On the way to the Hog's Head, Marcus and Dove walked very close together and spoke softly to make sure the others wouldn't hear what they were talking about.

"Dove. A fitting name for one so delicate and beautiful. Tell me a little about yourself. How did you come to be travelling the back streets, running from a debt collector's thugs?" He gently runs a finger down the length of her forearm as he speaks. His melodious voice is warm while speaking to another of his mixed race heritage, and a pretty one at that.

"Thank you," Dove said and smiled flirtatiously at Marcus. "A girl has got to pay the bills you know. And some ways are more enjoyable than others. Wouldn't you agree?"

"My path has always been one of duty and honour. I must confess that I have never thought much about the money. I serve, and my masters," he almost says 'Knighthood', but instantly realises that his identity is still a secret, and the girl still a stranger, "And my masters provide for me." He frowns slightly for a moment, then looks back down at the girl with a querying smile, "Would you ever consider giving up your current career? I am sure you have seen little of the world, but there are other ways to make a living. And they have to be safer than being chased by thugs."

“I see,” Dove said. “I enjoy my work, I’m good at it, and you’ve paid enough to find out just how good I am.” Dove smiled her seductive smile at Marcus as she said this. “I have never considered changing my line of work as I get paid to do something I really like. Though it would have been nice to have more customers.”

Marcus blushes slightly at her direct words. Although the other squires and pages always spoke about chasing the servant girls, he had never partaken in such sport, and was therefore quite innocent. "You can do this work for many years, being of the long-lived, but where do you finish up at the end? Have you never thought of finding a path of honour and fulfillment, as well as the chance to make money? It must be more rewarding, and it will give you a sense of pride. I am sure you are as good at...uh...that as you say, but if you follow a different career you can still do that. But you can do it becasue you want to, not because you need to eat."

“But it does fulfill me,” Dove said. “And it gives me money. Why do it for free when I can get paid?”

Marcus nearly chokes at her first words, then struggles to recover. "There are other things you can do for money. Then you can save yourself for one you love. You can aspire to something higher than running around in the gutters. My parents started off poor, but now they are quite wealthy. I am not wealthy now, but I know through service I will one day have wealth and power. You can better your station in life as well. Gain a life where you are treated with respect and friendship, not simply used for the lust of any rough man who has a coin."

“I don’t think one man could fulfill me for the rest of my life,” Dove said. “And as I said, I like what I do. Though I’ve had this dream since I was a little girl to be a courtesan in Kuri-Khan and that would better my station and give me respect.”

“Besides not only ‘rough men’ gives me money. Or are you a ‘rough man’ too?”

Marcus considers her words carefully. He believes that if he can get her away from Pashin then he may be able to show her a better way. But while she is in her comfort zone she will be difficult to convince. A thought occurs to him, but it is broken off by her next words. He chuckles slightly, then answers carefully, "I am a hard man when I must be, and gentle when I can be." He then continues speaking his previous thought, "The place I live is not Kuri-Khan, but there are many men of great power, wealth and station. Perhaps you could find a place for yourself there. It has to be better than living in a second rate trade town." He hopes to convince her to agree to leave the town, then he can show her the virtue and respectability that the Knighthood entail. He is careful not to tell her exactly where he is from, though, in case she turns out to be an enemy spy. He also looks at her closely, peering into her soul to try to see what sort of person she truly is in her heart.

[Private to GM: Marcus uses his Detect Evil ability on her to sense her alignment.]

"Where do you live?"

[Private to Marcus Valarian: I'm fairly sure she's not evil, but I'll update that, if needed when I get home.]

Marcus is very careful how he responds. He doesn't want to outright deceive the girl, but he also doesn't want to give away too much, in case she turns out to be untrustworthy. His glimpse into her soul doesn't seem to reveal any dark taint, but a street girl tends to be practical, and he decides to remain cautious. "I live a long way from here, in a mighty castle." He decides that this is sufficiently neutral. It says a lot about the sort of peopel that will be there, while not saying whose side they may be on. They could be Solamnics, Knights of Takhisis or local nobility from any part of Ansalon.

“And these men of power, wealth, and station, do they also live in mighty castles? And would they enjoy my services?”

"Most of them. And many have enjoyed the services of friendly women, though they generally marry noble women as they grow older. My people try to follow the precepts of chivalry as much as possible, so they favour marriage. But there are always those, particularly the younger ones, who prefer immediate pleasures," Marcus says. As much as he wants to convince her to leave Pashin, he is surprised to feel a sense of something approaching jealousy at the thought of the pretty young woman being shared among his fellow squires at the Keep. A surge of emotion threatens to overwhelm him for a moment, before he uses his discipline to force himself under control once more.

"And how many of these younger ones are there? And how many are willing to provide immediate pleasure?"

"There are many of us. Quite a few highborn young men, and many poorer ones who work around the castle. The majority of these young men, or the highborn ones anyway, are single. Most are waiting a few more years and will then marry a fine lady." Marcus forces himself to continue speaking this way despite the discomfort, as it seems to most likely way to convince Dove to leave Pashin.

"And are you telling me this because it's true or because you want me to come away with you," Dove asked with a sparkle in her eyes and that flirtatious smile of hers.

"I'm telling you this because it is true,"Marcus says. Then he continues, "And I am telling you because I want you to come away from this place. With my friends and...with me," he says, finally realising that this is true. He has spent his life surrounded by elegant young noble human women, but there is something compelling about the sweet earthiness of the young half-elf, one of few in the world to share his mixed heritage.

Dove kissed Marcus on the cheek.

“How sweet,” she said. “But I have a job and responsibilities, I don’t know if I’d be able to leave Pashin. And I’m used to making my own money.”
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:51, Fri 07 Dec 2007.

Dove's warm lips burn into Marcus's cheek. He is disappointed, but he decides not to allow himself to be so easily disuaded. The young woman's soul...and so much more, rest on his ability to turn her to a new path. He continues to try to convince her, "You can take on a new job. And one set of responsibilities can be traded for another. There are a few moments in a person's life that can change their future. I am giving you the opportunity to leave the squalor of Pashin, to mix with powerful and wealthy people of class and nobility. You will be able to find other ways of making money, and I am sure that you will be able to find ways to earn more among those people than you can mixing with peasants and poor traders. And when the time is right, I am sure you will have no trouble finding a fine gentleman to make you his wife," he says, adding the last words haltingly and somewhat more quietly.