter's evening grace us with a presence as magnificent as yours, milady, I wonder?" he spoke up to the woman once more, slowly crossing his arms on his chest.<br/><br/>Erlind stole a glance at Isolde. The Demon looked concerned but had a little cat’s smile on his face at the same time. He grasped near the cuff of his left gloved hand and pulled it from the wrist towards his fingertips until the glove folded over, then proceeded to do the same with the second and crossed one leg over the other. His head cocked to one side and he looked at Isolde.<br/><br/>''Are you alright?'' He asked.<br/><br/>The Demon took Isolde's right hand in his. He languidly moved it atop his, curling his thumb around the curve that her own thumb and index finger unintentionally created. Through the fabric of her glove, he brushed his thumb over hers in slow motions, inconspicuously.<br/><br/>Isolde nodded and smiled brightly at him before turning her attention to the other man.<br/><br/>“Well, kind sir,” she spoke to “Loki”, I and my magnificent came to be here because of the generosity of my cousin.<br/><br/>Isolde glanced to Erlind and noticed eyes lingering on her hand for a brief period of time and the provocative way her  bit the inside of his bottom lip. He seemed to study their interlocked fingers before his cerulean eyes darted slowly back up to her face.<br/><br/>''I sense... that you are concerned with... something. If it's our deal, it can wait... I can.'' He asked in a semi-whispered low vocal tone while placing her hand delicately on the crook of his elbow. He did not cover it with his own, just in case she felt like pulling it away. He raised his chin up a little capturing her eyes with his own, and this time he meant it.<br/><br/>Isolde was relieved that he continued the  ‘cousinly’ affection in front of this man and was glad for an opportunity to touch Erlind. She heard the gentle tone of his offer to wait on signing the pact. His arm felt warm under her breast. Oddly enough, she trusted him. Out of all this ocean of insanity that surged around them, she felt as if he was the only solid bit of rock in the place.<br/><br/>She touched her cheek to his shoulder and murmured,<br/>“I would not put off our deal. There are other matters that ….”<br/><br/>An other officer arrived and swiftly jostled into place on their row just as someone thumped the microphone. All heads turned toward the front as the great leader (with the ridiculous pompous mustache) strode to the platform. The MC clicked his heels and saluted Heil, Hitler!.  The crowd, military and civilian leaped to attention and raised their arms with their voices. Isolde knew that to remain seated would be an instant death sentence so she stood too.