Entoma quickly found that she enjoyed talking to Harold, the little purple golem listened to her without interrupting, and it did everything she said. With her mask off, Entoma saw no change in the expression on the sort of pseudo face it had.

The hours passed as Entoma worked on her textbook, and in between that, she chatted with Harold. "Yesss." He would say to her.

Or…

"I like you."

Or…

"At once."

Harold was completely obedient and pliant to every whim or need Entoma had. Being waited on hand and foot was a new experience for the battlemaid, and so she quickly lost track of time.

Until a knock came at her door. "Come in?" Entoma said absentmindedly, and Inta poked his head into the room.

"Did you change your mind? I went by your flat and you weren't there?" He asked, and Entoma's eight eyes blinked repeatedly, she gasped and flung on her mask in an instant.

"I got caught up! Are we late?!" She exclaimed and quickly downed the remainder of her coffee.

"No, I came by early hoping we could have tea, there's time if you want to go still, if not… that's alright." Inta replied and opened the door the rest of the way when she headed toward him.

"I need to change." Entoma replied and glanced behind her out the window, "Are you sure we have time?"

"Yes, I'll just say I was a little late picking you up." Inta answered with a smile that bared his fangs.

"I'll make it fast." She promised, and flew out the door faster than even his vampire eyes could follow.

"So… Harold, was it?" Inta asked while scratching his head and looking down at the purple stone golem.

The golem seemed to recognize its name and looked up at him.

"She keeping you busy?" He asked, somewhat bemused with himself to be talking with a golem.

It said nothing in return, only stared up at him through blank gem eyes.

Entoma however, had not been kidding, she returned not even gasping and grabbed Inta's arm before he knew she was there.

"Harold, go back to my flat, wait for me there, help Manaly with anything he needs, understand?" She asked.

"Yesss." He answered, and began to walk.

The evening flew past for Entoma, she went, she talked, she drank wine in a fine home and listened while people spoke, and talked of her own specialty. Though she made a point of not revealing who she was beyond a name and a position at the university. All in all, it wasn't bad. But her mind was elsewhere.

'Harold is waiting.' She told herself. The table was a long one, guests at either side, a white cloth over it that hung down to her knees, the guests included not just the usual mix of races, but even a zern nobleman whose curiously slug-like body Entoma had not seen in some time.

The fragrant scent of meat with spices and steaming stews enticed those around her to dine, and while Entoma indulged, listening with some pleasure to the gentle strumming sound of musical instruments that accompanied the meal… Inta's best efforts at engaging her in conversation went nowhere.

"Yes."

"Mhmm…"

"You don't say?"

Her non-statements offered nothing, advanced nothing, she caught a glimpse of his face, but behind her mask, Entoma felt only a kind of nervous twitching, like she was away from where she wanted to be.

The clinking of glasses and the chattering of guests was mere background noise, a faint buzzing in her ears that endured until she couldn't any longer, and had to excuse herself.

"I'm sorry to cut and run…" She said, slowly backing away from the idly chattering hosts whose faces and names were already fading from memory… "but I have a textbook to finish and… you know how it goes…" Entoma made a polite series of bows as she withdrew.

"Should I walk you back?" Inta asked, but didn't step closer to her the way she expected.

"No, no I have too much to do…" She said, shaking her head slightly, enough so that the purple, false chiten hair waved a little with the gesture. "I just, I think I want- need, to get things done, you know. Just ah, why don't I come by your office in a few days… we can maybe do something then." Entoma promised, and Inta gave a tiny smile that didn't expose his fangs.

"Right, that would be nice." He said, and watched her leave.

Entoma entered her home and found that Manaly must have gone to bed, no candles lit, but the faint glow of Harold's eyes staring at the door, loyally waiting for her return, caught her attention immediately.

"Come with me, Harold." She said, and he followed after, just as she ordered.

She flung herself back on her white web hammock and rocked back and forth, the glowstone came on as soon as she began to move and the dim white light drove out the darkness, mostly, save for the shadows of their bodies it cast about the room.

"So Harold, did you miss me?" Entoma asked it.

"Yesss." He said to her in the drawn out way he normally spoke.

"Would you like to hold my hand, Harold?" Entoma asked.

The golem nodded, its nose bobbing up and down when its body moved. "Yesss." He said, and Entoma stuck out her hand.

Harold held up his hand, and Entoma took it. The rocking of her web stopped. "Would you like to sit with me, Harold?" Entoma asked.

"Yesss…" Harold answered.

Entoma picked him up and set him on the web beside her.

Then she began to chatter.

Harold simply listened to every word, nodding along with her.

When she squeezed his hand, he squeezed hers back.

As it went on, it seemed to her that the golem's eyes were bright with understanding, intelligence, reason. 'He really understands me, he really does.' Entoma thought, and talked on.

"You agree with me, don't you, Harold? I wasn't rude for leaving a little early, was I?" Entoma asked, thinking back to the way Inta stood back from her, and his failed attempts at engaging her.

"Nooooo." Harold replied with a slow shaking of most of his upper torso.

The web rocked a little harder with his gesture, but Entoma barely noticed.

"You're right, I was being silly, maybe even absurd to think that anyone would… well, it doesn't matter. Harold, bring me a snack." Entoma said and lay back as Harold hopped off to leave the room.

Entoma dozed off before his return.