It seemed that the demands were quickly weighing up upon his shoulders – he could already feel the weight of the first promise beginning to press down upon his shoulders, perhaps in the same way one might feel the weight of a soaked woollen robe draped around them, and he knew that adding more to that metaphysical weight would be a dangerous thing indeed. He may have made a dreadful mistake as it was in his eagerness to get the girl to agree to their venture – although there were ways around it of course, perhaps he would be able to bring her back to the house within the time limit he had agreed to, but with the task unfinished. If he could show her enough during that time to spur her into defence of her homeland, then perhaps she would come with him again willingly…<br/><br/>‘I give you my word, she will return home whole and unharmed as long as I am alive to prevent it’. There was a reason for that addition to the promise – while he was indeed fearful of what might happen to him should he fail at the task he was set, he had no wish to become a restless spirit should he die whilst she was in his care. Death was one thing, undeath was something all together different – and he wasn’t about to leave himself open to becoming one of those twisted hateful creatures he’d had the misfortune to cross paths with more than once before. Parne hoped that would be enough to satisfy the girls aunt, for he honestly didn’t know what else he could offer her in terms of reassurance – as it was the older woman was driving a rather hard bargain, showing her knowledge of his kind.<br/><br/>He nodded simply at Tara’s words, the smile he’d maintained upon his face faltering somewhat – as if hinting at some regret behind his words. ‘Alas it will – but a promise has been made. We will have to do what we can with the time we have been given.’ If he could get her to break his obligation…<br/><br/>‘We will do our best of course – but in these times we cannot spare too many of our people in order to sufficiently protect everyone should the worst happen. I would like to say there will be no further attacks, but much of the thinking behind what has happened already by their hand, and what they continue to strive to do makes little sense to me as it is…’