<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/fc/060b1934c66c286dbe4dab1b92e3b212--black-hair-blue-eyes.jpg)</div><br/>Marcus gave an easy shrug at Teft's response, seemingly unphased by the vigor of his words. Before he could reply Camila had weighed in, and he sat and listened quietly as each of the others in the group had their say. He cocked his head to the side as he listened to Lora, frowning slightly at her words, though it seemed in puzzlement rather than offense.<br/><br/>"Blessed Elua and the Companions left us with one tenet above all to live by, love as thou wilt. Jealousy does no one any good, and none would gainsay another their desires. If all parties are in agreement, then all is good." He noted the look that passed between Camila and Lora, and if she sought to take the other woman to her bed, he would not stop her ... though he might well ask her if she wanted company.<br/><br/>He shifted his gaze to Teft before continuing. "I do not know what lies in the forest. Most of my life I have lived within sight of the coast, so I freely admit that my experience may not compare with yours. The most dangerous beasts I've known have walked upright. I've fought men and hunted beasts alike, perhaps not as many as you, but the only words I can offer are for things I know." He gestured northwards, to the forest that lay beyond the walls of the town. "I've heard stories told around the fire at night, tales of our past, of the heroes of ancient Hellas and more besides. I do not know how much truth and how much telling lies in each of those tales, but I am willing to grant that there will be things out there beyond any tales we have heard. I offer only my thoughts. I cast no aspersions on the skills and experience of others." He gave a small smile before continuing.<br/><br/>"If someone has lived long enough to make mistakes I haven't got around to yet, it would be churlish of me not to learn from that hard earned experience, would it not?" He raised a hand to flag down a passing serving maid, a golden ducat dancing between dexterous fingers. "Bring a plate for each of us. Whatever that divine meat I can smell is, whatever vegetables you have to accompany it, bread and fresh butter. A bottle of wine as well."<br/><br/>Sending her off with the coin and a smile, he turned back to the others at the table. "I like to think I have been granted at least some small measure of wit, and that tells me that there will always be things I do not know. I will not discount whatever information we can gather before setting off further inland, but at the same time, the more times a tale is told, the more chance it changes. Not everything we hear will be false, but not all of it may be true either."<br/>