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Once the others had placed their orders, Ebony re-emerged from her menu once more looking slightly less flustered than prior, yet a hint of deep rouge still lingered upon her tanned cheeks. Clearing her throat as if testing whether she truly was over her bout of awkwardness, the woman addressed the elder Brit. "Peppered Gammon with a house salad and white wine to drink." Ebony said it so effortlessly that it was hard to believe she'd been quite embarrassed a moment before. Either way the owner nodded with a kind smile and removed the menus before walking off to relay their orders to the kitchen.

It was quiet for a bit then afterwards. Cordelia had gone back to closing her eyes, savoring the meal she was no doubt having from being so close to the fireplace, yet it could be seen she was still having a quiet private chat with Rivener as both Raevans lips would move from time to time. Thus that just left Ebony and Aphi to talk then. For some reason she was quite nervous again. Usually talk with the chef was so easy and yet now with the growing silence it seemed like a huge hurtle to overcome.

Wringing a napkin with her hands under the table, Ebony finally found her words. "How is everything? I mean, it's been a while since we've really seen one another and then I spring this on you all so suddenly..." As soon as the words left her tongue she sort of regretted them. It sounded so dumb, like she didn't know how to communicate anymore. She sighed, it would be a long night if this kept up.

Cordelia hummed a soft little tune to herself while she feed, her dark rune pulsing happily and in beat with the tune she produced. Feeling Rivener's wing draped delicately around her back made the girl feel special. With eyes still shut, the basilisk's dark lips drew up into a fond smile. Softly she asked, "It doesn't bother you as much does it? When humans stare?"

She jolted slight at his sudden touch, but quickly relaxed like he'd suggested. Aphismet was absolutely right. Life would always get in the way and even if they didn't talk from time to time that didn't make them any less of friends. This thought alone made her let go of a breathe she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Had she been worried that he'd only come along for the scorpion's sake? How ludicrous it seemed now!

Ebony smiled back and gave his arm a light pat in return. Yet as he went on to answer her original question it seemed something was off despite how happy the man seemed. It was the way his face pulled into that smile. Like it was plastic...fake. The purple haired femme gave a slight frown of concern. Was he really okay as he said or was she just reading into this too much? Perhaps she should ask, but Ebony really hated being that type of person. She was of the school that if someone wanted to talk about something, they would. And thus the awkward silence returned, Ebony not knowing what she should say or ask here, simply nodding her acceptance of his answer while a small part of her was wanting that wine right about now.

Cordelia laughed. "You sound like Ebby. She's always saying I should be proud of what I am. Which I am, but..." She sighed then, both because she was content from her feeding, but also because she was at a lost of how to describe her feelings on the subject. "...I don't know. I just don't like the feeling I get when people stare at me like that. It makes me...antsy." It was odd coming from someone who tended to stare at people herself and without blinking nonetheless.

"Whatever, let's talk about something else. What have you been up to lately? Anything new and exciting going on in Riven's world?" Surely his life was more thrilling with all the people that lived at his place than hers.

Time seemed to slow to a stand still then as Ebony was sure her heart had stopped at the words Aphi excitedly spout at her then. Silver eyes as wide as a deer caught in the headlights, the woman looked paralyzed with a mixture of fear and surprise. She knew that a part of her should be concerned at the new knowledge of learning that the night Sigel had been shot at some point, yet she couldn't get her mind past the fact that they knew about the body switching. As far as she'd known until just then only Lucia, Ekundayo and Fathle had known. So when, when did they find out and how?

Finally her stunned face took on the most livid of expressions. "Cordelia..." growled the woman as she wrung her napkin tighter around her fists. It was too low for the two Raevans sitting across from them to hear, but perhaps the daggers she was shooting them would not go unnoticed.

It took a couple of moments for Ebony to calm herself down again, eyes tight and nostrils flaring with every exhale. Lips somewhat tight, the Brit tried to answer him as casually as possible. She'd deal with Cordelia later on this subject, now was not the time. "My apologizes. I was not aware that Cordelia had been in contact with Rivener during that time. I had not wanted the lab to think me incapable of taking care of her." Eyes still stormy with betrayal and anger, Ebony finally opened her eyes to look at her white haired friend. "To your questions; yes it's true, it was highly uncomfortable as I suffered from phantom limbs syndrome the whole time and no, Cordelia's wings don't allow for flight I'm afraid."

Though the Frei had been highly interested to hear what Riven had been up to til then, after hearing his answers she sort of wish she didn't know. It made her upset to hear that his brother had been robbed and then they had to confront those people, then to hear he and Xiu had gone and put themselves into danger willingly as well...The girl in the alley was the last straw.

"Damnit Riven, what were you thinking?!" the snake hissed low and sinister towards her kin. Concern quickly knitted her scaly features as a hand came to touch his cheek tenderly. She very vividly remembered seeing him in the hospital after he'd been shot. Seeing him so vulnerable, so fragile...Delia had not wanted to see him like that ever again. Thus her flair of anger and protectiveness was justified. Good thing she didn't know about the lab incident otherwise she'd probably be doubly mad at him and the others. "I don't know if it finds you or if you go looking for it, but you really need to be more careful."

Cordelia sighed and rested her hands in what would have been her lap, grey eyes looking at them thoughtfully. "I don't disagree that we are special and gifted beyond that of humans. I just don't think you should underestimate them is all. The doctor's a human when you get down to it right? And he did create us as you said. Besides, there are other things just as powerful, if not more so, as us to worry about as well." She was thinking of the virus from before and the Raevan that could well make that a repeat at some point despite what the lab had said, not to mention the possession of Lucia as well as her own time spent being a helpless human.

Staring intensely into Riv's crimson gaze, Delia looked far more grown up than she ever had around the scorpion, yet sounded just as young as ever. "I just don't want any of us to get hurt is all. Is that too much to ask?" Alas, perhaps she was still just too young or inexperienced to understand where he was getting at. A lot of things were still brand new to her and thus life didn't seem all that too boring just yet.

His too kind words seemed to strike some sort of overly sensitive cord in the violet haired woman and she quickly gripped tight to the hand that was laid upon her shoulder. Ebony looked at him with eyes fighting to keep a deluge of emotion from pouring forth. He didn't know how much it meant for her to hear someone else tell her this, even if he may be a bit bias, them being friends and all. She wanted to tell him then how scared she was of losing Cordelia. What had started as an obsession in wanting to possess something utterly rare and valuable had turned into her just needing a companion, someone to love, live for other than her greedy self. Slowly Cordelia had filled that lonely void in her heart and allowed her to look forward to the future again.

Yet Ebony couldn't just dump all that on him. Not then, probably never, she was just too private about things like that and couldn't stand looking weak. Her grey eyes suddenly hardened back to the steel they normally resembled and she was quick to let go of Aphi's hand at the same time. "Thank you." she replied quietly and graciously. It was then the owner had returned with their orders and Ebony was quick to take up her glass of wine the minute it was not seen as terribly rude. She was somehow very exhausted then and needed something to take the edge off as much as was possible.

Yup apparently she was still just too young to understand him, not yet having exactly had a major urge to rebel against her guardian and her ideals. Though the girl was prone to being mischievous from time to time, it wasn't the same thing obviously. Cordelia frowned too, but remained quiet on the subject for now, not wanting to make Riven more upset than she already had.

Glumly the basilisk stared at her soup when it came then, dipping her spoon in before allowing the liquid to pour back into the bowl slowly. She did this for quite sometime while contemplating what the elder Raevan had said to her. She could admire him wanting to help others, but...was it really worth it to do so over and over again? For Delia it seemed like it would end up becoming an inconvenience and major nuisance to her everyday life. Then again, did she live in a cage like the scorpion had indirectly suggested? She didn't think so, but then again she did spent far too much time at home recently. Cordelia could admit that something was somewhat off with her ever since the body switch. Perhaps prolonged exposure in Ebby's body had somehow caused her to inherit certain mental and emotional aspects of the woman that they weren't aware of? The smokey Frei frowned again since that seemed an outlandish diagnostic, but what else could it be?

Ebony raised a brow, somewhat surprised at Aphismet's ability and/or want to continue the conversation despite awkwardness. It made the lavender haired female's lips pull into a soft smirk. She was lucky it had been the chef and his ward that they'd been able to come here with. Anyone else might have bullied or tried to snake their way into getting Ebony's inner turmoil out, but not Aphi. To this she was most grateful.

"You weren't paying too close of attention earlier were you?" Ebony just laughed, placing her glass carefully on the table before continuing. "Cordelia shares my love for music and for the classics, yet she has also been crossing over into other genres such as rock and the like. There's an edginess there that seems to call to her I think. Something of which concerns me, but not too greatly mind you." She added that last part rather quickly, not wanting the image of her and the snake fighting about that risque shirt from earlier to come up again in the man's mind.

"So no, she's not the type to want to be a princess for a day, though she doesn't mind being pampered persay. Yet a concert or something of the like she may enjoy. We'll have to look and see what's going on around town, see what Rivener thinks is worthwhile for the girl. Hmmm..." Suddenly those silver eyes seemed very calculating, as if mapping out some sort of plan. "Maybe Rivener and her can go to one of those themselves? I think she may enjoy not being chaperoned for a couple hours or so. Besides, I need the time to shop for gifts for her without her seeing what I'm getting." Her mood was greatly improving by the minute as she thought more on the subject of how they were going to surprise the basilisk for her birthday. More than ever she wanted Cordelia to have the happiest time she could ever have while they were here.

She looked up at him curiously when he sighed loudly and leaned back in his seat. She gave a tight smile at his attempt to try and apologize, though Delia appreciated it, it did very little to diminish the bit of clouded doubt his prior words had conjured up.

Still playing with her soup some, "I can't absorb steam. It's made up of too much water." Not to mention she was already pretty full from feeding off the smoke coming from the fireplace. Then again, the scorpion was right, best not to let the food go to waste. Very delicately, Cordelia dipped her spoon into the bowl and brought it to her dark lips. She carefully allowed the texture and flavor to settle on her tongue. It was...different. Not so bad she decided, comfortably much more mellow than that chocolate candy she'd had awhile back. Though it was odd, soup was made of plenty of water as well right? Shouldn't this be bad for her? Shouldn't she be in pain?

When nothing seemed to be happening, Cordelia finally swallowed. In an effort to try and bridge the gap that had been made between them recently, the girl shyly nudged the bowl towards Rivener. "It's not so bad. Would you like to try some?"

While Aphi waved the waitress down to ask about the happenings in town, Ebony patiently and politely waited, taking a few bites of her own meal in the meantime. It was quite delicious. It'd been awhile since she'd eaten at a nice restaurant. Back home she'd still been trying to be somewhat competent in the kitchen, but baking sweets seemed the only thing to ever come out somewhat perfect unfortunately. And she very well couldn't eat that all the time.

Nodding in agreement after Jane had departed from their table, "That paper sounds like a solid idea. We might find out more if we stop at a stand on our way back to the hotel. Being in the business and all, I'm sure any of the vendors would be quite knowledgeable on what's going on in town right now." Already Ebony seemed to be in a much better mood, even a bit relaxed now. Though that could just be the wine making its way through her system then.

Only slightly annoyed by the sudden jab at her side, merely for the fact that it'd put her already precarious walking into danger of becoming a fall, Ebony managed to keep her balance. She laughed, but mostly due to the swimming in her head than anything else. Perhaps she'd over done it with the wine tonight, yet she'd desperately wanted things to be relaxed between her and the chef again and thus she'd allowed herself to indulge more than usual.

With a small dusting of blush across her tanned cheeks, Ebony followed the other towards the vendor. "It really was great. Makes me wish I could cook like that." Flipping through a small tour guide magazine, "I bet it'd be real easy for you Aphi. Oh, you know, that reminds me I've never been to your restaurant before. I should probably come by sometime." Though she really didn't know with whom she'd be able to come with. Crystal Carafe was such a swanky upscale restaurant that it felt like some place she should go with someone "special" and Ebony didn't really have anyone like that in her life.

Delia smiled when Rivener remembered her slight discomfort with having people stare at her and offered his wings to shield her. Gently she patted his cheek in appreciation, "It's okay. I've got to get use to it eventually. Thanks though." She thought over the other's words carefully then. "Mmmm, it was okay I guess. I just don't have the urge to eat human food really. Is that something that changes when you become a Sigel?"

Cordelia grinned, trying to imagine Riv as a Frei, but she just couldn't see it. As far as she was concerned, he'd always been a Sigel. Suddenly this kind of talk seemed to open a reservoir of questions that Delia hadn't realized she'd had until now. Things like...How long ago had Riven's Frei days been? Was he anything like he was now? Would she also like coffee and alcohol? Would chocolate finally be something she could stand? What kind of abilities and looks would be awaiting her? All the older Raevans like Rivener seemed to have such strength and beauty. Actually quite a few of her Raevan friends were Sigels already and it made her feel a bit left behind.

Thus the most important question came out in a tone filled with much wonder and lust as she gave a slight pout, "I wonder how long it'll be until that day comes?"

Again Ebony laughed, "No, you're fine. I'd be more concerned about the quality of your place if you weren't extremely proud and happy to walk around advertising it." Putting the smaller pamphlet back on the stand, the purple haired woman fell in step beside Aphismet, the both of them skimming its pages for potential concerts and whatnot for the kids. Her silver eyes lit up looking at all the edgy ads tempting all to their events.

"Wow...looks like there is lots for them to choose from!" Smiling brightly Ebony looked up to face Aphi of whom she didn't realize was so close to her just then. Blushing a little, she straightened back up so she wasn't leaning in all secret like as they had before. Pushing a loose strand back over her ear, "Um, so yeah, maybe we should have Rivener take a look at it before making any major decisions." Ebony was trying really hard not to let this bout of embarrassment cripple her like it had before. Hopefully the white haired chef wouldn't notice.