Need a Little Ray of Sunshine

His little toss of his surname, and the Ancora name, produced the result he was looking for. He gave no hint that he spotted her pause before she responded, nodding as she returned the introduction. “And a pleasure to meet you, Lady Sterling.” Ever the gentleman, he treated her respectfully.

He noted her glance toward the root, and, at her query, he nodded easily. “Yes. It’s Iris, or Blue Flag.” He tailed the explanation off, delicately seeing how much interest he could garner by withholding the flow of information he carried on the plant. He could tell she wasn’t a healer. All healers seemed to carry that scent of plants and herbs that came from their constant exposure to them as they worked with them. She carried none of it.

On top of that, there was a sense that she was asking just to make a topic for conversation. However, he gave a mental shrug and stepped back into the water, though he kept himself subtly angled toward her, one eye on her, and one ear tipping slightly to catch any sounds as he sank his claws into the mud and pulled it away.