Crow was relieved when the villagers continued to insist on the story that they hadn’t seen any travelers pass through. Though it was obvious that Penelope didn’t buy it, at least the group wouldn’t give her any more information than they already had.  It was looking like his secret was safe for now. He just hoped that the other peasants in the tavern would be just as stubborn when the knight eventually gave up on trying to get anything out of these people and moved on.

Suddenly, another man jumped into the conversation by questioning why Penelope wasn’t drinking in a tavern. The thief quirked a brow in amusement. He was mildly surprised that they were so quick to try and get the knight drunk, but he supposed they were doing it for their own sakes. The villagers were already nervous enough around her. They were probably hoping that if she became intoxicated, she wouldn’t be able to keep asking them about the group of travelers.

He turned to her when she apologized and shook his head. “It’s fine,” he assured her softly with a smile. “I may no’ be as sober as I’d like, bu’ I’m not so drunk that I can’t finish this interrogation by myself.” He reached out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze beneath the table. In reality, he really did feel like he was clearheaded enough to finish questioning the villagers if he wanted to, but he knew that once Penelope got drunk, there would be no reason for him to try. Without someone sharp enough to keep an eye on him, he could abandon the interrogation without worrying about seeming suspicious. All he had to do now was sit back and wait.

That is, until the same man who told Penelope to drink spoke up again.

“Don’t f’rget about yer friend there,” he said with a conniving grin directed at Crow.

“Me?” Crow frowned, surprised that the man would include him. Didn’t the villagers know who he was? He had thought that the tavern owner would have told them all that he was the one behind the lies they were supposed to spread to the knights. [i]Maybe he didn’t,[/i] he realized. Perhaps he had been wrong, and the tavern keeper had never mentioned his name. Fresh relief washed over him as he realized that his secret might be safe after all.

“Yeah ye,” the man rolled his eyes. “What? Ye think we’re jus’ gonna make yer lady friend drink an’ let ye off the hook? That wouldn’ be a very gentlemanly thing t’do.” He snagged another mug of ale from a passing wench and slid it across the table at the thief. “If the woman drinks, so do ye.”

Crow eyed the full glass hesitantly. While the idea of getting drunker than he already was didn’t sit well with him, it would give him a better excuse to get out of questioning the villagers further when they eventually returned to Penelope’s suspicious ex suitor. Besides, the peasants had been rather insistent on making Penelope drink, so he doubted they would be any more lenient with him. He sighed, [i]Well, it looks like I don’t have a choice.[/i]

Glancing at Penelope, he shot her a quick apologetic look and a shrug before picking up the mug and downing a sizeable portion of it to the rowdy encouragement of the villagers sitting across from them.