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Lydia hisses as her flesh burns, dashing forward and finishing off her opponent with a quick swing of her axe. Where's her thane? A sweep of the cave and she finds the Kahjiit shouting another fire mage into a trap, the net of spikes swinging out to slap him into the cave wall. Her tail flicks and she immediately bounds forward, rifling through the man's pockets. Sighing, Lydia steps forward knowing that she will have to carry what her thane cannot. The cat lets out a purr like rumble and taps the man's amulet, smiling at the enchantment that sparks around it. "Lydia." The way the Kahjiit speaks her name is different, as it sounds more like Lidja than Lydia, but she says nothing. "M'ashi needs you to hold many things." When she leans forward to retrieve the items, her burn makes itself prominent and she hisses. Lydia's surprised when M'ashi grasps her elbow, sizing up the burn and then, suddenly, laps at the cut with her tongue. Jerking her arm back, she looks at the cat like she's crazy."Why would you do that?" She feels surprisingly terrible when she watches the cat's ears fold down onto her head."M'ashi does this for many. Cubs are sensitive to many things when young, so we may cleanse them with our tongues to ease the pain." Lydia nods and holds out her arm once more, surprised when the pain does ease as M'ashi laps at the wound. The Kahjiit holds her head up once more, giving the wound another look over before nodding. "If this makes you uncomfortable, M'ashi can learn healing hands. She will not be upset by this."
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M'ashi knows many things about her Nord Housecarl. She knows that Lydia prefers two-handed weapons, much like herself, and that the female works well with others. This combination only makes her wonder about Lydia's relationship with the companions, so she takes the Nord with her when she asks for work. The response is instantaneous. Everyone greets M'ashi with cheers, as she is Harbringer, but they also take in Lydia's appearance, decked out in steel plate armor with the Axe of Whiterun slung over her back, and cheer. "Welcome back Sister!"M'ashi is surprised when a grin crosses Lydia's face. Normally, the housecarl is annoyed, unaffected, or curious. This is none of the aforementioned emotions and M'ashi watches as Farkas lifts Lydia up slightly in a huge hug full of smiles and laughter.It's only when Farkas plants a sloppy kiss on Lydia's lips that she's extremely intrigued by the part of the housecarl's life that was never mentioned. She wonders what else her housecarl refused to tell her.
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"Who are you?"She can't place it entirely, but she knows. The name, her name, is on the tip of her tongue. She knows it, knows the feel of the sounds, but she can't speak them. "M-m'ashi." Her voice is filled with cracking, like she hasn't drunk water in a long while. Why is that? The others around her look well kept, aside from a few scratches and ruffled clothes. Those people who have taken you certainly wouldn't be able to give you a definite answer."I said next, prisoner!"Had she been unfocused that long? What exactly is going on? When her head hits the wood block she looks up at the Imperial from earlier, the one who apologized. He's frowning, obviously made uncomfortable by the lack of reasoning behind her execution. *** "What does your name mean?"This time it's Lydia who makes her think. Aela is watching, she can feel the eyes of the wolf staring at her intently. In fact, most of the companions seem to be staring, curious about the Kahjiit's namesake. "M'ashi knows not of the full meaning, but knows that it means she was an apprentice." The Kahjiit caravans she had spoken to told her of this, about what her name could mean, but one person recognized her for who she had been before."M'ashi was an apprentice to a great blacksmith."She cannot remember this, of course, but when the forge fires crackle and the hammer crashes down onto metal and bone, she feels at home.*** "Honor to you Thane."Rayya is not the same as Lydia, the lack of sarcasm is almost saddening, but she enjoys the woman's battle tactics. Looking downwards and watching Lydia waddle with her pregnant belly into Jorrvaskr, she sighs and shakes her head. Farkas is in for a world of hurt."My Thane?"Rayya, ever curious, questions you. What she lacked in sarcasm she made up for in inquiry. "Have you a family?"M'ashi laughs at her newest housecarl's question and, gesturing towards Whiterun from her place at the Dragonreach steps, she answers."M'ashi knows not of her old family, but this is her new one."