She let her eyes roam around for a moment as she entered the pub, taking it all in. The afternoon festivities were in full swing, and the air was bright with music and raucous, half-drunk laughter. Despite her apprehension at the task ahead of her, she couldn't help but smile slightly as she lingered by the door--the jolly mood in the room was infectious.<br/><br/>As she passed the card tables, she watched the proceedings with interest, but declined to join in, at least for the moment. After the supplies she had just bought, she didn't really have much to spare and wasn't sure gambling it away would be the best idea. For now, she would err on the side of caution. She didn't notice the swarthy man watching her as she passed by, eyeing her in much the same way a fox eyed a hen. Instead, she made for the bar, where the proprietor was standing and tending to a few dirty mugs. His face had a slightly-stormy expression to it, making her worry that he might not be the most willing conversationalist, but surely there was no harm in trying.<br/><br/>She took a seat near the end of the bar, glancing down as the top of her right stocking caught against the rough edge of the wooden barstool, causing it to ride down slightly as she had hopped up onto the stool. Absentmindedly, she reached down to tug it back up into place around the soft roundness of her thigh, then brushed her tunic back down around her hips from where it had ridden up and waited for the bartender to come by. As she looked up, though, she noticed that he had busied himself with one of the waitresses, pouring her a drink. Her curiosity was piqued as the lady then came to her, setting the wineglass down before her along with regards from another patron. Perplexed, Alessi took the note, sneaking a glance at the man out of the corner of her eye as she did so before her eyes went back to the barmaid.<br/><br/>Her brows drew together at the woman's proposition, but she was bustling off again before Alessi could question her. Curious, she unfolded the note and read through it. As she did so, an onlooker might have noted the bright red tinge that bloomed in the tips of her elongated ears, mimicking the blush across her cheeks as she read the man's offer.<br/><br/><i>Well.</i><br/><br/>Her first reaction was to feel flustered, and perhaps just a bit offended. Did she look like a whore, or was the man simply so arrogant he assumed he could bed her without even bothering to learn her name first? A playful kiss was one thing, but...but<i>that?<br/>
</i><br/>Back at home, Alessi had not been the most desirable of partners. Elves preferred their women tall and graceful, not petite and curvy. Furthermore, her adventurous, outgoing nature had often been off-putting to her more reserved kinfolk. When it came to lovemaking, she hadn't exactly had much<i>experience</i>in the subject, something that had always been a slight source of embarrassment.<br/><br/>She snuck another glance at the man over her shoulder, still red-faced, then looked back to the note. Some impish part of her wanted to toss the scrap of paper away while he watched, just to see his reaction at being snubbed. It was tempting, and she<i>almost</i>did it, but the barmaid's whispered plan lingered in her mind. Her willingness to take her place suggested that she had fewer inhibitions than the elf, and might even be able to perform better. She didn't mind splitting the coin<i>that </i>much, especially if she got to pull a fast one on the seemingly-arrogant man.<br/><br/>She raised her head to hold Strand's gaze for a moment, a coy smile playing about her lips, then slipped off the stool and walked off, hips sashaying from side to side with the movement. Rather than go towards the stairs, however, she instead headed to the other end of the bar, where Olivia was.<b>"I think that man could stand to be taken down a notch,"</b>she murmured to the waitress as she lingered by her side.<b>"and I don't mind a split. There's just one problem, though," </b>She reached up to briefly tug at the pointed end of her ear, giving the woman a meaningful look.<b>"You and I aren't exactly <i>twins</i>. There are a few things I think he's bound to notice."</b>