Phae listed as Tio spoke, idly wondering why he was sharing so much with her. She had never really viewed herself as a good listener before; she wasn't the type of mare you opened up to, she was the type of mare you did other things to. The type of mare who helped you escape from your problems in the pleasures of the flesh, not recounted your life story with. Still, it wasn't as if she was uninterested in what Tio had to say, simply unaccustomed to it.

So she listened as he spoke of the God's of his previous home, and the hierarchy amongst them and the equines they rules over. Would it be better in Helovia, if the God's ruled more closely? The Earth God certainly seemed fair and kind, at least the two times she had interacted with him. As Tio spoke of Lust, Phae knew then that she was indeed being manipulated - the very fact that she had questioned her intuitions before, only showed how adept Tio in fact was. With a grimace, she learned of the feelings between them, and the bloody and malicious result. It surprised her to know that Tio let the mare live - solidifying Phae's intuition that the stallion really must have loved her, although the notion of his love was a frightening thing for the golden beauty to consider. This mare, Lust, seemed to be a mare after her own heart - yet even Phae didnt' believe she was good enough to take such a hold on a stallion like Tio. Maybe one day, should she quest for the darker magic that she had in mind, but not now.

I just...want to be someone a mare like you can depend on. As his speech became more political, Phae felt the need to alter the course of the conversation. She felt more sure now that she would tell The Grey of Tio's plans, she was growing less and less certain how she ought to handle the stallion, as a representative of the Grey. Deciding it best if the conversation swayed away from his grand plans, lest she was forced to commit to anything, she tossed her head, focusing her sea-green gaze on him. "Dependence isn't what I need stallions for, honey" She said with a silvery laugh, playfully brushing his shoulder with her wing.

They were almost at the veins now - Phae wondered if it wouldn't have been better in the long term for Tio to have continued through the Meadow, avoiding this place all together. If he had, Phae might never have heard this tale of Lust, and understood just how manipulative the stallion could be. She found herself being more wary around him, but at the same time trusting him more. He seemed open and transparent, for all of his manipulation. If anything, it seemed he was merely trying to win her over; by his comments and actions. Slowly, she found that this sort of attention was growing on her - was her view of herself really so wrong? Was she worth having as an ally? Previously she wouldn't have thought so but...Is this just more manipulation? Maybe so; but Phae found she was enjoying it.