The sensation of being so free of worry... it was completely alien to her, as from the days when as a child she began to think for herself and take notice, there were differences between her and her mother's people that made her stand out, that cause the elderwomen to consult the Goddess for reason behind the tall, pale girl's place among them and destiny. None of their oracles had offered anything so clear nor so daunting as her current situation.<br/><br/>His fingers across the row flesh drew soft, automatic hisses of pain, but there was no anger nor recrimination in her gaze as her eyes lifted to his, and she stretched out her hand to take the one he offered. Smoothly she rose, her free hand lifting in a silent gesture to trace an incomplete circle on his cheek - for a long moment she studied him as if she'd not ever quite looked upon him properly before.<br/><br/>Her hand still loosely twined in his, at his words she turned and walked toward the stairs - but her gait was changed too. Rather than the strong stride she'd exhibited even when shackled by the chains she seemed to... well, wander was the only word for it, as she moved to gracefully to be stumbling, but hadn't quite the sense of angerfueled purpose that had carried her before. Her fingertips trailed over raw and splintery wood of the walls as she preceded Anastasius up to the deck.