In her headlong rush forward, Philotes didn't noticed that he'd tensed up. Her hands reached out to grasp him and pull him away from the banks of the river. It was only once she felt he was safe enough that she realized how tightly coiled the muscles beneath her fingers were. She let go immediately, not sure why he was agitated, but unwilling to make it any worse. After all, she was here to help him.
“That's Lethe's river,” she explained to him. “The dead drink from it to forget the lives they've left behind. It makes you forget. Don't drink from her river. Don't fall in her river. Unless you're seeking Oblivion, but, I don't think you are, are you?”
He seemed sort of sad, there was something melancholy around his eyes, Lottie thought. But he'd just been made king of her home, so what could he have to be so sad about that he'd want to forget? No, she was sure that he just hadn't understood. So she explained further, “There are things down here that you need to be more careful of. Lethe is nothing compared to some of the other things. Even the other rivers can be worse.”
Lottie bit her lip, trying to decide just what she should do. She had no idea what a king was supposed to do, or what he was here for, or why she even needed one. She'd never really had one before. He might be like one of the mortal kings that let power go to his head and become a tyrant. But then again, there were some mortal kings that were good leaders that helped their people. Friendship didn't think that anybody down here needed help, but if he wanted to try, maybe that was... noble? In the end, her helpful nature rose to the fore.
“Look, I can show you around maybe, tell you some things, so you don't run into so many problems. But I have to tell you,” she warned, “I really don't know that much about kings, and I'm not sure why we suddenly need one, also, I sort of babble sometimes when I get nervous or excited, and you sometimes need to just tell me to stop talking because I don't always realize I'm doing it, I mean, I know sometimes, like now, I know I'm babbling now, but it's only because I'm trying to explain and once we get to know each other, I won't do it as much, I promise, mostly, well usually I don't babble once I get to know somebody, but I've never really had a king before so it might take me longer, and I don't want to break a promise, so maybe you should forget the part where I said I promise, or replace it with I promise to try, because that's more accurate, and really, it would be better to be honest right from the start, don't you think, because that way we'll get along better all the way around, I think.”
She offered her hand, palm up. “I'm Philotes. Friendship and Affection, daughter of Nyx and Erebos.”