"Oh..." Any concern in Uban's tone was wiped away in a drunken instant. Uban, for the most part, was a trusting individual and Pieter had yet to lead him astray. Besides, if he was honest with himself, he was very pleased that Pieter, whatever his reasons, had wanted to do something with him. Uban's father was still alive (or so he guessed) but had never been much of a father to him when Uban was still around. The man easily considered Pieter to be a far better, more reliable role model than his blood relative had ever been and deep down, he wanted very much for the older man to like him. So he didn't give any more resistance after that and plodded along obediently after him, through the trees and down to the lapping water's edge. 

Mermaids! He thought as he took the rope from the thin man. He had always wanted to see one and frankly had been quite jealous that Rohaan had gotten to experience one apparently very up-close that night. And now he was going to! Even through the haze the wine put on his brain, Uban guessed this was something of initiation into priesthood, or at least a first step. Suddenly, he became full of a not wholly unpleasant nervous energy. He would not be the same after tonight, he thought. Uban racked his brain to think of what he knew about mermaids. According to Rohaan, they apparently had very soft scales, smooth and pleasant to the touch. And he knew both that they generally had tits to make any bar wench jealous, and that they were often responsible for sailor's deaths. He had heard tales of unwary men being lured into the water by their charm and thought for sure if he was ready for them, he wouldn't be one of those unlucky men. 

"I know about mermaids, or enough to know not to go diving in after them," he assured Pieter. "I don't need a rope, trust me!" Yet he was telling him this while expertly tying a secure bowline knot around his waist. Whatever his drunken brain thought, his instinct had not been addled so much that it lay quiet and he knew better than to truly argue with Pieter about this, for the precaution was wise. "What do I do when I meet them? Is there something polite I say to them? Something I shouldn't say?"