Colors tapped his claw on the table rhythmically. "Oh, let's see, let's see. Since you seem a bit nervous, I think I shall start with one of my most interesting tales. It is a tale that people do not often believe, but I am telling you it is true. It was when I found my way into the bed of a countess. Well...I don't actually think that was her title, but that's basically what she was. A ruler of the island of Stros M'kai. You see, this fair lady had a certain taste for the exotic. Her husband was a dreadfully dull bureaucrat, and she had taken to the company of men with scales and fur. All in secret, of course. I had to piece all of this together after the fact based on rumors I heard. Anyways, I had heard there were a few beautiful and, uh, valuable statuettes in the palace garden, so I managed to sneak my way over the wall and was delighted to find no guards awaiting me. I did not realize at the time, but the countess had cleared them out so she could meet with a certain guest."

Colors paused to take a drink. His story was certainly sounding far-fetched, but if he was lying, then he was doing a fine job of maintaining a confident demeanor. "Instead of her intended guest, however, the countess found me. I was clumsy and she spotted me. I was sure I was going to be arrested on the spot, so imagine my surprise when she greeted me not with a call for guards, but with a kiss on the snout. You see, she had never met the Argonian she had sent for to meet that day, so she assumed me to be him. I was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I shared some...quality time in that garden with that fair Redguard. Naturally, it came to an end when the Argonian she had called for finally arrived. It was perhaps a lapse in judgment on her part, but in her anger and confusion, she called for the guard on me, and in doing so, revealed her infidelity. The chaos that ensued was enough for me to slip back over the wall and flee into the city with naught but the scales on my back."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Colors leaned back in his chair and grinned at Sabine, eagerly awaiting her response. All the while, he maintained an expression that gave no hints to his honesty.

Sabine held an incredulous smile throughout the story. If it was not already obvious by the height of one of her eyebrows, she did not believe Colours in the slightest. Stros M'kai was a hard enough place to get to without the career of a smuggler keeping you close to Tamriel. Sabine did not have to be a sailor to deduce that much. The conclusion had Sabine laughing and shaking her head. She laughed for perhaps longer than was required, though it was not just her tipsy mind. She felt that two could play at Colours' game and allowed herself enough time to 'recall' a tale of her own.

Sabine eventually settled down, letting out the last few laughs through her nose as she lifted the wine to her lips. She scrunched her face as she swallowed -- Colours' claim to its strength was not a lie, at least.

"Well..." she grinned, looking at the table and holding the heel of one hand against it. A silly image was in her head, she could work from that. "I have not...spent quality time with a count or anything like that, but..." She stopped to release a single laugh and lowered her volume. She couldn't let go of her grin. "There was one time. We went to a clan between Kvatch and Anvil. This one boy, an Imperial my age at the time, wanted to learn some magic from me. He was trying to..." Sabine's uncharacteristic pause to make up detail threatened her bluff, but it could be passed off as embarrassment. "He was trying to master telekinesis. Moving things without touching them. What I used to do to practice was climb up a tree and lift things from the ground, so we found a tree above the entrance of the clanhome and lifted rocks from there." Sabine turned her wrist. "It was mostly doing the same thing over and again, so we talked. We talked about private things. And he said that he had not mated before. And, after a while, he said he liked me. And..."

Sabine's blush returned and she held her forehead against the table, stifling laughter. She could not believe she was even lying about this, let alone suggesting that she would do something like it. No doubt it was at least entertaining to Colours to see her so abashed.

"We did it on the tree branch," she said with her hair obscuring her laughing mouth. "Above the clanhome entrance. I had to practice my muffling spells and...when people were walking underneath, my own telekinesis to keep things falling. No one looked up."

Whether Colours believed her or not, such an anxious lie justified a deep drink of Sabine's wine. She did just that and revealed a beetroot red face.

Sabine may not have been as confident nor fluid of a storyteller as Colors, but he was laughing with her all the same. Her obvious embarrassment caused him to have to take a drink just to force himself to stifle his laughter. Once more, he pointed to her, this time with a grin. "See, I knew you could have some fun if you wanted. You're not nearly as boring as you try to make yourself."

Despite his response, it was uncertain whether or not Colors actually bought Sabine's story. His comment could have referred to her story, or the mere fact that she was willing to tell a story at all. Regardless, after a brief moment to collect himself, Colors reached to the table and grabbed the pastry, broke off a piece for himself, and ate it in one bite. However, he said nothing more about it as he placed it back on the table.

"You could pass for an Argonian with how red you are right now." Colors continued. "Anyways, it would not surprise me to hear that you get plenty of attention from men. You're not quite as untouchable as the Champion herself, but you're still powerful, important, and yes, beautiful. You're like...a princess. If princesses could single-handedly win battles with battle-hardened hunters. If I had your position; well, I daresay I'd be irresistible with all my charm and dashing good looks." He said confidently.

It didn't take too long for some of the richer colour to drain back from Sabine's face, though her giggling resumed rather quickly. She had to cover her mouth to keep her from spraying wine between her teeth. It burned slightly up her nose instead. She had to stop to cough and swallow some more, silencing them both for a moment.

When she recovered, she looked up at Colours and tried to speak, desperately making syllables over the laughter that bubbled up again. "You would be a very beautiful princess, I can imag-" she couldn't even finish that without closing her eyes and surrendering to laughter. The wine was very strong. "Little dress..." she managed through her mirth. Every other attempt was unintelligible.

Sabine threw herself against the back of her seat and arced her head upwards. She recovered after a few moments of mental strain. When she raised her head level again, she shot Colours a sly smile and a retort. "It does not sound like you need to be me. You sleep with countesses. I cannot do that with magic." She punctuated her last sentence by lifting one hand and wiggling her fingers. They glowed with some unknown half-formed green spell that fizzled out as quickly as it appeared. "Actually, I might. That would be misbehav-i-hi-hi..." She was set off into laughter again.

It was taking more for Color to become as intoxicated as Sabine, though he was also drinking more. At this rate, it would not be too long before he would have to get another round for them both. He leaned forward onto the table to give a bit more support to his increasingly-shaky body as he laughed along with Sabine. "Me? In a dress? Well, there is another story I could...maybe tell at some point..." He started, though his voice trailed off as it was replaced with more snickering and laughter.

Colors watched with interest as Sabine's hand lit up with magical energy. Although nothing came of it, she had caught his interest. "Hmm, what're you up to there? I didn't know 'summon countess' was a spell. I'd've been studying magic since before I could walk if I knew that. Or are you don'...somethin' else? I bet you can really...misbehave with that magic of yours. Come on, give me a taste of it." Colors grinned. Although not as far along as Sabine, his speech was becoming notably slow and more slurred.

Sabine threw back her head to laugh a little longer and levelled to explain. "You would not like the countess if it were to summon a countess, Colours. No..."

For a moment, Sabine looked up at a corner of the ceiling and sighed. "I think..." She raised her hand and charged a swirling turquoise spell. "If you must taste, you need to calm down."

She suddenly leaned forward to prod Colours in the upper arm. The spell discharged, sending Colours emotions into a neutral harmony for about five seconds. Sabine just wanted to see the look on Colours' face, but using magic in a place like this was most certainly misbehaving.

The effects of Sabine's spell were at odds with how Colors had been feeling up to the moment she touched him. He had not been angry or upset by any means, but the placid calm she gave him was certainly a stark contrast to the raucous laughter that had preceded it. For a few seconds he sat wide-eyed, staring straight ahead, but did not have time to come to terms with it before his mind returned to its former, drunken state. Given how brief the effect had been, Colors looked more confused than anything else.

"What in Oblivion?" Colors exclaimed, rubbing his head. "My head is spinning, or...was it already spinning? Can you make people feel anything with that magic?"

The small revenge of putting Colours out of his element for a change continued Sabine's laughter. She lightly shook her head while trying to compose herself.

"Well, maybe," Sabine answered. "It is illusion magic. That can make people feel anything. I have only learned how to use it to do a few things, though." She took another drink of wine while she was not in a fit of laughter. "I only know how to make people feel brave, calm, and friendly. I have not studied any other ways."

Sabine eyed Colours over her cup, partially obscuring her suspicious smile. "I do not think it would be fair to try and get more countesses with it."

Colors leaned back in his chair, thinking over Sabine's answer. The curious grin he had held slowly shifted into one that was notably less innocent. "Hmm, just those three things? But still, to have that magic, to be able to plant emotions into the hearts of others...or yourself. I can think of, uh, certain other feelings I would like to be able to manipulate, perhaps on those long nights where I lack the companionship of others. Oh, or maybe even for the times when I do."

"Have you ever considered using that, um, illusion magic on some more pleasurable feelings? Perhaps to enhance your next tryst with a handsome man?" Colors asked. Regardless of how a conversation developed, his intoxicated mind certainly always seemed to land back on the same few subjects, even moreso than when sober.

Sabine didn't quite blush this time. Her next outburst of laughter was purely from the absurdity of Colours' suggestion.

She drew out the next word suggestively. "Maybe." Though it was bait for a switch. "It would only make him last another couple of minutes longer."

Perhaps it was because she was new to lewd humour but Sabine found herself laughing quite hard. At least Colours had made her both intoxicated and comfortable enough to even discuss such things. "People have probably tried before. I cannot make my illusions last for longer than that, though. I think it would be distracting."

Colors reached forward and grabbed the pastry to take another bite before replacing it. He was not yet showing any obvious signs of the effects of moon sugar, especially since the alcohol's effects were far more obvious. "Well, it sounds to me like you don't have much experience with, uh, experienced men. Peiter was your first, right? I'd assume he'd have gotten better eventually. You ever end up finding someone who could give you a better time than he did?" He asked.

As he awaited Sabine's answer, Color's eyes started to wander over Sabine. He was clearly giving her the same looks as he did to women that he had a particular interest in. Granted, he had a tendency to give the same looks to many women, regardless of his actual intention to pursue them.

Sabine leaned her elbows onto the table and took another sip. She decided not to go into what her real first time was. "Yes, Pieter got better." She looked at the wall in front of her and sipped again. "We both did. Do not not pick on him."

Colours eyes went unnoticed at first. Sabine continued. "And...no. I enjoyed it the most with him. I did love him." Sabine looked into her cup and frowned. She then spotted Colours' beady eyes wandering and caught them with hers. Her voice went high at the realisation. "Are you...?"

She cut herself off and huffed. She didn't feel as though she should have been surprised. She was just shocked that she had almost trusted him. "I do not care how much La'tahne taught you," she said over a laugh, resisting the urge to throw her wine onto his shirt. "I am not going to misbehave like that!"

Colors continued to laugh, despite Sabine snapping at him. "Oh? I said nothing about doing anything of the sort. I was merely...admiring your beauty, as I usually do to those with plenty to spare." He said, a sly grin coming over his face. "You are the one that made the assumption. But...since you've gone ahead and brought up the topic, I don't mind discussing it. True, there are many women in the world to whom I, uh, caress with words. To whom I must place great effort to woo so that we can share in such pleasures. But not you, Sabine. No, because you are different. What is different with you is the...immense respect I hold for you. You deserve nothing less than to have the company of the most genuine and honest side of Sees-No-Colors that exists. With you, I feel we have the maturity to broach this topic directly and with true candor."

When Colors smiled, it was, at the very least, indistinguishable from one that one genuinely friendly. "You see, the world, it uh, places a certain stigma on the carnal pleasures two people can enjoy together. It tries to make us avoid it, but I see many flaws with that. Why should we deny ourselves such things? If you take a moment and think back on it, can you say you've missed the feeling of another's, uh, intimate embrace? There is no requirement to bind such enjoyment to a relationship, and what's more, neither of us have any current loves we would be betraying. I will...I will say clearly that I would never try to force you into it, if such a thing were even possible. But, is there anything wrong with talking about it with mutual respect?"

At least Colours was clever enough to admit that trying remove Sabine's choice in the matter would go badly for him. Still, Sabine leaned the side of her head on her fist and looked on at Colours' attempt at a recovery. She was smiling, but clearly sceptical.

She consolidated him with a calmer voice. "We can talk about that if you want, Colours. I just do not feel like doing it." She looked down and up. "And when you eat pastry and stare it looks like you want to. If you try that, I will use my magic. It will not be pleasurable."

Sabine's other hand began to mist and frosty crystals spread in a small area on the table where her palm was resting.

With a joking chuckle, Sabine moved on. "You like to talk about women a lot," she said in a questioning sort of way.

Once more, Colors simply laughed with a considerably more lighthearted tone than the tone that Sabine's brief threat had set. He picked up the pastry and took another bite. "Oh this? It is just a bit of sweet bread, fortunately not stale yet. It contains no moon sugar, or anything of the like. Has the scent of it, yes, but only because it was in the same bag as my other one. I just set it down as an, uh, invitation. A bit of a joke, really. Sometimes, people will 'feel' moon sugar that doesn't exist, just because they think it does."

Colors became a bit more serious, but still certainly friendly. "But yes, I can say that I want to. I can say it without any shame, since you're a beautiful woman I respect. I would love for you to join me in my bed, and be my countess for the night." He said, never breaking eye contact, and his friendly expression never appearing to be non-genuine. It could at least be said that he did not fear her. "I like talking about women because I'm attracted to them. No more complicated than that. I enjoy my time with them. Can't you say the same about the men you've been with? But like I said, I want to speak honestly with you. There is a part of you that feels you would enjoy joining me, yes? Just...really take a moment to think about it. I promise, I won't harass you about this if you don't want me to, if you just answer one question. If, at any point, you want to back out, to quit and go your own way for the night, I guarantee you could do so and I wouldn't stop you. So, would you say there's any harm in trying?"

Sabine stared back at Colours during his offer. She felt a little foolish about the pastry, though it was the small consideration in favour of Colours that was the more likely reason that she paused. She paused for a ponderous while.

Finally, Sabine took a drink, smiled, and placed her hands on the table. "I am going to bed now, Colours. Thank you for the drinks and the company, and the help for tomorrow. And thank you for the offer." She gave a level and straightforward answer despite her heart beating fast at confronting him. "I do not want to mate with you. I am sorry."

She was too intoxicated to see it as a bad or good idea at the time, but when Sabine stood up to leave, she gave Sees-No-Colours a quick chaste hug from behind. "Goodnight." She let go just as quickly and proceeded towards the rooms of the inn. She had to trace her hand across the walls to keep her balance.

Colors nodded at Sabine as she started to leave. "If that's what you want, then that's what you want. I'll not argue with you about it." He said, finishing off the last of his wine. "Goodnight, and I...might need a hangover cure at some point. Probably." He did not stay at the table for much longer with no one else to talk to, and instead retired to his room shortly afterwards.

The next morning, the group was quick to start preparing for the day's tasks. True to his word, Colors asked Sabine with help for his headache before even having breakfast. Regardless of how Sabine acted, there was not a single hint of awkwardness from Colors. It was almost as if nothing had happened at all, though after such a long conversation with her, he was a bit more apt to be friendly with her. Still, it was obvious he had felt no sort of surprise or discouragement from her rejection; indeed, he likely had expected it.

The group remained in the inn until Kaleeth was able to make it back to the city, before noon. She had left early that morning, so she had been awake for hours longer than the others. Unsurprisingly, the sight of an armed Argonian warrior in bronzed armor attracted the eyes of nearly every patron in the inn for at least a few moments, but grabbing attention would be her purpose during this confrontation.

Once they were all ready, the group left the inn and started towards the market. Most of them were going to be watching the exits, but for the ones that were going in, they needed to be sure of their roles beforehand. Since Kaleeth had been away the previous night, she had been the first to question Fendros. "So I guess I should stand a bit behind everyone? I probably don't want to be too threatening at first if I don't need to be."

Sabine was back to her normal self when she awoke sober. Thankfully for Colours, she had remembered the previous nights activities and prepared her regular acrid, herb-laden, and green hangover cure for both of them. Apart from apologising for being rude at times, she did not mention what they might have talked about. Colours' easy attitude seemed to make her comfortable with the outcome after a short while.

The team had been finalising the roles for most of the morning. Fendros readily answered Kaleeth. "Yes, make yourself look like Sabine's chaperone or something. There is no need to look actively intimidating, at least at first." He gestured to the helmet under her arm. "You can keep that off your head, look neutral. If, for whatever reason, the shopkeeper looks like he's going to try something violent or threaten us, then...give him a stern look."

Confirming Kaleeth's role, Fendros double-checked with the fulcrum of their ploy. "Are you clear on what you're going to say, Sabine?"

Sabine looked up from her finished breakfast was and forced a smile. She was still out of her element, though clearly more confident than she was yesterday. "Yes, I remember," she said. She had worked out the details with Fendros and Colours that morning. "Go in and say that we do know about him, but we do not want to hand him in. Be peaceful. Tell him that we are looking for the hunters and that we need his help. Ask if he knows which dealers are not trustworthy." She slowly breathed in to remember. "And do not frighten him unless he decides to deny everything. If that happens, mention the shrine and where it is."

"Very good," Fendros said. He smiled and looked to everyone else. "Are we clear?"

The rest of the group was fairly clear on their roles, so there was little left to say before they all got into position. Malithus' pack moved around the shop to watch any exits, but made sure not to make it obvious that they were doing so. The streets were more crowded than the previous night, which made it easier for them to find places among the crowd where they would not draw attention to themselves. Although, it would also make it more difficult to tell if any of Vile's hunters or the Thalmor were also on approach.

Nevertheless, everyone who was joining Sabine followed close behind her. Kaleeth had her helmet in her bag, a blade on one hip, and a mace on the other. While she usually carried her shield with a center grip, she had buckled it to her arm for simple convenience while in the city. She kept her expression blank for fear of seeming too friendly, or too threatening. Either extreme would call more attention to her than she wanted at the moment. Colors was also going in with Sabine and Kaleeth, though he was mostly just going to stay back and only comment when needed. The Breton would have an easier time empathizing with Sabine, so she would have a better chance of getting through to him.

A bell rang above the door as the group stepped into the shop. Of course, the sound of heavy metal boots would have been enough to draw attention to the door even without it. The shopkeeper's eyes were immediately drawn to the group, particularly Kaleeth. But, adventurers were not terribly uncommon in the city, so he treated them as any other customers. "Welcome. Feel free to browse, and tell me if you see anything you like." He greeted. There were two other customers browsing the clothing, so Sabine would have to convince the shopkeeper to speak to her in private without making it obvious to the customers that he was a Talos worshiper.

No amount of preparation could have rendered Sabine completely calm about walking through the door of the shop. The sight of other customers made her pause in her tracks and blankly stare at them. That was something she should have planned for, yet somehow didn't even think of. It wasn't until she noticed Kaleeth catch up behind her that she was silently reminded to keep going.

Sabine paced slowly to the counter, looking at the shopkeeper and swallowing. "Hello...um..." she punished herself for being too casual about it. "Could we talk? About a private...thing?" A last minute idea hit her, just before it became too awkward to interrupt. "It is important. About what you have in your strongbox." Sabine's eye flicked up and back to the shopkeeper. "The one upstairs."