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"Just thought I'd point that out," Mynoris says, almost affably. "Since you stopped short of killing her, I figured you wanted her alive for some reason or another." She pauses and her eyes narrow a trifle. "Unless you're prone to indulging in torture."

Then she looks back to the elves. "What do you classify your family as, if they are neither the mountain elves you mentioned or the swamp elves like her?" Meaning Svana of course. "And you're right, the plains require entirely different tactics, though just remember, if she hadn't done what she did, it is unlikely any of you would have made it far enough for your expertise to kick in. Credit where credit is due, yes?" Abruptly she asks, "What's your opinion on mercenaries?"

"Sorry to hear that about your family," says Mynoris. And by her tone, she means it. "My family is all gone as well. I spent some time as a mercenary, though the question was for the both of you. However, since you're a merc, obviously that both of you have no issues." She shrugs. "I haven't 'sold my sword' as the saying goes, for some time however." Rubbing the back of her neck she goes on to say, "In fact, I'm probably pretty rusty by now." She considers Baldur for a few moments. "Though, if it is your people you are fighting for, why do you consider yourself a mercenary instead of just someone fighting for the good of your people? Soldiers get paid too."

"I'd hope I don't give off the impression that I am against torture," Kira said.

Claudette, while still hurting, was suddenly aware her slave markings were out in the open. She went to grab her hoodie, but instead Kira snatched it off of the table.

"These people need to know what you are, dear Claudette," Kira said with a smile.

Frowning over toward where Kira was forcing Claudette to show off her markings. Turning in his chair, he lifted his shirt to show off a corner of his back. "I wouldn't worry, lass, mine are uglier." Nearly every inch of his back was knitted with ropes of thick, heavy scar tissue.

Svana had never seen his back or scars. He never mentioned his past. The again she only knew him a week.

"A cause." He gruntes, shirt falling back into place. "Idealistic. Reality doesn't always make room for ideals."

Svana was busy staring at him she almost missed the question. "Childre..." She choked. "Burn it all, no!" The closest thing she had to children were Urt and his forebears. She had no desire for children. Perhaps someday if she was given a lifemate. Never before. Not any time soon.

"Then you don't know what it's like to lose them," Mynoris says to Svana, perhaps a bit flatly. One might even say that this is the closest she's shown to actually being upset about something. "Most elf type people I have run across have been very long lived, so it might not be as surprising to you if I said I was old enough to have grandchildren."

Looking at Baldur, she nods her head. "Very few causes stir my heart; but I tend to like underdogs. If a task is too easy, there's very little satisfaction out of completing it." She shrugs her shoulders. "Nasty bit of work there," she adds, referring to the scarring.

"I didn't have an opinion one way or the other about her a**," Mynoris says. She's used a fair number of slang phrases, but apparently that one isn't in her lexicon. "And I don't see what it has to do with her ability to wield a weapon. Also, unless you can also use a weapon, don't tear down the ability." Tilting her head to the side, she fixes her Death Gaze on Claudette to get a read on her health.

Svana lurched to her feet indignantly, face distorting with rage. "Don't you ever lecture me on loss!" she snarled.

"Svana," Baldur snapped.

She blatantly ignored him. "I may not have children, but I was forced to watch my parents murdered. My brothers, murdered. My grandparents, cousins, neighbors, and friends, murdered. Women and children raped. Families burned inside their own homes. My people! Everywhere I went we were eventually driven out, all of the friends I had made killed over and over again. Every safe place eventually sacked. My survival was sometimes nothing more than chance! Then penned in like an animal, starving, watching everyone with me starve and succumb to despair. No, I don't know what its like to lose a child, but I was there for the brutal end of everyone else and I damn well felt that!" she screamed, setting off with no chance of coming down.

Even Baldur sat back, shocked. He had seen her explode, but not like this. He was about to mention what a disobedient bastaed he had been to Claudette, but lost the words.

Cheeks colored, Svana crossed over to Kira again, having found an ally with her. She sat with her back to the other table.

"Don't bother," Baldur sighed. "Empathy isn't her strong suit. She doesn't comprehend the point you were even making," he sighed blandly.

Kira was shocked by Svana's outburst, but she couldn't fault her for it. Gently she patted Svana's shoulder, trying to be of some comfort. She let go of Claudette.

"Loss can be difficult and full of grief no matter who it is," Kira said softly. "If she's as old as she claims to be, she would know that. It doesn't have to be a child for it to hurt like hell, both physically and emotionally."

"I still feel she's high and mighty. As if she's omniscient when she knows very little," Kira added. "I want to knock her down a few pegs. Don't you?"

Kira scoffed at Mynoris. "I don't need your weapon. I have one of my own, thank you."