Percy's tensed, waiting for things to take a turn for the worse, watching her with a wary sidelong gaze. She resents, though, and he breathes out, his shoulders sagging forward.
"Thank you." Honesty saves his life once more, it seems. However much he might regret the way this night has ended up, Vex'ahlia is nothing if not merciful in the face of the truth. He resolves here not to lie to her - or to minimize the lies he tells her, at least. He'll avoid everything he can't let her know, focus on the things he can, and hope she'll still be interested after a week or two out in the wild. "I, er - I think I've taken enough advantage of your friendship for one night. If you'll excuse me -"
He begins to stand up, his final pint still only half-drunk.
"Hm. It has been a long day." She doesn't make any attempt to stop him, but her demeanor doesn't turn more hostile either. As she says it, the truth in her statement sinks in. It has been long, with more ups and downs than most people have in a week.
She finds a little patience in that.
"We'll still be leaving in the morning, later rather than earlier, but we'll be out of here before noon if I have to strap the gnome to Trinket's back and carry him."
Which is to say, she still considers them a we, and until she hears otherwise, Percy is expected to come.
That's a relief to hear, the invitation clearly within the comment. Be up before midday shouldn't be difficult, even feeling the weariness in his bones. And then they'll leave all of Stilben behind, and he'll have ample opportunity to search for Ripley as he travels.
"Of course." He's about to go, but there is one other thing, and in a moment, it's written on his face. Mild embarrassment (that might linger forever), or possibly worry, makes him hesitate - and then it makes him grab his mug and down the rest of his beer in a courage-giving gulp. "Er. I hate to ask, especially when we're about to sleep rough for a while, but if there's any coin left tomorrow morning, and there might be time to find a replacement for...oh, all of this..."
Percy pulls at one of his filthy shirtsleeves.
"I will repay you, as soon as I'm able." More importantly, he'd gladly have her along to hold the purse strings, not least because he suspects she'll be able to make a better deal than he.
Vex huffs softly at the question, giving him a measure with quick glances of her eyes. Not that there's any new information to gather. She already got a fairly thorough sense of the size of him when she had her hands all over him.
"Well, you're too tall to borrow from Vax, and Grog and Scanlan are right out," she observes, stating the obvious. Percy is all long and slim, and likely was even before his stint in a cell.
"That seems reasonable enough. You will have to wake up before noon though."
He's smiling wider than he should, a return of that stupid open expression he'd work as they left the bathhouse. It's something important, evidence that he's with investing in, and he feels it through his whole body just then.
And then he realizes he must look like a fool, standing there and smiling down at her, and he tries to tame it back. "Of course. Thank you. Er - goodnight."
Better to make his escape now before he spoils things.
"Sleep well, Percy dear," she says as he leaves, her voice pitched not to carry as far as any of the other patrons (and certainly not their teammates). "You've earned your rest."
Any sleep is better than what he'd got in the prison, but between the booze and the tumult of the night, he's out like a light. In the morning, he wakes to discover that Vax and Grog collapsed onto their beds at some point, though Scanlan isn't present.
He beats Vex downstairs, though it's not long before she's there as well, bartering them a breakfast of bread and cheese before hurrying them out the door. The conversation is lighter than last night, and thinner on the ground - in part because some of his nerves have returned, and he's aware of the fact that he's spending more of her money - but overall, it's not unpleasant. Particularly not when once they find some clothing that's clean and respectable-looking. Something of the prisoner recedes; something of the nobleman is evident when he slips on a fresh shirt and a new (to him) coat.
It's another little oasis in time, one that ends once the rest of the team wakes. The next town - the next job - awaits, and the rhythm of travel is a familiar one. One night, a few days into the thick forest they're crossing, he finds himself seated beside Vex at the campfire. Not too close, not angled too far towards her, but near enough that he can speak at a volume only she can hear. "I find the evenings are the dullest part of travel. Do you?"
Vex glances over at Percy, thinking not for the first time that a bath and some new clothes agree with him. It's not just that he cleans up well. It's more that he was clearly always meant to be polished. Even finer than the sharp coat and well cut trousers she bargained down for him. He was like the good silver—he didn't clean up well, he was meant to be kept clean in the first place.
And perhaps only broken out for special occasions.
She shrugs off the thought, tipping her head and offering him a smile. "If everything is going well, it is. Better dull than fighting off bandits, but... well, you're not wrong."
One brow rises in question.
"There's always conversation? Some of us never shut up."
"I've noticed," he answers dryly, glancing across the fire, where Scanlan's having an animated conversation with Pike. Percy's been treated to several stories from the bard over the last few days, most of them unrepeatable in mixed company.
It's been...nice, actually, to be welcomed into the group as quickly as he has been. No doubt he'll feel like an interloper for some time to come, but no one present seems to regard him as one. He fades easily into the fabric of their team, staying quiet for the most part but never feeling like the others are looking at him with suspicion. It's not something he could say for every group he's traveled with - and considering that these people plucked him out of a prison, it's incredible that he can say it here.
"I thought," and this is a risk, he knows, but it's one he wants to take, "we might go for a walk. I know we've been walking all day, but I find myself...restless."
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pathography) wrote2004-12-29 06:14 pm
no subject
"Thank you." Honesty saves his life once more, it seems. However much he might regret the way this night has ended up, Vex'ahlia is nothing if not merciful in the face of the truth. He resolves here not to lie to her - or to minimize the lies he tells her, at least. He'll avoid everything he can't let her know, focus on the things he can, and hope she'll still be interested after a week or two out in the wild. "I, er - I think I've taken enough advantage of your friendship for one night. If you'll excuse me -"
He begins to stand up, his final pint still only half-drunk.
no subject
She finds a little patience in that.
"We'll still be leaving in the morning, later rather than earlier, but we'll be out of here before noon if I have to strap the gnome to Trinket's back and carry him."
Which is to say, she still considers them a we, and until she hears otherwise, Percy is expected to come.
no subject
"Of course." He's about to go, but there is one other thing, and in a moment, it's written on his face. Mild embarrassment (that might linger forever), or possibly worry, makes him hesitate - and then it makes him grab his mug and down the rest of his beer in a courage-giving gulp. "Er. I hate to ask, especially when we're about to sleep rough for a while, but if there's any coin left tomorrow morning, and there might be time to find a replacement for...oh, all of this..."
Percy pulls at one of his filthy shirtsleeves.
"I will repay you, as soon as I'm able." More importantly, he'd gladly have her along to hold the purse strings, not least because he suspects she'll be able to make a better deal than he.
no subject
"Well, you're too tall to borrow from Vax, and Grog and Scanlan are right out," she observes, stating the obvious. Percy is all long and slim, and likely was even before his stint in a cell.
"That seems reasonable enough. You will have to wake up before noon though."
no subject
And then he realizes he must look like a fool, standing there and smiling down at her, and he tries to tame it back. "Of course. Thank you. Er - goodnight."
Better to make his escape now before he spoils things.
no subject
"Sleep well, Percy dear," she says as he leaves, her voice pitched not to carry as far as any of the other patrons (and certainly not their teammates). "You've earned your rest."
no subject
He beats Vex downstairs, though it's not long before she's there as well, bartering them a breakfast of bread and cheese before hurrying them out the door. The conversation is lighter than last night, and thinner on the ground - in part because some of his nerves have returned, and he's aware of the fact that he's spending more of her money - but overall, it's not unpleasant. Particularly not when once they find some clothing that's clean and respectable-looking. Something of the prisoner recedes; something of the nobleman is evident when he slips on a fresh shirt and a new (to him) coat.
It's another little oasis in time, one that ends once the rest of the team wakes. The next town - the next job - awaits, and the rhythm of travel is a familiar one. One night, a few days into the thick forest they're crossing, he finds himself seated beside Vex at the campfire. Not too close, not angled too far towards her, but near enough that he can speak at a volume only she can hear. "I find the evenings are the dullest part of travel. Do you?"
no subject
And perhaps only broken out for special occasions.
She shrugs off the thought, tipping her head and offering him a smile. "If everything is going well, it is. Better dull than fighting off bandits, but... well, you're not wrong."
One brow rises in question.
"There's always conversation? Some of us never shut up."
no subject
It's been...nice, actually, to be welcomed into the group as quickly as he has been. No doubt he'll feel like an interloper for some time to come, but no one present seems to regard him as one. He fades easily into the fabric of their team, staying quiet for the most part but never feeling like the others are looking at him with suspicion. It's not something he could say for every group he's traveled with - and considering that these people plucked him out of a prison, it's incredible that he can say it here.
"I thought," and this is a risk, he knows, but it's one he wants to take, "we might go for a walk. I know we've been walking all day, but I find myself...restless."