Ashley grabbed the blade, and positioned herself next to the door...But when the batyr opened the door, he didn't come in, as she'd expected.<br/>Instead, he had been opening it at arm's length. Had he heard her breathing? Smelled her?<br/><br/>Whatever the reason was, that put him well outside the reach of a swing! But a step and swing would have been enough...<br/>Except the man reacted fast enough, slamming the door in the fact of Ashley. She wasn't hurt, but it prevented momentarily her stab. And then she heard his quick steps on the other side of the door.<br/><br/>When she opened it, he was no longer completely unarmed, and certainly wasn't unprepared. In fact, he'd ran to the middle of the big room, and had just taken a semi-desperate measure - taking the clothes lying around, probably meant to be cleaned by the slaves, and wrapping an upper garment twice around his left hand. It was also hanging around a cubit down from his hand, creating a barrier in front of his body.<br/>Only a desperate man would do that, for clothes are as expensive as slaves...and sometimes more. But the man looks Ashley in the eyes, and his posture and eyes are confident and intense as he smiles a crooked smile.<br/><strong>"Come",</strong>he whispered.<strong><em>"Let's dance".</em></strong><br/><br/>Something is telling her that this last sentence is what he views as a threat. Maybe it has additional meanings in his homeland? Who knows?