Jenn merely shrugged. "We don't. In fact, we have to trust that we can recognize when we're being lied to or that if we are being lied to, that it's somehow to help us," Jenn said, feeling like she was starting to lose focus of what she'd come here in the first place to do. Then as she opened her mouth again to try and get back on track, she realized something. "Uh, do you have a name I could call you by? It's getting kinda tiring to merely just thinking of you as 'the chief' all the time."
The chief nodded, as if he expected that question. "You can call me-" he stopped and made a strange sound that Jenn was very confident she wouldn't be able to reproduce. Even if she understood it and could remember the sounds. "It's a very prestigious name."
Jenn nodded, feeling more uncertain about this than she had a minute ago. "Uh, yeah… prestigious," she mumbled, wondering if he would expect her to make that sound herself when she was addressing him. Though, she wondered if he'd be willing to let her call him something else. Something she could actually pronounce and remember. "Would you mind if I called you Derek?"
She knew it wasn't anywhere close to the sound he'd made, but it was the first name that popped into her head at that moment.. She just hoped that it would be something that the chief would accept without any issues.
A laughing sound that felt like it was erupting from all around her mad her jump and seriously consider attempting to flee. Even as she knew that would be a losing battle. Though, eventually, as she calmed down, she realized that the sound was coming from the Chief.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said gently. "I can accept the moniker 'Derek' for you. Usually when another species hears one of us give our names, they seem unable to replicate it, though I can't say that I blame them. Even 'Derek' is a weird name for my kind."
"I understand, I'm learning a number of names that are rather unfamiliar as well in this world. Names that feel like someone might have merely went with what sounded like a name and decided to use it that way," Jenn said. She was a little surprised at how much of her thoughts she'd let out and that she'd forgotten her intention on getting back on track of what they had been talking about.
Jenn was about to do that when another thought came to mind. This one was a point she'd been wanting to ask, so she allowed this one, since she didn't want to forget it while she had a chance.
"by the way, what's the name of your people? Or at least your race… uh, species or whatever it'd be called."
Jenn quickly shut her mouth on that topic. With how terrible it likely would come out, she felt more than a little demoralized that her mouth just wouldn't stop moving, even when she knew that her words were coming out rather offensive.
All she could do at this point was hope that she wouldn't somehow make things worse for herself.
"We were given the name 'Ogres' in the past, but we're not convinced that it was complimentary towards us. The name we have for ourselves would be much like my own name. Something that you'd probably be unable to pronounce. So, feel free to call us that. Though, I'm not sure what it all means."
Jenn was happy that Derek wasn't as offended by her fumbling around with her words as she feared he would be, but she hadn't expected him to mention 'ogres.' As she had pictures in her mind of what they'd be look like in the past, though, a good amount of those came from movies and other forms of entertainment.
Part of her was fine with whatever they wanted to be called, but at the same time, she wasn't sure about 'ogres.' As she recalled one time her father had mentioned about how it meant 'man eater' or something, She wasn't sure what prompted that, nor could she remember exactly what was going on. It might have had to do with a book Cherie had been reading, but Jenn couldn't be completely sure. Especially since she wasn't sure about that even in the first place.
"Uh, your people didn't, by any chance eat any of the people they killed, did they?" Jenn asked, not sure she really wanted to hear the answer. After all, she was hoping that the name was either a coincidence, a mislabel in order to dehumanize them, or a combination of the two. Yet, if she didn't check, she had a feeling that it might come back to haunt her.
"Of course we did," Derek replied conversationally. "We're not going to let resources go to waste like that."
Jenn nodded, her stomach feeling a little queasy. She understood their reasoning, but that didn't mean she liked it. Though, she couldn't help but suspect that when one of them died, that they didn't bother with burying whoever died. Instead, their funerals might consist of cooking and carving that person up.
She couldn't say that she even liked the mere idea of that, but she supposed that if everyone's okay with it, then it might be better for her to not say anything about it at all.
"Oh, before we separate, I have a question for you," Derek said.
"Yeah?" Jenn asked. "What is it?"
"You have that mask on, but I can see your face here. Is there a purpose for the mask? I mean, I was even able to see it before I saw you in that mask."
Jenn assumed that he meant that when they spoke with their magic, mind-to-mind, that it let him know what she looked like. Yet, she wore a mask to hide her appearance. While she felt like it should be self-explanatory, she supposed that he might not understand. Especially with how different his culture was.
"Actually, I made the mask so that my stand-ins could take my role when I have to go deal with some other things," Jenn replied, hoping he'd understand and she wouldn't have to waste time rehashing things she'd already said or getting into details that merely would make the whole process rather tedious.
"Alright, but why do you need to hide who you are? Wouldn't they know what you look like when you share with them?"
Jenn sighed. She'd hoped that he'd understood when she'd explained it before, but either he'd already forgotten or it just really didn't stick.
"Because, as I mentioned earlier, even this method of 'sharing' isn't common among my kind," Jenn replied, hoping this would be the last time she had to go into this topic with Derek. "So, aside from those who are thought mages or those who were with me when I showed my people this world, no one would know that I'm the chief of my people. So, the mask is to make those who aren't aware of that unable to tell which one is the real Blue Rose at any given time."
"Is this about how you can't tell who you can trust or not?" Derek asked, making Jenn clench her fists in annoyance that he did remember what they'd said earlier.
"Pretty much," Jenn said, not sure if that was really true or not. "Maybe I'll let a few know, if I feel I can trust them completely, but otherwise I'll keep who I am a secret until I'm ready to become the Blue Rose full time."
Derek opened his mouth and Jenn had a sudden feeling that he was wondering what she meant by 'full time' but then he closed it. She couldn't be sure if that feeling was accurate or not, nor if he suddenly picked out the phrasing from what he'd learned about her, or if it was another reason altogether. Though, she was at least grateful she didn't need to explain something else like that.
"So, will you wear it with my people if we live among you?" Derek asked, and Jenn felt like his words were a warning in themselves. She just wasn't sure in what way they were a warning.
"I plan on it," Jenn said. "I mean, I can't be sure how good your people are at keeping secrets, so aside from you, I don't plan on showing my face to them if I can help it. Although, if you tell me to trust any of your people, I'll do just that. On your word alone."
Jenn couldn't say if she was making a mistake with that statement and assurance, but she didn't care at the moment. She was confident that Derek could be trusted, and if he knew his people as well as she had a feeling he did, then she was confident that he'd know which ones she'd be able to trust.
"What are you proposing then?" Derek asked. "I thought you were just wanting your people back."
Jenn nodded. "That was my original goal, but while we're here, I don't see why we can't discuss an alliance of sorts."
"Alliance?" Derek asked, sounding like he really didn't understand the word.
Jenn merely sighed. While she didn't like explaining most things, she felt like this might not be so bad. Or at least she hoped that it wouldn't be.
"It's where we'd have an agreement between our peoples. We'd help each other out in times of trouble, we could trade resources we both need, we could also provide assistance if the other is in trouble."
"Why would we trade resources we both need?" Derek asked, stopping Jenn from continuing on.
"Uh, it's because it'd be for resources we might not have as easy of a time getting ourselves," Jenn answered. "Such as if you get a lot of hardwood for building things but we don't. Instead we have an easier time finding meat. So, we could then trade meat for the hardwood."
Derek looked confused and Jenn was confident that she wasn't going to like the reasons behind that. Not when she'd already explained so much already.
"Why would we need wood? Hard or soft, both burn just as well."
Jenn sighed. Maybe she should have chosen another topic, but with what she'd learned about Derek from their 'sharing' wasn't anything that would help her here. In fact, she wished that she could forget at least ninety percent of what she'd 'learned' about Derek. As most of that had been involving him 'sharing' with others.
"Well, it can be used to make buildings, tools, and furniture," Jenn said, hoping that at least one of those would strike a chord with him, even though she couldn't say that she was able to put out much hope on that front. Though, if it didn't, then she couldn't say what might, since she really couldn't think of anything else.
"I suppose we could discuss things like that," Derek said, sounding more resigned than anything. Which Jenn decided to take as a good sign. Even if it didn't strike her as good of a sign as she'd have preferred. "But what I'd like to know more is how would we establish this… alliance?"
"There's a few ways," Jenn answered, feeling more confident about this, even if she was reading more into the matter than typically occurred on Earth. "One is just us agreeing to it. Though, if either of us go back on it, then it won't work so well, but I'm sure I'd be able to trust you. Another is for us to sign a document stating what is entailed in the alliance, such as what obligations both sides will have as well as other details that may or may not come up in the creation of the document." Jenn took a breath as she spoke, suddenly feeling like her throat was dry, even though they were still in the dream conference area. "Then there's how one of my people gets married to one of yours. Which is supposed to ensure that we then both have ties together so we'd have reason to… uh, keep our word on it, I guess."
Jenn was the least confident about her description about that last bit. She hoped it was accurate, but she wouldn't be surprised to find out that she'd messed something up about it. Or forgotten something to add to it, if nothing else.
"As you said, you trust me, and I trust you, so lets just go with the verbal agreement, okay?" Derek asked. "I'm not sure I'd care to deal with the document suggestion, since that sounds like it might be a bit of a headache and the marriage one feels like it could get messy if your people aren't used to mine."
Jenn nodded, not caring to object on that marriage point. She was pretty sure that just knowing about some of what they did would be difficult enough to keep some of her people from accepting them. She might be giving them the short end of the stick there, but she doubted it.
Besides, it's not like she knew of anyone who would be interested in marrying one of these… ogres. Some might for the novelty of the situation, but she seriously doubted that'd be a good enough reason to do that.
"So, what exactly are we agreeing to?" Jenn asked, not wanting to agree essentially to a blank contract. As she could imagine so many ways that could come back to haunt her in a very bad way.
Derek merely shrugged, making Jenn wonder if he wasn't having some of the same thoughts that she was having about the whole situation.
"Just that we could help each other out if either group needs to. Though, if something happens in your territory that affects an ogre, then you need to personally make sure to protect that ogre to the best of your ability. Provided the ogre wasn't at fault, I man."
Jenn nodded. She could understand his worries about that, even if she had a feeling that she didn't need to worry about that as much herself.
"If you have any metal, my people would like some, regardless of how the quality of it is or the amount. We've been trying to find some, so if you have any, we'd be open to seeing if we have anything that you'd like," Jenn said, hoping to at least start their alliance off on a positive note.
"I'll see what I can find," Derek replied. "Though, as you take your people back, would it be alright if I had an ogre stationed with you? Just so she can report to me as we learn about your people."
Jenn wished that she didn't feel so tired right then. Not only was this conversation tiring, in its own way, but she'd gotten up early and was now starting to feel the effects of that. Even though she had no idea how long she'd been talking with Derek, or even navigating her way through that cave to get to the cavern she was currently in.
"Well, my people will be going through the gate for the rest of winter," Jenn told Derek. "So, if you want to send an ogre to us, you'll need to decide quickly, otherwise, your ogre would have to wait until we're aware that it's spring there or risk getting lost in the world on the other side of that gate."
Derek nodded. "I'll consider that, though if you don't see one before you leave, rest assured that I'll have one waiting for your people in the spring."
"Thanks," Jenn said, hoping that there wouldn't be any more complications with getting out of this place. She was hoping for a quiet return trip back to the settlement her people were building, but maybe it was how so often it had been happening to her since leaving Earth that it almost felt like something should be happening there. Something that she couldn't say exactly what it might be or even how to identify.
Jenn wasn't really sure what she'd expected when it came to returning with her people. If they'd been given a ride, like the one Jenn had to get to this place so quickly, then Jenn would have accepted it, even if her stomach refused to hold its contents in anymore.
However, they instead seemed to have been expected to walk back on their own. While Jenn hoped that it wouldn't take very long, she still had a feeling that it'd take longer than she'd like. Especially since she couldn't go the same way that her 'messenger' had taken her here earlier that day.
Although, part of the problem was the fact that when she left the cave where she'd spoken with the chief was that the sun was getting ready to set. Which meant that there wouldn't be much time for her to travel with the scouting party before they'd need to think about finding a place to camp. Especially with how cold Jenn was pretty sure these nights would get.
Even if she would be fine with her magic, she was pretty sure that she'd drain herself dry well before dawn if she tried using her magic to keep everyone warm enough to keep from freezing to death. Which wasn't a possibility that she was willing to allow herself. And that was assuming she started at full strength even, rather than having used up however much she had with her 'sharing' with the chief of this ogre tribe.
Which meant that she'd need to spend the night here. Which she was pretty sure would break at least part of the promise she'd made to Haln. That she'd be back by the end of the day. Though, as long as she returned safely, she was confident that Haln would be fine with that.
Although, she supposed that she could pull them into a dream conference everyone that was needed, if only to let them know about the agreement reached, that she'd return soon enough, and of the alliance she'd struck with them. Which she hoped wouldn't create more problems later on. As she still wasn't sure how compatible the cultures were right then.
It was something she suspected she'd have to deal with one step at a time. Which she hoped wouldn't be problematic overall. Although, she also couldn't help but feel like this was the start of something so big that she couldn't even fathom what the end result was.