“My apologies. This isn't quite a pleasant topic for the breakfast table.”
Stare shook her head. “No, it is good. The more you read the more prepared you can be. You helped me … Us greatly yesterday, and this is what we can offer to repay you.” Her eyes smiled as Mer muttered something incomprehensible. And probably negative. “Thank you Nevin,” she inclined her head to him.
Pausing to raise her cup to her lips she kept an eye on him, wanting to profess her desire to go with him, but not prepared to say in case there was disappointment. Long she drank, and as she thought of something new to say she began to lower her cup.
That was when there was a small bam from the hall outside. Followed closely by the sound of footsteps.
There was a tight pause, and then Mer began to move.
“I'll get it,” Stare hissed back at her, knowing Mer would do it wrong. Grabbing the plate from the top seat the kenku began to go through the dishes in a haste, piling on very selected foods, the best of the best. Behind them the beats of boots continued, getting louder and louder.
Mer sat there, lip curled.
“Hmm,” came a grunt from the dining room.doorway. And there stood Vitruvion, his eyes and features reflecting intense dissatisfaction. He was bare-chested with a shirt flung over his shoulder, displaying his perfect muscles in all their glory. And his eyes were focused on Nevin. “I forgot you were staying here,” he said in a hollow, grumpy voice.
Quietly Stare placed the plate of food at Vitruvion's chair, saying nothing. Awkward silence filled the room.
“I apologize for the intrusion, Sir Elssmith.” There was absolutely no need to go poking the bear in his den right now, not when he had been so irritated from what the Alchemist had seen on Stare’s face last night. Nevin inclined his head to the man and clamped his lips shut, moving his cup of coffee into the kitchen before slipping away. His simple presence would probably irritate the man more right now - so instead of staying and making the awkward situation worse, Nevin headed up towards his room and began to gather his notes and such.
He would try to find Stare again before he left, see if she had actually taken notes on the plants in the woods from the book she had found,and then he would make his departure. But before Nevin could leave though, he would have to see about thanking Vitruvion for letting him stay, and inquire to see if the man wanted any more of that truth serum that he had used - but he would wait, until after the individual had had a chance to wake up and eat. It would be easier to produce the stuff in the future - and he could do it discreetly, far more so than the hurried rush through the city yesterday had been.
