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She wasn't stupid. "My horse ran off," she murmured, looking around, still slightly dazed from the shock. She took a few deep breaths, grateful for his grap on her arm. Shaking her head, she exhaled and felt marginally better. Cellyn stared up at him, eyes narrowed. "Did I channel? Did I...Heal you?" she demanded, only faltering slightly on the word.

She let herself be led over to the massive black warhorse, secretly glad she'd have Noj for support. She didn't think she was up for riding alone at the moment, but...
"Why are you lying to me?" she demanded, glaring at him and pulling from his grip. "I'm not a child! And I'm not stupid, either! That Asha'man was nowhere near us. We'll talk about this once we're safely away from here, make no mistake on that," she promised him, waiting to be helped onto the horse. There was no way she was getting up there on her own.

Cellyn remained on top of the large warhorse - for tha'ts what she finally realized it was - who remained placidly still and didn't show any objection to her weight. Her eyes followed the agitated man, carefully noting his every movement. If she was trapped with a madman, though she doubted he was that, she would rather find out sooner than later.
"Hm," she murmured, stroking the horse's mane with a gentle hand she showed only to animals.

Cellyn remained still and quiet for a time, stroking the horse's mane and looking like she was concentrating on something. She finally looked up and cocked an eyebrow at Noj. "Are you always such whiner?" she asked curiously. "Honestly, the way you go on, you'd think the Blight and the creation of Darkspawn could be laid at your doorstep as well. People always have trouble. Some more than others."
She shrugged, seemingly amused. "Self-pity isn't going to get you out of our deal. I said I need someone to get me south. As far as I can see, the fact that you can channel is a help, not a hindrance, since you don't have the taint."

"Do as you wish, then," she muttered, peeved to her core. She had no respect for people who acted so high and mighty, as if nothing could be worse than what they had experienced. It was true, she had not led the life this man had, but hadn't many others? And they either died or found a way to keep living, as he obviously had. If he was so downtrodden and guilt-ridden, she thought, he should just throw himself off a cliff and spare everyone around him his self-righteous pity-filled lectures. Her eye twitched in irritation.

Cellyn could only roll her eyes and choke on her angry words. "Lack of respect for the dead?" she repeated in her head, holding onto Noj's - her - cloak tightly. "You mean lack of respect for you, you whiny, pitying fool. You can't apologize for your behavior and then go right on behaving the same way and think it's all right."
She wondered how no one had slapped the man for his condescending manners long ago and glared into his back.

The ride was long but blessedly quite, the idiot man sparing her any more bloody lectures. It seemed as long as she kept her mouth shut, so would he. And since she didn't have much of anything to say - nice, at least - that was easy.

Cellyn shrugged as he left her sitting on the war horse in the middle of the road. "Men and their manners," she grumbled, taking up Light Dancer's reins with a gentle hand he seemed to enjoy. As they made their way down the street, she had the distinct impression that she wasn't guiding the horse, but the other way around. She allowed herself a wry smile as they approached what had to be the most expensive inn in town, three stories tall and made entirely out of stone and wood.

After ensuring Light Dancer was safely ensconed and fed in his own stall, Cellyn entered the common room of the inn and smiled. It was bright and cheery, the patrons well-dressed and clean while music was playing from a bard she couldn't see yet. A tall, skinny woman approached her with an air of authority before she could get much further from the door.
"Is there anything I can do for you, ma'am?" she asked.
"I'd like two rooms for at least two nights, perhaps more," Cellyn said with a nod, following the woman over to the wide counter. A book was flipped open, notes taken. "A hot bath drawn in one them of them as well. Also, do you know where a tailor is in town?" she asked, becoming self-conscious of her travel-stained, dirty clothing and appearance.
"Yes, ma'am. Just down the street is a very reputable one," the woman replied, giving her a once-over and finding her satisfactory for the money as the coins were dropped onto the wood. "Would you like the bath drawn before or after?" she queried.
"After I return, please," Cellyn said. "Why bath when I'd have to change into dirty clothing again?" she thought. "Can I have these things washed afterwards?"
"Yes, ma'am, although that will add to the bill."
"That's fine, just let me know," she requested, taking the keys from the woman.
"The rooms are on the third floor, the very end of the hall to your right, ma'am."
"Thank you." Finishing up business, Cellyn found herself back on the street and only a few stores away from the tailor, a fact she noticed with a relieved sigh.

Several hours later found Cellyn not only with new gowns, hanging from the rack as she soaked in the hot water, but a new business contact. The man had been more than happy to find someone interested in his city fashions, unlike the people of the town, even if the travel meant it would take longer to sell. Her gowns were all new and freshly altered, having been displays for his talents and then shelved in despair of selling them.
"I feel human again," she murmured with a contented sigh, plaiting her wet hair and pinning it in a knot behind her head. The gown she chose was a deep shade of chocolate-brown, silver and black embroidery on the hems. Both the skirt and sleeves were full, falling in numerous folds from snug seams. The neck was to her throat, a bir of embroidery giving the appearance of a collar.
Her travel-worn things had been taken away for cleaning and she heaved a sigh of relief, moving to the door. "Might as well go see if he's here yet," she groused, though not as grumpily as she might have. She looked completely different, like a mature woman rather than a frivolous girl, and knew it, secretly hoping it might change Noj's attitude towards here even a little. Not worried about catcalls this time, she set her back as she headed down the stairs.