Nyx had already managed to acquire a generous handful of sweets from one of the kind-looking barmaids, carefully stuffing every last piece into her little satchel as though it contained priceless treasure. The big man's speech drifted through the bustling tavern. She listened... well, sort of. She wondered if the payment came in sweets. Or perhaps they had interesting rocks instead.

[i]Mmm... rocks.[/i]

A journey to an unknown place meant discovering unknown rocks. Unknown rocks meant unknown flavours. The thought alone made her little stomach flutter with excitement. The tiny mage suddenly noticed the fae still hovering nearby. In Nyx's mind, there was only one logical explanation.

[i]She's after my sweets.[/i]

With a tiny gasp, Nyx darted away into the crowded tavern. Being so small had its advantages. The sea of adventurers barely noticed her weaving between boots and chairs before she crouched low and crawled beneath the tables instead. It was much safer underneath. Much fewer sweet thieves. As she peeked between the table legs, she spotted the awkward-looking mage from earlier waving toward the fae.

[i]Yes...Go, mister mage.Keep her busy...Protect the sweets.[/i]

Feeling considerably safer, Nyx slowed to a stop beneath another table. Two pairs of legs stood nearby. One belonged to a massive orc.The other... well...Probably a human? Maybe.

His clothing looked mysterious enough that Nyx couldn't quite tell. She was about to crawl away when something hanging from his belt caught her eye. Twin blades. Her hidden eyes widened. The silver gleamed unlike anything she had ever seen before. Slowly... very slowly... Nyx crept closer. She clasped her tiny hands together.

[i]He looks dangerous...[/i]

A second thought immediately interrupted.

[i]But maybe the blades taste nice.[/i]

That seemed like a perfectly reasonable risk. Decision made. With remarkable care, she gently untied one of the twin blades from the man's belt. A small shiver ran through her as she held it. She lifted it to her nose.

[i]Hmm. It doesn't smell like anything...[/i]

Her curiosity only grew. Turning the blade carefully, she found the smooth, blunt side and gave it a cautious little lick. Instantly, her eyes sparkled. Grapes...and oranges. That's strange. But sweet. A delighted smile spread across her face as she happily continued giving the blade a few appreciative licks. Only then did she notice its owner staring directly at her.

Nyx froze. Very, very carefully, she placed the blade onto the table exactly where she'd found it. She gave the mysterious man an awkward little smile.

[center]"Um..."

"Y-your blade tastes nice."[/center]

Without waiting to see his reaction, she squeaked in embarrassment and vanished into the crowd once again. After weaving through countless legs and chairs, she spotted the nervous mage from earlier seated alone at a table. His staff immediately caught her attention. She wandered over and found an empty chair beside him. It was far too tall. Nyx grabbed the edge with both hands and tried to climb. Nothing. She kicked her feet. Wriggled. Slipped. Tried again. With all the determination of a worm attempting to scale a castle wall, she finally hauled herself onto the chair, breathing a tiny sigh of victory as she settled into the seat.

Exhausted from the monumental climb, Nyx simply sat there beside the mage in complete silence feeling tired.