Crocodile on the Sand Bank

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Well! Feeling like utter crap for presuming the obvious which wasn't obvious or had been intended by her host at all, really made her re-think the evening. She grew quiet and followed after him, muttering only a single, soft, "Yes."

Keeping her eyes to the ground, she tried to think of some way to remedy this. Still, the thoughts twisted inside her guts as to being the butt of some sort of joke here, but he was right when he called her out against him, and so far- the only ones there to observe anything where...

Him.. and her.

The second the pair made it to the dining hall, she found herself suddenly catching his wrist before he entered.

"I.. want to apologize for my hostilities. I didn't intend to.. well, make the mood for the evening so soured so soon."
And need she add that was what she had expected though? No, it was best not. She didn't need to add more insult to injury.

[GoblinFae]

Emyr froze at her touch as if burned as he looked at her over his shoulder, unable to completely turn to face her and risk some further attack upon his person. To say her apology was unexpected was an understatement. It was however, not unpleasant for him as while he expected her pride to win out, he could not help the bubbling feeling of victory from blooming within his chest.

"So you intended for it to go sour nevertheless. How unfortunate," Emyr murmured, refusing to let her off the hook as he pulled away and moved to take his seat at one end of the table. A motion of his hand silently ordered a servant to pour drinks though he had no interest in partaking in his own.

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Evelyn internally deflated. She couldn't even rebuff that because well...
He was right. And damn her for that pride of hers, it could be bigger than the Kilanthro mountains. With a sigh,s he tried to swallow this all down, perhaps the evening could start over again....
After all, the dinner hadn't even begun!

Once she was seated and given something to drink, she drank it a lot more hastily than she'dve liked. But well, she still felt as if she were trying to survive a walk through a lion's den- yet somehow... how was it she was starting to feel sorry for the 'beast'?

"So.. how is your trade business going?" Perhaps talking about business would iron out the unease that hung heavily in the air.

[GoblinFae]

"It goes as expected," he replied neutrally. "It is ever the balance of right words and confident decisions. I'm sure you understand that though, it is after all the same business you yourself dabble in, is it not? Or was the auction yesterday more for personal interests?" Emyr sipped his wine while keeping his face expressionless. Let her think what she would but he was most certainly circling the little mouse, waiting for the trap to spring.

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She nearly choked on her wine.
"Business?"
The anger that flashed in her eyes was hard to curb, as her lips twitched in want of a scowl. Instead, she suffered with a simple frown.

"Hardly. Not every outting I attend is for business. That one, I assure you, was simply out of pleasure." And she looked away, too flustered to keep up her look as she downed more of her drink.

[GoblinFae]

Emyr pretended not to notice her harsh attitude as he pressed onward. "Ah, I see then. Well I hope you enjoyed your outing as it were. I'm afraid not all of us are gifted with such luxuries and must continue to work in order to maintain our livelihoods. It must be nice to have some time to spend petty cash on trinkets."

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It took every ounce of her person not to blow up in retaliation.  And she was equally afraid she might bite her tongue off as she released a hot breath through her nose, and went to finish her drink.

"So.." she went on, clutching her goblet tightly as she set it upon the table. "You aim to simply sell it on the market?"
Ha! The best market had been that auction! She hoped he'd be eating worms for breakfast on that one!

[GoblinFae]

"Oh, no!" he hurried to assure her. "No it would do much better to sell it as scrap materials and collect the profits that way. It really is not much use to anyone in its current state. It's far too out of fashion and damaged to be of much interest to the current market. It's a shame really because in a better condition I'm sure it could have fetched a better price. Why I got it for a steal to be honest. I was certainly prepared to pay much more. I'm glad I didn't have to though. It's always a relief when you can save what little funds you have for the simple pleasures in life." Emyr chuckled as he finished his glass of wine and signaled for another as if to prove his point.

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At such a notion, Evelyn visibly paled and felt her stomach churn and twist in on itself. Perhaps she shouldn't have drank the offered drink so quickly, for as much as she wanted to hide behind some alcohol, it was making her swim in a most uncomfortable way. Or..
Perhaps it was the way he looked at her.

She thought she might faint, but instead of even registering any of that, she held up her goblet.
"Do you have more to drink?"

And felt her palms growing sweaty at how any hidden feelings she was trying to mask over, were just pouring out of her like rain, or the fresh rays of the morning sun.
She was never at all that good at lying.

[GoblinFae]

A discreet nod of his head had her glass filled as well before the slave returned quietly to his post. Emyr continued to observe his guest from over the rim of his glasses. "Is something troubling you, dear? You have gone awfully quiet. Is the wine not to your liking? I could have something else brought for you. Water? Lassi? A different vintage perhaps?"

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Evelyn opened her lips to speak, but then promptly closed them as she ground her teeth. No, it was better to swallow any words she'd regret.

"N-no, the wine is fine,"s he went on, blinking back any emotions her eyes might give away.
"I was just.. quietly observing your home. You have good taste."

And she was still a terrible liar.

[GoblinFae]

"You must have excellent vision then my dear as I do not believe your head let alone your eyes have moved around enough to clearly take in the pleasures of my home. Or is that a northerner attitude to keep from gawking? Please feel free to enjoy the simplicity here," Emyr told her waving his hand about the room in an arc. "It was my mother's home. I'm sure she would be pleased to know one such as you found pleasure in its beauty."

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She could have scowled, but stopped herself short and lifted her glass to take a sip again, then lifted it to him.
"Then perhaps I ought to praise her for its value?"

[GoblinFae]

His eyes darkened somewhat as his lips twitched in an humorless semblance of a smile. "I am sure her spirit would be delighted with such praise," he told her quietly as he too raised his glass before taking a secondary sip. As they drank the first course arrived, a cold vegetable soup and a favorite of Emyr's. "Please, eat," he urged his guest.

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Well!
That was awkward. Evelyn went quiet. She just about forgot his parents were not alive. And was thankful for the appearance of the soup, but made small, lamed attempts to eat it. But after a few bites, she smiled towards him.

"It's very good. DO you know what vegetables your cooks use in this?"

Yes.. small talk. Small talk was good. Maybe she couldn't blunder that up, at least.

[GoblinFae]

"Kale and cucumber," he answered automatically, his eyes trained on the spoon he was bringing to his lips. "An interesting mix, if I do say so myself. My cook did not know what exactly to do with the vegetables when she first arrived and we ended up with this. It has been a family favorite ever since. I take it you like it then?"

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Relieved it seemed the conversation was going somewhere more pleasant, she allowed herself a reprieving smile.

"Yes. I'll have to keep the recipe in mind when I next speak to my own cook."

[GoblinFae]

Emyr ate in silence, comfortable with it as he was used to meals spent alone in such a fashion. It did not even occur to him that he should be making small talk as he mused on the many ways he could annoy his dinner guest while remaining seemingly innocent of the trouble he was causing her. He motioned for their glasses to be filled again before sitting back in his chair to savor the dry flavor of the wine on his tongue while his eyes stared at Evelyn in a rather appraising fashion as if to judge her worth.

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Well, things were growing awkward again. And Evelyn had just finished her soup.
Her mind was ever calculating any sort of small talk, and found herself asking, "So, as a man at your age, how come you haven't taken on any wives?"
As a woman, she didn't think the topic of conversation was at all rude. After all, it was a social query and perhaps she could blame drinking the wine on this one.

[GoblinFae]

He snorted softly into his drink. 'Typical.' Emyr smirked darkly at his guest over the brim of his glass. "Why take a wife when you can have a concubine for a fraction of the hassle?" The mirth coloring his features spoke of what discomfort he hoped to cause her. "Why were you thinking of applying?"