The redhead rubbed the back of his neck as she corrected him. Just Ayume. Right. Somehow that didn't seem right. Not juxtaposing her name with a title at least vaguely respectful felt strange. She looked like the type of girl that came from a good family that had a reputation. That was largely more impressive than 'the urchin magician taken in by a street dancer'. All things considered, everyone around him was probably better off than he was. That deserved at least some recognition.
Though Ayume had insisted... and Caius wasn't going to question it. "Ayume then." At least he'd gotten her name right.
She responded to his quip about her choice of dress by hiding herself behind the stuffed animal of the.. strange fox-looking creature that Caius couldn't identify. Whatever it was, it was too exotic to be common knowledge, and someone as simple as Caius had never come across one. Regardless, Ayume seemed to be more focused on his question, rather than the stuffed animal.
He got his answer, and Caius just gave a wry smirk. Corsets, eh? He could relate to the being uncomfortable, but not quite that far. Why women chose to put themselves through that, he'd never know. Sure, it looked nice, but naked women looked much nicer. Men rarely cared about what was on top, and cared more for what was underneath. Perhaps it had something to do with illusions itself. Hm.
Whatever it was, it didn't matter.
Caius watched Ayume as she spoke, catching a glimpse of a bruise on her temple as she brushed her hair out of her face. At first, it was hard to see, but became very apparent on second glance. Caius' lips turned down in a frown. What had caused that? He hadn't danced with Ayume previously, so he hadn't exactly gotten a good look at her, though he didn't seem to remember a girl with a rather large bruise somewhere quite obvious.
He said nothing, and let Ayume finish her words, putting herself down. Why were women always so eager to do that? Couldn't they be happy with themselves? All of them were beautiful, talented, magnificent beings.
First, Caius responded to her offer, and sat himself down casually beside her, bringing a long leg up to perch, half-lounged on the cushions of the bay window. He gave her a soft smile and propped his elbow on his knee that was raised, and gestured with a casual pointed finger at the bruise that had revealed itself. "And this, battle scar? Too much dancing went to your head? Or did you go the way of Etana and get bumped into by a servant? Or perhaps someone's knuckles?" It was a not-so-subtle way of asking if anyone had seen fit to abuse Ayume. If the answer was as much as he expected, Caius was going to have to see to it that they paid their dues.
Whether Ayume decided to answer at all was her prerogative. Caius' casual posture made no advances or put any pressure on her to give him a name, and simply expressed some concern behind his crimson eyes.
He moved on to her previous words and gave her another slow, charming smile in response. "Chances are if there are people there, they will know how to play those instruments and give you back up for your vocal talents." Caius nodded to himself and then leaned back some, bringing his hand back toward himself lazily. "I would not call that being inadequate."
Caius tilted his head back, and looked out the window, mulling on her final query for a moment. "A good magician sticks to where he is most comfortable. In the spotlight, in parties... but a great magician can make himself at home anywhere. In darkness, in a box, or even in handcuffs. I can assure you that a treasury is much more comfortable than any of the former..." He lazily closed his eyes and laughed a bit to himself as if enjoying a private joke with himself, and then turned his eyes back on Ayume. "I enjoy the company of expensive things." He admitted, finally.
