Lex fell in with Maya, as she headed back to the palanquin. "It's okay I guess, if you like that sort of thing," he was starting to figure this girl out. Give her all the praise she wanted and you were her plaything. Make her work to impress you, and you could control the relationship. Throw in some danger and mystique, and she'd be easy to reel in. She'd prove a challenge, but he was the luckiest man alive after all. "I prefer a simple elegance," he told her. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a ring that he carried there. It was a plain platinum band, set with three gemstones. The largest, in the center, was a one carat, round cut, dark red jacinth. It was flanked by two white diamonds, half a carat each, trillion cut, and pointing away from center. The under side of the band was thin, it tapered out as it came around to the stones that were set into it, hugging them almost flush with the setting. It was an old ring, but it had been cared for well over the years. The ancient piece had belonged to a relative that died long before his grandmother was even a thought.
"This is more my taste," Lex said, showing Maya the ring. He turned it in his fingers to display it, then slipped it back in his pouch. "It will be given to my future wife," he adopted a far off look as he spoke, seeming to think of some far of time or place. Arriving back at the palanquin, the footmen placed her money inside, and took up their places to prepare to carry the young noble lady.
"Where would m'lady care to eat?"
