She isn't in obvious pain.

She isn't in obvious distress.

She isn't trying to kill him.

Three knots unclench, in order.

"No no, I'm not Lord Hades. I'm-" Wait, does he look like Lord Hades to her? Wait, does he [i]sound[/i] like Lord Hades to her? Wait, hang on, possibilities, oh dear-

[i]“Of course things go wrong. It’s [b]learning[/b].” The ancient craftsman scoffs. “Legend tells of a proud mind who was cursed to have all their experiments succeed on the first try. They were the most pitiable fool in all the land, overflowing with groundbreaking results but with none of the knowledge necessary to explain any of it. Forced to watch as others filled in the lines around their work, and so gained all the real credit.”

He leans in close. He always leans in close, when it’s important. Dolce had never figured out if it was to ensure the wisdom could not be stolen by unworthy ears, or to ensure the student would focus with utmost attention, but he was certain if he asked the craftsman would lean in close to give the answer. “The quality of a mind is not in its discoveries or its successes, but in the length and breadth of its emergency protocols. For every step is a mistake imagined, or [b]survived[/b].”[/i]

There was, admittedly, too much for Dolce of Beri to imagine every single possibility. But he had imagined some, and memorized a thing or two in advance. He gathers himself up, and recites.

"I mean you no harm. I want to help you. As best as I know, you're not dead. And I am not Lord Hades; my name is Dolce. I swear all this is true on Hermes and Hestia." The oath, he had left flexible. Hermes sounded right for her, and Hestia felt right with him. “You, or a version of you, has been frozen in stasis due to a terrible disaster. This stasis is stable; time is not a factor. I brought you here with an esoteric; exact workings unknown, delicate, and necessary to maintain stable stasis. Trying to get you back safely, will need your help.” After the litany comes the deep breath, the natural pause.

So [i]that’s[/i] why the craftsman had cut all those extra words from his directions. It felt…snappier? Quicker, to say and to understand. Less words, less overwhelming in a crisis. 

He hopes the pilgrim remembers the sound of a good emergency protocol. He hopes it sounds familiar.