She nods, again, not quite able to speak at the moment. She had never spoken, there - not needed to speak, known that it was bad to speak. Talking, making sounds, was something that she'd only really learned after being rescued, and she is too stuck still in the memory to be able to bring forward words.

But going through the motions of what Stone suggested will work. She can do that. And the touch, once she's sure that it comes from someone who is safe, helps too. She calms down a bit.

And then Louise is at both their side, without many crystals to show for, kneeling down next to Lottie with a worried look on her face. She had hoped that this would somehow blow over, that Stone wouldn't notice, that Lottie wouldn't have too hard of a time breaking out of it, but apparently neither of that worked out.

She should have noticed. Should have twigged that this could turn disastrous the moment Lucius described the crystals.

But she'd been too fascinated by the thought of them, bu the idea of learning more, of making a good first impression on the local political system. And Lottie had been excited, so why not-? She should have noticed.

"I'm here." It's a simple sentence, and she's hoping for an even simpler signal. The first thing that her presence meant to Lottie was leaving her Keeper. It ended her Durance. Sometimes, her presence alone is reassurance enough that Lottie isn't there any more.