Arden’s mouth opened, just a little, and then closed again. There was truth somewhere in what Ice had just said but she was finding it difficult to tell whether her noticing it was merely due to an abundance of life experience. There was every chance he was just joking and that grin marked the punchline, but then maybe he told the truth and only hoped she thought he was joking -- or worse, maybe he was lying and wanted her to think she was joking… No, that was a horrible thing to think of him and she very nearly apologised on the spot. Instead, she grasped the one common factor and ran with it. “I think many kidnappings would go that way, no?” An eyebrow arched slightly. “I would ask what your job is - but then you’d ‘ave to kill me.” She flashed a faintly conspiratorial smile. There -- that left him room to tell her if he wanted but avoid the subject if he did not. She’d rather not pry into business that wasn’t freely offered. As long as he wasn’t inclined to hunt her down and tear her DNA apart for answers that did not exist, he could stay in her car. Really, it was such a good thing his familiar had no access to her own thoughts. The phoenix would have been mortified.
Blinking, she glanced at the lollipops, then briefly around her. A moment’s look out the front of the car proved that, yes, it was red. Ferarri Red, to be exact, despite being a Dodge Viper. Then there was the lipstick in the glove compartment, her clutch, her favourite flavour lollipop -- her hair. That, she thought, was the most important part. “Oui,” she agreed, twirling hair between her fingers, leaving one hand on the wheel. “It ‘as always been my colour.” Through every regeneration -- one of the few traits she had remained faithful to. “But if your familiar gets fruit on my car seat? I bill you.” Arden’s tone was sweet, as was her smile, but the drop in her grammar betrayed the sincerity of her promise. As much as she liked Ice, she would bill him for the cleaning costs.
No. No, she wouldn’t. Because she knew she could afford it, but that wasn’t the point!
‘A particular reason’? Eyebrows raising slightly, Arden merely smiled carelessly and, with her should-not-be-free hand, gave a very French shrug. “I saw your--” There was an equally European gesture here. “--‘andsome self and decided to… exercise my right to ‘old you ‘ostage.” All stated as though there ought to have been nothing surprising or at all wrong with that. Ice clearly did not have a problem, so by rights, he couldn’t really complain. She would allow the prisoner the request, however, and wasn’t at all surprised by the request to see the school. Ice knew magic. “No problem at all! -- Oh, illegal ‘andbrake turn coming up.” For Rafiki’s benefit since she assumed he had no seatbelt on and she had missed the easiest turning. “... Now.” Had there been cameras or cops around Arden would have been in trouble. But she currently had the street to herself and she didn’t think Ice was going to report her. Besides, she was a good driver. Those laws were for people who couldn’t drive. She never even broke them when there was anyone else there to really hurt!
When the car rolled closer to the high school, Arden was mostly staring at the cars up ahead. The makeshift, gridlocked parking lot was currently more foreboding to her than the rest of the scene. Having to pay for a space to park just made her indignant, resorting to sticking one of her beloved lollipops in her mouth to hide the pout that had been directed at the man who charged her. “I don’t think you’re going to get near it…” A military presence where a school was involved was never a good sign.