Weather he offered his hand as a show of solidarity, or to look protective, it did not have quite the effect that Lazarus had hoped for. Walking down the stone hallway, it was difficult to look protective when the girl who's hand he was holding towered a full three feet taller than he. He also realized that, with Gertrude along, any element of stealth went right out the window, as the centaurs hoof-falls loudly announced their approach to anyone, or anything, that might be laying in wait for them. "Um, you really don't need to hold my hand the whole way; I can see where I'm going just fine," she explained.