<div class="floatleft">(http://orig00.deviantart.net/065f/f/2017/187/5/9/august01_by_ravagedgirl-dbfdsq3.jpg)</div><br/><br/>The ingredients for this potion were going to be fairly hard to get, he surmised. At least, even with the crew's last haul so recently, the expenses were going to bite deep into his coin purse. It'd be more prudent to just wait and gather the berries from the countryside, because he was acutely aware that the merchants were going to hike up the price considering how dangerous that area was. Might have to go convince Zanen that they needed the new health potion brew, but August knew it was going to be a tough sell--<br/><br/>He blinked, looked up, met the stare of a dwarf who was speaking to him. Who'd<em>been</em>speaking to him, his mind corrected. It was about the time she had identified herself as the bartender and server, that he had realized. Mentally he kicked himself, thinking he should not be immersed in his work so much in an environment where he was guaranteed to be interrupted for good reasons. Perhaps he should have stayed at the house after all. Then again, back in his study, Hilde would have tickled him, and then snorted with laughter once he squeaked like a field mouse getting its tail tugged. Compared to that, this was paradise. August nodded, as if getting food in a tavern --<em>of all places</em>-- was an excellent idea and that this was the first time it occurred to him. An onlooker would have figured he was massively distracted.<strong>"Ah. Oh, yes, that would be good."</strong>If he were aware of how well-endowed the shorter woman was (or how much the other woman was as well), he seemed able to prevent himself from thoroughly examining her. Or perhaps he wasn't in that mindset at the moment.<strong>"A pint of mead, please, with bread, cheese, and some poultry. Some of the pork as well, once it's ready."</strong><br/><br/>Had she any other comments or questions to ask him, he would do his best to answer them, but otherwise he did not have a lusty eye for detail. Her cleavage went un-ogled, and where most men would have glued eyes to her plump arse as soon as she turned, August instead went right back to his book.<br/><br/>He had a lot to learn, and not much time to do it in, after all.<br/><br/>At the second interruption, he caught on much faster than before and looked up to the one addressing him, another newcomer. Seemed that the tavern was beginning to pick up traction for the day, either that or this was abnormally busier than normal. He did not wish any ill will on the business, of course, he only made observations and hypotheses. The young mage peered at Warren through his glasses, light blue eyes acknowledging his existence and running through no less than two dozen simulations of how interacting with him would work out. It was a calculating, but not at all judgmental look, as if August was truly curious for the man's motive.<strong>"Good morning, sir. You are welcome to sit here as you please."</strong>You could tell he'd been raised with manners like something fierce; solid eye contact, back straight, poise relaxed but alert. Were it not for his youthful features, he could have been mistaken for someone several years older.