I am the flea you cannot flick! [Aeyt!]

[Rhindeer]

"True love? Tchyeah. Anyway, I'm sure you'll be able to figure something out with regards to, uh...sleeping stuff." Einin lowered her voice. "Just be Rufus when you got an itch to scratch. I dunno much about him, but uh, he seemed pretty okay with kissing random girls."

Reclining back in her seat again, her mind ran over the crazy plan. This many engagements and break-ups would certainly not make her...popular, and ruin her chances of a serious marriage, but honestly, she didn't care. She wasn't planning on getting married off, anyway; the idea of marrying someone she scarcely knew and praying they could learn to at least care about each other was...well, maybe she'd been ruined by too many epic stories. Still, if everything went well, she could become a knight, and then all this stuff wouldn't matter so much.

If she was going to ever have a relationship at all, she wanted one on her terms, not something that was dictated to her.

Which posed an interesting question. She would be getting an awful lot out of Ryk doing this for her. But Ryk...

Looking at him sidelong, she tilted her head. "Wait. What are you getting out of this?" she asked. "I mean, are you honestly just offering out of kindness and concern? That's kind of a big, crazy jump to make. Jarrett didn't even offer, it just accidentally happened."

[Aeytrious]

Ryk looked at the beautiful young woman sitting across from him. What did he get out of it indeed. If only he'd thought that far ahead. This was a new plot to play with, an idea he'd never had. There was no answer to give at the moment, but he found himself being honest with Einin again.

"My reputation will not suffer for being engaged to one of the most beautiful young Noble Ladies in the city, one that has an influential family. I haven't yet figured out how I'll play this to my advantage, but I'm sure I'll find something." Rufus gave the young lady a charming grin, "and I wouldn't at all be opposed to marrying you," he said with a wink.

[Rhindeer]

Einin snorted a laugh in a most unladylike fashion, and through laughter she hoped to hide the flush of embarrassment his words and wink brought forth.

"Don't get too excited," she said with an awkward grin, brushing her bangs aside and glancing down at her lap. "I never said anything about marriage. Just. You know. A very lengthy engagement."

[Aeytrious]

"With all the time we will be spending together, I can't promise you won't fall in love with me. I am charming and good looking." Ryk flashed Einin another grin, playful and friendly. She seemed to respond better to teasing and joking than to feigned charm and flattery. She fit in her world about as much as Theodore did. Good thing he had Ryk to pretend to b"Are you looking forward to a night of debauchery?"

[Rhindeer]

Einin laughed again, shaking her head, and had been about to make some wise comment when he mentioned a 'night of debauchery'.

She blinked, eyebrow raising. She knew the tavern they were going to was 'seedy', but she supposed she should have asked just how seedy. "Umm...I was just planning on a drink or two, so..."

[Aeytrious]

"Well you needn't worry. The potions I carry with me always don't just heal wounds, they flush you of toxins and poisons. You can get drunk and then swig one back and be sober as a preacher." Ryk tapped his belt pouch. "Drink as much as you like, I'll make sure you get home safe Einin."

[Rhindeer]

"What? Really?" Einin looked at Ryk with fresh interest, sitting up a little straighter. "No headaches or anything?"

She pursed her lips, then sat back, arms folded over her chest. She looked at Ryk again, seeming to be considering something for a moment, and then said, "You won't tell my folks, will you? You know, if something like that were to happen. Not saying it will, but..." She shrugged. "I've kinda always wondered what all the fuss was about."

Because while she'd drank her share of wine at dinner, she'd never been more than a little tipsy. Her parents certainly wouldn't let her drink enough for that. And while she'd sneaked out plenty, she'd never drank while out, because it wasn't safe.

Not because she wasn't curious.

[Aeytrious]

"Really," Ryk grinned at Einin's eagerness, as hidden as it was. His first time getting actually drunk had not come until he was in Arca. It had never been safe to be intoxicated in Zantaric. He dared not dull his senses. Even so, he never found what could be appealing about losing yourself in drink. Dulling the memories of a tortured life was something he found even less appealing. It was those memories, those experiences that had molded him into the powerful man he was today. There was no reason to try and forget them when they were like a badge of honor to him.

"Drink all you like little bird, on me, and I'll get you home without anyone the wiser. Even now Wolves are delivering a dinner invitation to your parents with another noble house. You're not invited though, so they won't even notice you're not at home."

[Rhindeer]

"Like I said, I'm not saying I will, but..." Einin shrugged, gave a nonchalant smile without really meeting Ryk's eyes. This felt terribly forbidden, even with permission given and the promise of safety--and even with Ryk's clever set up to send her parents away. It was an effort to keep from grinning, because she felt downright rebellious.

"It always seemed like fun. The off duty guard always looked to be having a rollicking time, so there must be something to it, right? Oh!"

Leaning forward again, she looked at Ryk. "I'm gonna be a boy while we're here, alright? I need to practice, so...critique me!"

[Aeytrious]

"It can be fun at times," Ryk had enjoyed some drunken romps with noble ladies. He wouldn't be sharing that info with Einin, but it was true. Inebriety made some situations more, pleasurable. Of course he never had to deal with the consequences of over drinking anymore. He would be right as rain as soon as he quaffed one of his potions. It was probably not fair to let Einin escape the headache of her first drunken night, but he wasn't sure he should let her get that drunk if she was gonna be a boy. She wouldn't likely be able to keep up the charade. He'd slip her a few drops once in a while to keep her sober enough.

"I will gladly help you master your manlier side. Should be entertaining."

[Rhindeer]

Einin kicked his foot. "Pfff, don't laugh! This is serious! I'm not gonna be able to do this if I can't pass, and if you could tell two seconds in, so can everyone else. Ahem."

Clearing her throat, she uncrossed her legs and leaned back against her seat, arms resting along the back of the seat and legs sprawled apart. She'd noticed men tended to like to take up a lot of space and sprawl whereas women seemed to want to compartmentalize--as she had been doing minutes ago, sitting with her legs crossed and hands in her lap. She tilted her head and flashed a lazy grin. She usually tried to pick someone to imitate when she attempted this, and right then it was Jarrett.

"I think I've got sitting down okay, yeah?"

[Aeytrious]

"I suppose so," Ryk said, looking at the way she was all sprawled out. "The way you are sitting now sends two messages. It puts out an air of claiming space, showing strength. But the leaning back with your arms and legs apart also is inviting. So it's like sending a message to the room that you can take on any comers."

Ryk sat back, crossed his legs in that wide, masculine manner, placed a hand on his knee and rested the other across the hilts of the blades at his hip. "This sends the message that I'm relaxed, but confident, showing I don't want trouble, but I'm ready for it if it comes." He looked out the window to see where about they were. They'd arrive at the establishment shortly. "A table gives you something else to work with to tailor the message you send. Body language is very important, especially in sword play. You must be able to read every signal in every twitch of a muscle. Tonight you will learn to see who is prey, who is predator, and who pretends at being what they are not."

[Rhindeer]

Einin's eyes widened. "Whoops." Yeah, definitely not the message she wanted to send! She wanted to have fun tonight, not end up accidentally picking a fight. Adjusting herself, she mimicked Ryk, crossing her legs ankle-over-knee and resting her hand on her knee, other hand going to the hilt of her sword. She relaxed her posture. She supposed imitating Jarrett was a bad idea; the man was a rather strange assassin.

"Better?" she asked, taking mental notes. "And you think tonight will help with swordplay, hm? Is that the real reason we're here? Another lesson?" Not that she minded!

[Aeytrious]

"Actually, the plan was to take you out, get you drunk and seduce you," Ryk winked at Einin and gave her a droll grin, "but Ryk Handelaar, wealthy merchant, can't be seen kissing boys." He let out a mirthful laugh. "What would the people say if they saw such a thing? But of course I jest. The lesson is but a pleasant bonus, we are truly just out to relax, maybe get to know each other a bit better."

[Rhindeer]

Einin's cheeks reddened, but she rolled her eyes skyward and shook her head with a laugh. "I suppose that would put a crimp in your womanizing, wouldn't it?" she said with a quirked smile. "Lucky for me. Seems playing at being a guy is its own armor. And who knows, maybe I'll do a little flirting. I could. Wouldn't it be funny if I got all the lady-attention instead of you?"

Of course, she was joking. She didn't know the first thing about flirting, and she was far too prudish, anyway. But the thought was funny to her, and some deep part of her wished she could be so brave.

[Aeytrious]

"I don't think it fair to accept that challenge, as I am well known for my ways and will get plenty of attention just because they know of the gold in my purse" Ryk seemed to lose a bit of his humor at the statement. He looked Einin over. She was not very manly in her getup, more androgynous than anything else. It would do well enough if she behaved somewhat mannish. She could certainly pass for a dandy, which would be well enough he supposed, she was just too pretty to easily pass as a man. She needed to work on the illusion magic, make her face less feminine.

"Rufus gets a bit more loyalty and love when he goes out. He's loved for who he is, not the weight of his purse. I will show you sometime."

[Rhindeer]

Einin's smile slipped as Ryk spoke, expression becoming more subdued at the truth of that statement. With a low sigh, she folded her arms and glanced down at her knee.

"Yeah. I get you," she said with a little shrug, leaning an elbow against the window and resting her cheek on her hand. "That's Einin's life too, you know. Just in a different way. I dunno if Owl'll get much love, 'cause she hasn't really done enough yet to deserve it, but people like Einin because of her connections. They don't really like her, because they keep trying to make her something she's not."

She glanced back at Ryk. "But anyway...uh. Sorry. Don't wanna steal your vent. So Rufus doesn't just get fear, huh?"

[Aeytrious]

Ryk laughed with real mirth.

"Rufus is adored by the poor and middle class. Many have better lives now that he runs the Wolves, and more or less the whole city. Nobles fear The Soot Wolves, and those who would go against us, know fear. But the people are my people. Even the city guard often defers to the Wolves in a crisis now. We've saved their hides a number of times. That doesn't stop them from trying to catch us anyway. We are the villains after all."

[Rhindeer]

Owl blinked at him. If he was telling the truth--and honestly, he hadn't lied to her yet--then...

She cocked her head. "I'm pretty sure I've read stories like that. The whole robbing the rich to help the poor stuff..." She furrowed her brow. Loved by the poor and middle class, feared by the rich?

Leaning forward a little, she peered at Ryk. "So...wait. Are you telling me you all think we're the bad guys? Nobles, I mean?"

[Aeytrious]

Ryk gave Einin a crooked grin, "I don't see nobles as 'bad guys', I just exploit the gap between social classes to my own benefit. Nobles are well known for not caring about the lower classes and exploiting the poor. That's a big reason the Wolves get so many recruits. I have my fingers in nearly every business not run or controlled by the Swinden's," he looked out to see they were finally pulling up to the tavern.

"And I don't steal from the rich to give to the poor, not at all. I just employ the poor, and teach them, and pay them with money stolen from the rich."