He took a long and measured look at the sizable volume, jaw working as if chewing on some idea. "I don't carry anything quite like that on me,my dear, though I have scattered scrolls and notes stuffed in the lute case." He patted the item in question, which hung from his belt, which did have a few corners of paper showing from within seams. "As for monsters, we all have our beasts to use and keep when we have need for them, of course. I must have tapped one to help make the little lady of the Moogle house happy.. though that sounds much worse than it was... but you must know yourself of the restorative power of the right person at one's side, or in other positional arrangements."
He paused for a moment, fingers drumming the tabletop, and the toe of his right boot making little circles in the air.
"Consider me interested in this little offer of yours. It might indeed draw out a bit more of a crowd, and perhaps hold off those frowns that spectators may be prone to when their lads and ladies overindulge. Hells, we might even make a bit of a game of it. Though, the phrase, 'Drunken Performance', might usually elicit a little more, well, persuasive and lurid bargaining on my part, I do respect that you are rather all business in this case, unless you are setting me up for something that a man under the influence might be hard pressed to ignore."
The grin became a wider thing, more suited for a toothy reptile, but he winked, and toned it back to something more cheery. "Couldn't resist, you realize, even being the respectful sort that I... well, emulate as best I can."
He lifted his flagon, absentmindedly - or perhaps looking for a prop to cap off the hasty, yet amused, retraction of overbearing innuendo. And to think of innuendo, where was the barmaid? He lifted his chin to get another glance around the room, safely avoiding Cliodhna's gaze for at least a few moments.
He paused for a moment, fingers drumming the tabletop, and the toe of his right boot making little circles in the air.
"Consider me interested in this little offer of yours. It might indeed draw out a bit more of a crowd, and perhaps hold off those frowns that spectators may be prone to when their lads and ladies overindulge. Hells, we might even make a bit of a game of it. Though, the phrase, 'Drunken Performance', might usually elicit a little more, well, persuasive and lurid bargaining on my part, I do respect that you are rather all business in this case, unless you are setting me up for something that a man under the influence might be hard pressed to ignore."
The grin became a wider thing, more suited for a toothy reptile, but he winked, and toned it back to something more cheery. "Couldn't resist, you realize, even being the respectful sort that I... well, emulate as best I can."
He lifted his flagon, absentmindedly - or perhaps looking for a prop to cap off the hasty, yet amused, retraction of overbearing innuendo. And to think of innuendo, where was the barmaid? He lifted his chin to get another glance around the room, safely avoiding Cliodhna's gaze for at least a few moments.
"But in the laugh there was another voice. A clearer laugh, an ironic laugh. A laugh which laughs because it chooses not to weep."
![[Image: 3610850.jpg]](http://assets-cloud.enjin.com/users/1266293/pics/original/3610850.jpg)
