Private Tales A Duel of Circumstance

[Ermengarde]

He almost described her brothers to a T. Though by being older...and male they ended up with most of the inheritance and that of their wives untill scrap was left for Ermengarde.

She choked, almost. Did she catch that? »You fox,« she chuckled. »So you're mostly working up from humble beginnings?«

 

[Morgan]

The half-elf couldn't help but crack a grin at Ermengarde's comment-- A fox? Really? Well, foxes had their own sort of roguish charm about them, so he'd have to take it.

"That's a kind way to put it, my lady. I believe the hedge knight's creed starts, 'I come from dirt and a bastard's birth', right?" He nodded agreement to his own statement. After all, he knew the creed by heart. "Well, I'm living the hedge knight's path, I suppose. And if you're not looking to get married, I suppose I'll have to keep living that way." There was another charming smile thrown Ermengarde's way, made -almost- entirely in jest. A wink came with it, there and gone in a moment.

 

[Ermengarde]

»Now you're pushing a bit far, cump.« Ermengarde mused before pointing at a warm light in the city street in the violet of the ambient. »That's it, the giant and the fae.«

 

[Morgan]

Morgan muttered a relinquishing tune, nodding and never quite losing his grin. "Yes, yes- The adventurer's life it is."

Without any more remarks on the half-elf's part, the pair made it into the warm light of the tavern. The entire room was busied by the early night's crowd, and Morgan recognized a number of duelists drinking their sorrows away at various tables and stools along the bar.

 

[Ermengarde]

Ermengarde led Morgan to a nice table at the side, a waitress was quick to come to their table, despite the crowd.
One of the competitors hollered at ermengarde, to which she simply leaned back, waved and gave a nod.

 

[Morgan]

Morgan sat elegantly, as if making every motion graceful was as natural as breathing; What he didn't let on, however, was that making actions look effortless took a whole awful lot of effort. He watched Ermengarde wave off one of their fellow competitors, nodding politely in the stranger's direction. Nonchalance seemingly came easy to her-- The attitude of a victor, he had to assume.

The half-elf put out a request for a half-order of chicken roast and a pint of whatever the bar had on tap, gesturing briefly to Ermengarde for her order. When the waitress left, their requests in tow, Morgan turned back to the woman across from him. "So what's your plan now, O-Champion-Valorous?" He put on a posh air, gesticulating a gesture not unlike jazz hands to emphasize her title. Still, a cheeky smile persisted.

 

[Ermengarde]

Ermengarde leaned back on her seat, rellaxing as she tapped her right arm's fingers ellegantly over the table in a precise rythm. »To be frank. something big.«
The blue coated woman leaned close. »It's still in the planning phase, but I plan to set to Alliria next week. And not just for Alliria, but to amass funds for an expedition. «

 

[Morgan]

Morgan relaxed back into his seat as she spoke, bring his left ankle up to rest on his opposite knee in a very Renaissance-Painting-esque sort of repose. When she leaned in, however, his piqued interest regarded him to do the same, resting his elbows against the table with his feet firmly on the ground.

"An expedition, you say?" The half-elf cocked an eyebrow, unsure he'd heard her correctly. Sure, he'd heard of nobles going off to the southern Fallwoods for pleasure and hunting, but those were hardly considered expeditionary ventures. "Where to, if you don't mind me asking?"

 

[Ermengarde]

»Perhaps I'll show you tomorrow. But in short, I want to lead an expedition of cartographers and explorers to the little explored southwestern lands.« She leaned back again onto her chair as the waitress brought them their drinks.
»Thank you, « The woman briefly breached the topic before returning and staring at Morgan's eyes. »Oh but I can't just go so, I'll need finance. So likely I'd need some grand idea other than mere cartographers to get funding from Alliria. Mining, prospecting, whatever.«

 

[Morgan]

Morgan couldn't help but cock an eyebrow, leaning back in his seats as their drinks arrived. His arms crossed over his chest, and a charming smile returned to its home across his features.

"You'll show me tomorrow? Awfully presumptuous of you, though I do like where your mind's at." The duelist grabbed his pint of the great mystical ~whatever's on tap~ he ordered, taking a small sip off the top. He must have liked what he tasted, since he swallowed it without complaint and gave Ermengarde an inquisitive nod. "But I must ask, you'll need a security detail for this crew, yes? Waters around Alliria are rife with pirates and other dishonest folk, after all... Might be good of you to find someone who can dissuade such individuals, maybe- I don't know -a swordsman nimble enough to work the riggings?"

Morgan cracked a grin across the table to her, shrugging with a dripping nonchalance. "All I mean to say is, frankly, I'm not a particularly busy individual."

 

[Ermengarde]

»Oh really? « Ermengarde leaned back, just in time for the waitress to bring their good.
It smelled like heaven.
»That is true, but I would bet that many are honest people out to work. But it is true, they reserve the worst of scum for the ships they lead.«

 

[Morgan]

Morgan kept his hands folded at his front in a polite display as their food was brought forth, resisting the salivating scent until Ermengarde would take the first bite.

"Well, I would wager there's some accord to be struck here. You need someone capable of daring acts of swashbuckling, fighting off countless scoundrels, and defending this expedition of yours... Meanwhile, I need something to keep myself entertained."

 

[Ermengarde]

»Are you assuming I can't fend for myself? Sir lost-at-tournament?« Ermengarde chuckled.
»But suppose I could use company on the expedition. Some extra eyes to keep the crew in check.«
Ermengarde cut off a piece of the roast.
The flesh was yellow like gold, crispy and well spiced.

 

[Morgan]

Morgan threw up his hands in facetious surrender, giving Ermengarde an open grin. "Never said you couldn't defend yourself. Hell, you've proven quite readily you're more than keen on that. No, no, it's like you said - Managing a ship must be tough work." He shrugged, upturning his palms to the side in a gesture far too open to be untrained.

"I'd just be present to, as you said, offer an extra pair of eyes." As Ermengarde cut into her meal, the half-elf took his cue to do the same. While his eating was far from voracious, the pace he set was clearly unbecoming to one of his figure and profession.

 

[Ermengarde]

»Well well. Very well. If you want to take up the offer, perhaps you can become my co-expedition leader afterall.« Ermengarde leaned back on her seat, twirling her golden locks as her gaze wandered across the ceiling. »If you don't have any of your own funds, you'll have to help find investors, convince them of our cause, else we'll get nowhere.«

 

[Morgan]

Morgan let out a light, charming laugh, silencing it with a balled fist. How flattering it was that Ermengarde would ask if he had funds! He had been living the life of a wandering hermit for months, and it wasn't often he could afford a bed for the night, let alone fund an expedition. "Well, I think I may just need to practice my persuading voice. It's close to flirtatious one, but not nearly as natural."