Ethirdir widened his smile a little when Mercedes offered her name. He also made sure to listen to her concerns regarding her boss seeing her dancing while on the clock, and as he slipped his arms around her and assumed their dancing position, he offered her a reassurance. "Don't worry, whether your boss sees you dancing or not, I can help smooth things over with him."<em>Money tends to do that,</em>was the unspoken assumption. There was little time after that before the pair started dancing, the Elf's thoughts clearly on Hani but his outward focus remaining on his partner - just because he was thinking of someone else didn't mean he had to be rude to his current partner. She would get his best dancing as well, by the gods...<br/><br/>As it turned out, her boss did eventually see Mercedes dancing that night, but he didn't see at all offended by it, which helped Mercedes relax and start to enjoy herself in the Elf's company. Ethirdir admitted that Mercedes was a fairly lovely woman, and had he not encountered Hani he might've considered going after her instead. The only thing that would've kept him from pursuing her was his desire to go after someone more challenging, and Mercedes seemed like someone who could be swayed very easily, to be honest. Easy did not mean stupid, of course, but too many evenings ending with easy seductions had worn on him, and Hani seemed like the best candidate to spice things up. Though his eyes were locked with Mercedes' and his smile was sincerely for her, his mind couldn't help but plan out ideas for wooing Hani away from the Captain...<br/><br/>...then something completely unexpected happened. Before the couples could swap for the next segment of the dance, a ruckus arose on the dance floor as a couple started getting into an argument. The band playing the music fell silent and other dancers ceased their steps as most eyes centered on the couple, which Ethirdir realized was Hani and Doryn. Hani was accusing Doryn of missing clear signals and suggesting some strange link between dancing and sex that he apparently was trying to communicate, and Doryn was struggling to deny her accusations. Ethirdir slowed down his dance with Mercedes so they could watch the drama unfold, and it seemed to end with Hani ready to walk away from Doryn in a huff, appearing bitter and vindictive. Ethirdir had been around women long enough to know when they were serious in their anger, and Hani's eyes made it clear she was furious with the Captain.<br/><br/>A thought entered the Elf's mind: this was his chance. Hani was threatening to sever her relationship with Doryn over a clear misunderstanding, and Doryn was too stunned to respond properly. All Ethirdir had to do was let this drama play out and Hani would be his for the taking. She would be easy to tempt to his bed, she...would...be easy...easy...ea...sy...<em>no</em>! This was not how he wanted things to go at all! Hani had represented a challenge, someone worthy of a proper courtship while knowing someone else with a well established history already held affection for her. To swoop in after such a dramatic display would be robbing him of that challenge...not to mention feel like a blow upon his honor. As romantic rivals, he and Doryn had never been underhanded in their romantic pursuits. Women deserved only the best romance, and cheap tactics robbed seduction of much of its charm. Seducing Hani after she had broken up with Doryn would've been easy, yes, but it would've been a backhanded blow upon his rival, one the Captain didn't deserve.<br/><br/>If Hani was to be wooed to his bed, it would be done properly, on equal footing. The fact that these two were either directly or indirectly involved in his business interests and would function better when their relationship was strong was also there, but practically secondary to him. He could not allow Hani and Doryn to end their relationship like this, not this easily. He would have to intervene if it was to be salvaged...<br/><br/>Mercedes, apparently irate at the commotion, asked if she could go back to work. Ethirdir offered her one final smile and nodded, "Yes, Mercedes, you are welcome to return to work. It seems the dancing has ended tonight." As the barmaid breathed a sigh of relief and hurried back to her job, the Elf turned to the fuming couple, threatening to crack apart if something wasn't done and done soon. With dozens of eyes watching, he crossed the dance floor and reached the pair just as Hani turned to head back to the kitchen. A slender hand reached out and grabbed Hani by the shoulder, prompting her to turn around so she could face the El - the other hand promptly rested on Doryn's shoulders.<br/><br/>"My friends, it seems something has happened between you two...and it needs to be sorted out. If you'll please..."<br/><br/>With his intimidating Elfish height hovering over them, Ethirdir used his hands to lead Doryn and Hani off the dance floor, moving them to a part of the tavern that didn't have that many people surrounding them. Those who had watched the fight were still watching the trio, but no one dared get closer, giving the three at least some measure of privacy to talk. Ethirdir, however, took the lead, using his merchant experience to conjure up all his bargaining skills as he lectured the two before him.<br/><br/>"Now, from what I heard, there has been some misunderstanding regarding your relationship and where it stands. I may be an outsider, but allow me to speak my thoughts so that you can hopefully salvage something precious. His eyes turned toward the Captain. "Doryn, my illustrious rival, I know we joke about the number of ladies we have tempted between us, but allow me to be truthful in that of all the ladies I have seen you with, none had captured your gaze more than the lovely young woman who stands with us now. To learn that you have not pursued her as thoroughly as I would've expected tells me that you are concerned over how she might view you, and you worry you might damage a precious friendship by seeking more. Even from the little I have seen tonight, she has shown she seeks more with you, and to deny her that opportunity does her efforts a disservice. It is an honor to be wanted by someone as beautiful as Hani, my good man, so trying to keep her at arm's length for her sake is not becoming of you."<br/><br/>The Elf then turned his attention to Hani. "And Hani, my incredible dancing partner for this evening, I understand your frustrations. To put so much effort into signaling your interest, only to be rebuffed time and time again, it is indeed aggravating. But do not be so hard on the poor Captain. In my experience with him, he knows how to speak well, and to see his tongue fail him on this occasion can only mean one thing: he fears losing you and finds the situation so unsettling he cannot properly form coherent thoughts. Rest assured that he did not dance with Mercedes because he holds more interest in her, but because he saw us dancing and was jealous of my boldness towards you. If he genuinely did not like you, then I would understand your reaction, but I am familiar enough with the good Captain that I can see he is ashamed of his jealousy threatening the relationship you have no doubt build up for many moons."<br/><br/>Ethirdir stepped back so that he could look at both of them at the same time. "Perhaps it is not my place, but I cannot stand by idly and allow something so wonderful between you to break because of a misunderstanding. Hani, your expertise has been a great asset to my business time and time again, and Doryn, your recommendations for guards to protect my business has proven invaluable. Since I am indebted to you in some way, please permit me to beg you to calm down and let your history together speak louder than one bad moment. I have seen a most wonderful friendship between you two tonight, and it would be a shame to see it destroyed that same night for no adequate reason."<br/><br/>With that Ethirdir fell silent, hoping his words were good enough to reach them. Perhaps later that night he would kick himself for making his pursuit of Hani more difficult, but for now he felt compelled to mend something he recognized as important between two people he considered invaluable in more ways than one.