For a moment, Cillian held his breath. His offer seemed to hang in the air, fragile, and as the unusual pair glanced at each other, he did not know which way their decision would fall. He had spent much of his life rubbing shoulders with strangers, and he had always found an ease in forming brief, fleeting moments of companionship, but even so, the air seemed to crackle with anticipation. Not for the first time, it was the small frame of Calvin that came to the wandering bards aid. Cillian's face broke into a wide grin as he watched the elf-maidens shoulders shrug. For the next brief moment at least, Cillian would have company, and most importantly, a potential audience. 

	As Saskia called for a drink, Cillian followed her lead, signalling not only a mead for himself, but also three hot meals. Calvin had made it clear that he wouldn't turn down some food, and if the elf wasn't hungry, then Cillian's growling stomach would certainly be willing to pick up the slack. He listened intently as the pair continued to bicker, his face not showing any sign of the thoughts whirling through his mind. The clear dislike of the Blackwood in Saskia's voice may go some way to crushing his initial ideas of creating an unusual travelling party, but that same bile in her words suggested that he was right when he suspected that she knew more about what lurked in the shadows than she might have already told him. 

	The sun was dipping towards the horizon as they continued to talk, but Cillian had already conceded himself to the fact that his long dreamed about voyage into the calling darkness would have to wait at least until dawn. If he had to spend an evening in this strange city, then he could think of worse places than in a bustling tavern! A lull in the conversation alerted the bard to the fact that his input was required, and the thread tugged him back to the moment. Two expectant faces were looking at him from across the table, but Cillian's smile did not falter. A lifetime of a wandering mind had instilled in Cillian the ability to have his ears act almost independently, and it took only a moment for the thread to remind him of the question that had been levelled at him. Cillian's relaxed smile broke into a wide grin, and he felt the fire in his heart begin to burn brighter again. The tavern was beginning to fill as the evening drew in, and Cillian was careful to raise his voice a little, both to be heard above the bustling noise, but also with the intention that if there was curious ears nearby, they would be able to hear his words.

	[b]"Why am I drawn to the Blackwood? For the same reason that the baby bird leaps from it's nest. It is in my blood. All of my life, I knew that my path would lead me here, that I would travel across the river and into the heart of darkness itself. Will I go in alone? I admit, I do not yet know. The Blackwood has haunted my dreams, it's call like that of a siren, but those dreams only show my path, they do not show whether I walk alone, or with other's at my side. Perhaps before this night is out I will have a companion, perhaps there are comrades waiting for me across the river, or perhaps I am destined to travel into the darkness alone. For now though, I am happy to eat, drink and be merry, for only the gods know what the new day will bring!"[/b]

	A tankard of mead had arrived at Cillian's elbow, and he was quick to grab it, raising it across the table towards the unlikely pair. His smile was wide and warm, his eyes flashing in the firelight that lit the tavern. 

	[b]"To your good health, friends, and to being merry!"[/b]

[hider=A Watchful Eye]
Pay careful attention to the reactions of Saskia and Calvin, as well as the rest of the tavern, at his mention of companions, to see if he can gauge any interested parties (Perception) = [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/20842]4[/url] + 1 = 5
[/hider]