Ethirdir remained just as perplexed as most everyone else about this unexpected appearance by the Baron, a man who was as secretive as he was feared. Few people could ever honestly claim to have met the man in person, and those who did were often left speechless by his mere presence. Not because they had been in awe of him, but because they were so scared of saying something that might cause the man to retaliate against them. Ethirdir had once joklingly considered the possibility that the real reason they were speechless was because the Baron could cut out their tongues with just a look in his eyes. As the elf gazed as the imposing man as he walked to his table, Ethirdir actually wondered if his joke might have some sliver of truth to it.<br/><br/>He was snapped out of his stupor by Hani, who used his body as a means of shielding herself. From what...or whom, thought the Elf. From the Baron, maybe? But why? Did she have some connection with the Baron...perhaps related to that Basilisk Heart that she had brought him the other day? Could...could she have perhaps stolen from Baron Ludwig von Berenholdt himself? His face threatened to shift into a paler shade as he thought what he had gotten himself into.<br/><br/>Hani mentioned the possibility of trouble as she held him close, confirming the Baron never came to the Dew Drop, which meant the man had a purpose for his visit, though what that purpose was, he couldn’t tell. Hani was noticeably worried, so Ethirdir could only quietly comfort her by squeezing her hand and letting her cling to him as she kept herself out of the Baron’s line of sight. She then suggested that the two of them leave the floor and dine at her table upstairs, indulge in a good meal together. Ethirdir noted the mischief in her eyes, but he assumed she was using this more as an opportunity to escape the Baron. Still, he wasn’t going to turn down an offer of food from Hani, of course he wouldn’t.<br/><br/>“Lead the way, my dear,” he said with a smile. “I haven’t eaten yet myself, so a meal with a lady as lovely as you would be wonderful, I’m sure.”<br/><br/><hr/><br/>People began to return to their previously jovial forms soon after the Baron had taken a seat at an empty table, but he remained as quiet and reserved as ever, his piercing gaze silently pivoting around the room at regular intervals, as if searching for something. When people noticed him looking their way, they fell silent and held their breaths, only resuming their enjoyment when he looked away.<br/><br/>The Baron remained quiet and judgmental until he was interrupted by someone who actually had the stones to not only approach him, but also talk to him and even<em>touch</em>him. When Captain Doryn slapped his back, the Baron certainly didn’t expect it and lurched forward a little, and several people who had witnessed the deed gasped, as if expecting something to explode with indignant fury at such a break of nobility propriety. Mercifully, the Baron didn’t react to the boisterous gesture, instead gazing up at the good Captain with a look of recognition in his eyes...followed closely by a look of contempt.<br/><br/>The Baron didn’t answer Doryn’s question immediately, but he did answer it eventually, after a very long pause. The man’s face didn’t change as he spoke, remaining as stone-faced and gruff as he ever looked. “Your observation skills tonight are impeccable, Captain Aelland,” he said with a sly, almost mocking tone. “It would do you well to use them more frequently when they actually matter.” His suggestion was cryptic, almost indecipherable, and that apparently was how the Baron wanted it, as he made no attempt to clarify his words.<br/><br/>“I come here tonight not to drink, so you will have to seek out other company to drown your remaining wits in liquor,” he continued. “No, I come here tonight on private business...that is none of your concern.” His eyebrow raised a little as his eyes looked over the Captain for a moment. “Then again, perhaps you could be of assistance, after all. After all, I hardly expected such an esteemed Captain to be here tonight...though perhaps I should have.” The slight barely had a chance to land before the Baron used his cane to stand up, allowing him to stand eye-to-eye with Doryn.<br/><br/>“It pains me to admit this, Captain Aelland, but an item was recently stolen from my home, one that I hold very dear to me. It was a diamond, whiter than the winter snows, and absolutely flawless. It was stolen recently, and it’s not the sort of thing one can sell easily. I recently came into some...<em>information</em>...that places like this bar are often used for illegal exchanges, and I figured I’d visit to see if I could investigate on my own. This is the third such bard I’ve visited tonight. Perhaps you’ve heard rumors of a diamond being traded within these walls...or perhaps another gem like it? After all, if a thief steals one kind of gem, he’s bound to go after another.”<br/>