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Veiris decided it was best to ignore Kira, though he was curious why the name Prescott should be at all impressive, besides it just being a weird name. He also decided it was best to let his griffin form go. She came off as flippant towards the concept of the griffin, in his eyes. He was raised to see them as majestic and to show the utmost respect to them. The wood under his fingers started to smolder as the lightning that had been pressing just under his skin finally escaped between his fingers, small bolts jumping across the wood from one hand to the other before dissipating. He was losing control of the griffin's lightning- they were proud creatures and their instincts did not let insults pass unchallenged. Even if there were perceived insults.

"Shifting only works when one can shift fast enough. I think you'd have that blade at my throat before I could even think of what form to take," he commented. It wasn't entirely true. He was fast and his Shifts didn't require conscious thought. He found they came as needed, like his acquired forms had some sixth sense. But he didn't mind offering her to compliment. As he spoke, the feathers vanished as if fading into his hair and his eyes returned to their normal brown. He ignored the comment about the attempted apology, as he couldn't recall any attempt made.

Sean shook his head at Will's guess. "Corn? Rye and wheat mostly, at least the ones worth singing songs over," Sean said, "rum's good too, although a bit sweet."

He chuckled at Will's comment about mixing spirits, something that was about as wise to do as praying to two different gods. Meaning you could have some fun if you knew how to do it right.

"So, Marlc," Sean said, and drew out the name letting it fill his mouth as he poured a drink, "know any good songs?"

Veiris shook his head, "Thank you, but I'll get food when I get a room for the night." He paused to thank a waiter for bringing his tea and handed a coin over as payment. He sipped at the tea a moment, enjoying the heat down his throat this time.

After a few sips, he continued, figuring it wouldn't be any disadvantage to tell Claudette a little more about shifting. And even if the others were listening, he didn't think knowing his hunger status would offer them any real insight or advantage. "A full shift will leave me hungry, but partial shifts are almost as easy now as breathing. They just are. Eyes and a few feathers don't take much energy, and the magic handles most of it," he explained. He hadn't talked to anyone about Shifting mechanics since the last Eastern Trade season. It was somewhat refreshing to get to discuss it openly without getting jeers or taunts. That was one of the sole reasons he hated missing the Northern Trade season. The North, where shifters were respected far more than any of the other regions. He supposed he could try the southern isle nations, but he'd never been one for ships.

"Songs?!" Marlc exclaimed, eyes gleaming. "Oh, maybe a few. Picked some up on m' travels. Drinking songs, mostly, of course. Not that my people don't have a penchant for that sort of thing."

Will groaned, and excused himself. "I'm gonna go top up," he explained, holding up his empty mug as proof. "You two have fun." Marlc waved him off with a poo-poo gesture.

"Maybe if you'd drink some, you'd know what whiskey's made of," he said.

"I'm fourteen," Will said, a little snappish. "...I think. Anyway. Not legal yet."

"As if that actually stopped anyone besides you," Marlc drawled, and turned his attention back to Sean and all his metallic adornments. "What sort've song do you fancy?"

Will suppressed a sigh, and hastened over to the front to order another drink. He passed the elf-party and snuck past as unobtrusively as he could, but the scary chick and her friend with the long braid seemed previously engaged.

He passed another table, though, with a pair of mostly normalish people who seemed to be discussing magic. Well, what was the harm in lingering? They were close to where he was getting topped up...

Marlc watched Will cross the room and place a few coins on the counter for another of his frothy, sweet-smelling drink. "You know, I couldn't say. About the marriage age, I mean. Sounds about right for others I've met, but he's not, eh, local." He returned his gaze across the table and swirled the remaining wine in his glass. "Will has some growing up to do as it is. Not that a wife wouldn't hurt. Or a husband." He took a sip.

The talk about mystical songs certainly piqued his interest, as well as that thing Sean was doing with his glass. Lovely sound, it was.

"You want me to sing you a song of my people?" The invitation was too tempting, and Marlc leaned back in his chair, clearing his throat. "I doubt you'll know the words, but it's a nice melody, I've always thought...



((For fun, here is the above in audio form.))

Claudette listened to Veiris speak, fascinated by what he had to say. It was hard for her to imagine how someone would even be trained on that; she didn't even really know how the Immortals were trained on it. But she did appreciate him taking the time to even talk to her about it, and he wasn't treating her like an idiot the way Kira did.

"Does a full shift hurt?" She asked, genuinely curious. It seemed like it would.

Kira laughed at the two and said, "You banter like a married couple anyway. Blair would find you two so fun to be around. Just kidding. He'd probably be terrified but not enough to run away from me!"

She looked at Baldur, and she laughed again. She thought she'd be offended and upset, but these were her friends. So instead she said, "That's the reason we're marrying!"

Well, at least, that's why she was marrying him. He didn't need to marry for money, and that was probably the most attractive thing about him.

Baldur nodded in agreement. "I've heard of marriages built on less. I wish you all the happiness and many babies," he bid amicably. "When us the wedding?"

Hopping up on the table, Svana grabbed up a sandwich to wolf down. "I wouldn't wish myself on Baldur as his life mate. I'm sure he's got some pretty, little elf who he's destined for. Probably one a lot younger and nicer than I am."

"Rumor has it Larus and you are life mates," he remarked offhandedly.

Svana chokes on her bite, coughing and hacking roughly. "Burn it all! Who came up with that one?" She found herself laughing. "Poor Larus would probably hang himself than suffer me for the next millenia."

He grinned. "Not if he secretly loves you, and you him."

"Well, wouldn't that make things awkward when I usurp his power and take control of his army?" She pounded on her chest to clear her lungs of crumbs.

Despite his claim, Veiris felt his stomach tighten in hunger. He hadn't lied about the Shifting, but a full day's travel without stops was bound to lead anyone to hunger. He absently grabbed the nearest thing to eat- a chicken leg, ignoring the fact that it came from Kira. In the end, food was food to him.

He tore off a bite before he spoke up again. "Shifting doesn't hurt. Unless those damn Clerics are involved. Shifting feels like..." he paused, considering his words. He heard someone else describe it once. "It feels like warm air filling your lungs then spreading outwards. And then it moves and you move with it," he said, knowing he didn't capture the same sense of wonder he'd heard described before. However good he got with words over his travels, he never felt like he got the words right.

He found it easy enough to talk with Claudette, mostly because she seemed to have to deal with the same s**t mage behavior he'd put up with in the past.

He tore off another bite just as the sleeping woman began to stir. He waited for her to lift her head and let out a small chuckle at her comment. "My dear, you are far from the least becoming here," he remarked.