Dalanesca stood idly by Marth as both sides of himself appeared tangibly to him. Unlike the last time Reaver made an appearance, there was no threat in this visit from him. The power from Malum was merely embodying Marth’s darker side, just as the voice emerging from Sanctus embodied the lighter side. She listened intently and observed the scene before her, jumping slightly when Marth slammed his staff into the ground. She glanced at him, she could see that he was exerting a different sort of power. It was reminiscent of the power she had seen displayed when Reaver had appeared and attacked her, but he seemed to be more in control of it.
She locked eyes with Marth as he looked at her, listening to his attempt to put his thoughts to words. It was obvious he had words he wished to speak, but he seemed to be having trouble getting them out. She chose not to interrupt him, but rather to wait patiently while he searched for the proper way to say whatever it was he was trying to. Eventually, it seemed, that he expressed his belief for her, and she felt a wave of relief surge over her. She had needed him to believe her, and fortunately it seemed that showing him her realm she had created had been enough.
She said nothing, as it seemed Marth was not quite done. She watched her companion pace back and forth, explaining himself as best he could. Furrowing her brow as he spoke of the atrocities Reaver held responsibility for, she nearly spoke to interrupt Marth, until he came to kneel before her. She opened her mouth to object, to tell him to get up, but he continued to speak and she continued to listen, closing her mouth slowly. It seemed as though he were offering his service to her, and she was unsure how to respond at first.
She started at Marth when he finished talking, churning his words over in her mind. She had many things she wanted to say, but the majority of them were not things she would bring to light with Marth - not yet, anyway. He was looking up at her, a sly grin on his face, having just told her he would not accept no for an answer. She gave him a warm smile and reached out to him, resting a hand gently on his cheek. Still smiling, she spoke to him. “I may be a God, but it appears that time behaves in the manner I want it, so that is not an issue. And as for staying close to you…” she spoke, though her words trailed off as she lost the manner in which she wished to phrase them. “I’ve no desire to be away from you. None at all. In the time we’ve travelled together, I’ve grown to trust you, and that is not something that comes easily for me.” She paused for a moment, before continuing once more. “If I am to be frank… I have a desire to be near you. I can’t explain it. I just… well,” she trailed off again, her hand pulling away from his face, but her eyes not leaving him.
She quirked an eyebrow at the offer of service. “Talents, eh? Well, it seems you’ve got an awful lot of them, and more every day,” she added, in reference to the earlier action with the black claws coming from his hand when he had slammed his Dragon Lance to the ground to banish the shades that had appeared. As she spoke, a magistrate came back out of the courthouse carrying a fresh white tunic folded over her hands. She hurried down to Dalanesca.
“Sorry to interrupt, m’lady, but your clothing needed attention… we saw it, when you came,” she said, bowing her head. Dalanesca snatched the cloth out of her hands and dismissed her, turning back to Marth.
“Sorry,” she said, towards the interruption. “I’ll have your service, Marth. And I’ll be your anchor. As I told you, back in Martin’s county… use me as your anchor. If it’s me that keeps you from the edge, then that is what I will be for you,” she promised.
After a moment, she turned away from Marth. With her back to him, she peeled off the tattered tunic, wincing only slightly as the cauterized wound on her chest pulled as her arms raised above her head. If Marth had been looking at her back, he would see a number of long, jagged scars streaking her back. Although they could have been removed with her divinity - she kept them as a reminder of what cruelty existed in the world, from encounters previous. She quickly pulled the white cloth of the clean tunic over her head and turned back to Marth, still kneeling on the ground.
“Get up,” she said, smiling crookedly. “And don’t kneel in front of me ever again. There’s no service you can offer me from down there, unless… well, never mind,” she said, smirking slightly. Her humor had obviously not been lost in the transition, nor had the minute attraction she had begun to feel towards Marth, resulting in the inappropriate innuendo she had just implied.
Her face eventually returned to a more serious state. “All that aside, however… please do not treat me as a superior,” she said. “I mean, your respect is appreciated… but I trust you more than I trust anyone else. I’ll want your advisement on many things,” she said, thoughtfully. “I suppose if I am a god, that would make you my priest, would it not?” she asked him. “What do you think?”