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Ceolfric stared blankly at Aleka as the man rattled off his tedious list. He didn't even know what half of that meant himself, much less why it was relevant to mercenary work. Why would he have a sir name? He clearly wasn't a knight. His occupation wasn't exactly something he cared to brag about, he had no real idea of where he was born, no living kin, nor any idea what Aleka had meant by his comment about Ceolfric's tongue. It was an oddity, to be sure, but Ceolfric had no idea who gave it to him. Rakas? Umbraxakar? Was he expected to just guess?

[color=AA4A44]"Classi-what?"[/color] Ceolfric repeated, mostly to himself. Judging by the newfound lack of background noise, he had the pianist's full attention now, which could easily prove troublesome if they found the details of his life disagreeable. Then again, if he lied about being some unremarkable farmhand, he'd appear soft to his new employers at best and blatantly dishonest at worst. It would be easier to pass himself off as a poor sinner looking to better himself than be caught in a lie later on down the road when people began to question why Farmer Joe's scarred up nephew had an intimate familiarity with irregular warfare and disrupting caravan routes.

[color=AA4A44]"I was a brigand up in Dranir. That alone should answer most of your questions. My family is dead, I'm good with a sword, and I have no qualms or misconceptions about violence,"[/color] Ceolfric admitted flatly. He kept his eyes on Aleka, hardened and determined, refusing to acknowledge the gaze of the blue-skinned Aetherborn boring holes in the back of his head. [color=AA4A44]"And the only thing I know about my tongue is that, if I so will it, people do what I order, when I order it. If that's unsatisfactory, I'm afraid that's as informative as I can be without embellishing the tale a little."[/color] As loath as he was to reveal his trump card without assurance that the pianist wouldn't unravel the floor underneath his feet, it would serve him little if the elf was anything like the geomancer. Aleka might make a decent hostage, but Ceolfric could clearly overpower him through force of arms alone, without resorting to arcane means.

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