Marian stared daggers at Hitomi for harassing the young girl. Hitting on herself, whatever, but on a little thing like Ashling... When they had leave to go from Snow, she stepped forward like a big sister and led the little card-throwing girl back with her away from the fox-bitch. She had gotten a little too rape-y for Marian's taste. It was unfair to pick on Ashling. She was a grown young woman, but something about her was so childlike and perhaps simple that Marian felt like she had to watch over the girl, even having just met her.
"If'n you don't want her to do things like that, then make sure you tell her so. Otherwise, she don't take hints." Marian said on the walk back to the tavern. "She's a strange one, some like her, but I get the feeling you're not her type if you catch my meaning." Marian said. "So if she comes on to you again, you tell her no clearly. And maybe say you're under-age or something. And if she ever won't back off, run and come find me." The entered the tavern finding it filling with a crowd now that night was falling. It was already dusk when they went out, and the sky had turned distinctly purple with a distant orange glow in the west.
Marian already had everything she needed, with her crossbow and a dozen bolts. She strapped on her holster for her crossbow and hung it at her back for travel, and loaded the dozen bolts into their slots across her chest. She had no need to return to her quarters. "Do you need to go fetch anything? If so, I'll wait for you here."
Eulalie sat on the man's settee, and a black woman in a maid's uniform entered with a tray of tea and biscuits. She looked startled at Eulalie's presence as if she were not the company the slave woman had expected, but nodded politely and kept her eyes downcast as she set the tray on the table and poured Eulalie and her master some tea before retreating to the kitchen area.
She realized, as the man took a seat, that Devin had disappeared. She cursed him silently for not coming in, what was the fool thinking?
"What was your name again, miss?"
"Mademoiselle Eulalie Bellerose, monsieur." she said, and took a sip of the tea she didn't particularly want.
"So, you said you were sent to seek me out. By the uh, Ministry of the Crucifix?" the man asked, and Eulalie nodded. He continued, "Why don't you tell me what you were sent to ask about, so we don't have to tarry on for hours? While I enjoy the company of a beautiful young woman, I have pressing matters to attend to elsewhere. And I'm a little confused why the church would send someone to seek me out? You seem a bit well-bred to be out running about the countryside like a errand-boy."
Eualie feigned embarrassment at the compliment, casting down her eyes and trying to remain nonthreatening. "Well... I hope you will not take zis zee wrong way, but... well..."
"Are you from the foreign brides company?" he asked hopefully. Eulalie choked on her tea and nearly dropped the cup, her face turning bright red. "Oh, I'm sorry, I suppose that was indelicate of me. There's just not many women in the town, and I'm an old man, and I paid the gentleman $50 for a pretty young wife to be sent. I just thought..."
"Non." Eualie answered firmly, dabbing at her mouth and trying not to rise and leave. "Non, that ee- ah - non. Non." Now all she wanted to was escape.
"So.... why are you here?"
She tried to force her composure back in place and regain control of her voice. "Ah- We had reports of happenings in zee area, and I was sent to ask about them. These reports, they concern some young girls. Has anyone been... well I do not wish to cause alarm, but have there been rumors or reports of... sorcière? Witches? I am to ask, and see if a visit from a higher autorité may be due..."