The sheer speed with which her words gushed forth from her mouth seemed to catch the Archmage a little off his guard – the two thin eyebrows raising once more as he looked upon the girl with something akin to bemusement at the veritable verbal cascade. When she finally stopped to take a breath he looked a little relieved – as if for a moment he thought the girl might never stop, that she might continue to talk even once her lungs had emptied of their precious cargo of life sustaining air. ‘Are you sure you aren’t part gnome?’ he interjected with a slight sneer – the corner of his thin lips curling up a little way ‘as I’ve never heard a human talk in such a manner before and, more to the point, I think I would be happy if from this point forwards I never did again…’ he concluded, a slight nod of his head – no sign of whether this was meant for her, or in some way meant to conclude things for himself.<br/><br/>He was quiet from there on, letting the Araia finish what is was she had to say – reaching his right hand up towards his chin and absentmindedly dragging his fingers across the curve of his chin in a fashion that suggested that perhaps until very recently he had been in possession of some measure of facial hair, and for long enough that he had developed the subconscious routine of stroking it during thought. ‘If I had a gold coin for each and every time I heard someone tell me that it was vital that they learnt magic from me, I think I’d find myself in possession of such a mighty horde that even the most ancient dragon would be put the shame…’ he said as a passing comment – obviously a fabricated statement, as only the most desperate would seek dealings with one in possession of such a reputation as he. Still, he did not seem immediately of the disposition that might cause her to fear the sort of reply she didn’t want to hear…<br/><br/>Kos stood in silent for a moment before the girl – his gaze once or twice wandering up and down her body of its own accord, no sense of lust or lechery visible within the mans eyes as he looked upon her, more the look of one assessing an item in a bazaar as they ponder whether or not they actually need such a thing within their already cluttered dwelling. Abruptly the Archmage spun on his heel – turning so that his back was facing the girl as he looked out into the depths of his garden, much the look of some primeval jungle in many places, as if it had never seen the touch of a human before. Which, for some of it, was true to a certain extent. ‘You see, the problem I have with someone asking me to name my price is that when I do name it they are very often rather taken back – after all, if I ask for their soul that I might trade it with one of the denizens of the outer darkness, am I really out of line seeing as they said I might name my own price? Then again, I always get the feeling that those who come to me without a very good idea before of what they will and will not pay for a service don’t truly appreciate what it is that they are bartering for…’ he said, turning on his heel once again to look upon the girls face. ‘Do you? Do you know what it is you are bartering for? What would you – no, not your father, for he has nothing to do with this now, what would you my dear be willing to pay me in return for my tutorship?’