[ Mandorallen stops when she implores him to, but her plea gets to him. Even if their last interaction hadn't gone that well, he's inclined to believe her, and she sounds like she's in genuine distress. Besides, Mandorallen is no stranger to secrets, and he'd happily pledge his life upon its safekeeping if she asked for it. It doesn't even occur to him that she might be lying, that she might be concealing her identity for a less than savory reason. ]

Thou hast only to ask. I would sooner let blood spill from my veins than thy secret from my lips. No villain of such dark character shall lay a hand on thee.

[ Ah, Arends.

He kneels at her side, reaching to undo her helmet first. It stands to reason she'd need to breathe, right? And for all he lacks common sense, Mandorallen knows his trade, and even with all the fancy technology, it's still armor. He finds the release for her helmet and tugs it off, looking at her with terrifyingly genuine concern. ]

Hast thou endured like this for long?