"I am Aquiline." He states proudly.
"A very noble name!" says Gretel with a wide smile. "You must rule these woods and this tower."
"I rule what I survey, wherever that might be."
"I see," says Gretel with a solemn nod.
"Great Aquiline, Lord of the Air and All You Survey, could you give us aid and help us down from the tower so that we may return to our home? We'll be like fish in the larder soon: too many days and it starts to stink." She looks hopefully at the great griffon.
"And if we can, I'm sure I can prepare you something tasty. If I can know the food you love best."
"Clearly meat, though I a equally fond of fish and creatures of the land and sky. any whom I would assist must first acknowledge my reign and submit to my authority."
"Oh," responds Gretel with a cautious brevity, looking back at Guida and Fiore with a glance of desperation before she turns back to the griffon.
"I'm thinking that we definitely recognize your reign, Lord Aquiline. Like you said, you rule what you survey. And we ain't getting out of this tower without your permission." Gretel brushes a few strands of blond hair from her brow.
"What does it mean to submit to your authority? Do we make an oath or a promise? The noble lords where I come from take promises from their vassals to serve, and the great lords promise right back to them that they will protect and defend them. Is that the kind of thing you mean?"
"Submit, you know, lay on your back with your paws spread and expose your stomach before me."
"That's all? And you promise not to eat us?" asks Gretel with an arch of her brows.
"So you talk? I wish I had known. You truly are an impressive creature. I'm willing to acknowledge your rule over this clearing as guardian of this tower. But I'm not rolling on my back like a cat and undressing my chest in front of you or anyone. Please allow us to leave this tower. It would be bad news for you and your friend if we need to be rescued."
The gryphon snarls at Guida. "Maybe next time Herr Konig won't find anything to heal."
Gretel leans forward, resting a hand on Guida's arm as she says to the gryphon.
"No offense meant, Lord Aquiline. We're still new to all the ways of your realm." The blond woman kneels down and lays down on her back. She opens her hands wide at her side.
"Is that what you were looking for, Lord of the Skies?"
The Grypon pokes his head in through the window and licks Gretel's stomach, then gestures for her to climb on his back.
Gretel giggles nervously as the great gryphon's tongue licks across her stomach and then stands back up.
"That wasn't so bad," she says softly but loud enough for Guida and Fiore.
Then without hesitation, Gretel climbs carefully up onto the gryphon's back.
Guida sighs, having no desire to expose her stomach for a good licking, but cognizant she needs to leave the Tower anyway. She looks at Fiore: "What do you wish to do?"
Fiore looks at what happened, and back at Guida, and shrugs his shoulders. "Beat me if I understand what's going on here, but if that's the way to leave unharmed, I'll do it."
Wile the other two discuss their options Aqualine carries Gretel down to the ground and returns to see what they have decided.
On the ground Gretel discovers Fiore's knife.
Gretel picks up the knife, turning it over to get a good look at it before looking around the base of the tower.
Fiore mimics Gretel's words and actions, hoping that the griffin won't try to eat it again...
The Gryphon again pushes his head through the window, sniffing Fiore for a bit before licking his stomach as well, then offers to fly him down. On the way down the gryphon tells Fiore "Gretel has suffered much at the hands of those who spoke of nobility, and has come under Herr Konig's protection. Be sure she is treated well." and then sets him down.
When Fiore arrives back on the ground, Gretel smiles at him as she holds up the knife, extending it toward the man without a word.
Gretel watches the gryphon, awe clear in her expression.