Dross hadn't been praised that much since, well, way before his expedition failed and he had to leave the torn up corpses of his last friends behind in the frozen waste. Being inspired beyond the basic drive he needed to carry on his mission he couldn't help himself but feel a glimmer of pride flaring up in his chest. Dross stood up, clearly forgetting the fact, that he was still wearing next to nothing and flailed his massive puffed tail around like a whip. But that moment of selfish pride quickly passed and made way for the modesty one would suspect from the one being saved from starvation and worse:
"I can't thank you enough, dear Mrs Hiss. Without your assistance, I don't think I would have made it, my mind was so distorted, that it nearly gave up dreaming from a strange voice that . . .claimed to have saved me - Wait! - Voice! - Where is my book?"
"One moment, Mr Hegraven -"
"Please, call me Dross, simply Dross is enough."
"But only . . .", Raja snickered, her pale cheeks got an idea of colour, "If you call me Raja in return, . . .Dross."
With childlike giggling, she hid her face under her nightdress leaving the room with elegant near unnoticeable steps to get the desired item from the radiator across the other room. Dross looked after the woman leaving the room with a warm feeling inside his chest. He wasn't sure what exactly caused that. Be it the fact that Raja's hospitality and presence was something pleasant he needed for a long time or the fact that this snow elf closely resembled the former flame he lost in Sepernius. It wasn't her face that started that idea in his head, moreso her entire personality. As if his past was mocking him being too weak to save Minaera from this feral Ice-Wyrm. Dross shook his head to get back to reality: No, he had to look forward for once, not comparing the present to the past. First and foremost he had to find out how exactly he escaped his doom arriving in the blink of an eye in Scamall. And for that he needed nourishment. With hungry eyes, he heaves his body closer to the cupboard, where Raja left the Venison soup. Slow and thankful Dross drank the hot food chewing thoroughly the meat and vegetables swimming in it. It has been moons since he last had a warm dish on his expedition. Eventually sated Dross peeked through the doorframe across the room asking himself why Raja took so long getting his book. Sharpening his ears Dross heard her rummaging through the kitchen seemingly searching for something. Then a loud crash followed by an exasperated curse as a few wine bottles started rolling across the room in all directions:
"Nothing happened, Mr . . .Dross. Just that godforsaken ladder failing me. I'm ok I guess.", Raja quickly jumped up and peered her face through the doorframe, her face now coloured fully in embarrassment, "One Moment please, I have everything under control."
Running across the room quickly like a Speasel panicky searching for food Raja gathered all the rolling wine bottles and placed them in a corner just to pick up the seemingly most expensive of the bunch and leave again inside the kitchen. She immediately returned packed fully with the book, a bundle of fresh clothes and the wine bottle with two wine glasses. Balancing all those pieces she placed them all neatly on the bed and night desk before letting herself fall into her bed seemingly stressed from that little accident. Raja let out a sad laugh, still ashamed of her clumsiness, and took a deep breath:
"Here is your book as you wished. Also, you will find in the bundle an exact replica of the torn to bits outfit you were wearing under all these coats and furs. Also . . .", she sat up and grabbed the wine from the desk, "A taste of the most expensive wine a woman of my modest stand can afford."
Raja was clearly trying to comfort him and Dross appreciated that from the bottom of his heart. He was about to answer as he realized something; a replica of his outfit? How long was he already here and out of commission? He took the bundle and unwrapped the foliage. There it was, just like the outfit he got after proving himself to the exploration guild. Dross wasted no second and started clothing himself up. No need for cleaning beforehand as, as it seems, Raja had already washed him thoroughly. Slightly embarrassed by that fact he continued to button up the white vest and slip into the brown wild leather trousers. Feeling finally whole again he accepted the presented wine Raja had already poured in while observing him like a celebrity. Dross sat down again and clung his glass with Raja's one. A moment of appreciative silence as both tasted the noble drop. Too good, way too good for the suspected wealth Dross was thinking Raja possessed. He looked down into his glass and raised his hand in question, just to be stopped in motion by Raja:
"I know what you want to ask and no, I don't regret it going way over my budget for this moment. So please don't feel bad and just enjoy the wine." She snuggled herself slightly into his vested flank, "Your presence, Dross, and . . .", she tapped the book slightly with her nail following the bleached out pattern the cover once had, "Maybe a story or two will clearly make this investment worth the money, don't you think?"
Charmed by the lovely smelling perfume playing heavenly cords with his snout Dross relaxed taking another sip of the wine. If its a story Raja wanted to hear, Dross was more than happy to follow that wish. It was the least he could do in that situation and if his saviour wanted a story she found the right narrator. He fluffed up his chest slightly being very excited to share his adventures with a listener other than himself for a change:
"If it is a story from the South pole you desire to hear, the pleasure would be the mine to tell it to you. But we should get a bit comfier first if I want you to narrate a section of my past years."
Dross grabbed his big book and walked over to a large comfy-looking armchair placed on top of a very fluffy carpet. The fluffy substance was pleasing his paws and as he sat down into the char he felt the comfort numbing him down in a good way. Perfect conditions to narrate. Taking another sip he looked out for Raja awaiting her to get a chair or lay down in this heavenly soft carpet. But he was surprised as the acrobatic and surprisingly stealthy snow elf suddenly jumped from behind the backrest over him landing with one foot standing on his lap. She weighed like nothing, as lightweight as a feather. Smiling down to her paragon she sat down in a playful manner curling herself up like a Speasel on his lap. In other situations, Dross would maybe be slightly uncomfortable by the lack of prudence of hers and ask her to get an own chair, but he enjoyed Raja's genuine company currently too much to spoil her happiness. Giving in into her playful manner Dross caressed Raja's white hair slightly rendering her imitating him, who already started purring a while back, and purred back at Dross with her eyes as big as full moons. A deep chuckling rumbled through his body as he took the book starting to flip through the pages searching for an interesting passage.
