Claude chuckled as the mysterious lady took a moment to consider his offer; he could tell the difference between deliberation and being playfully coy. Yet it all seemed to fit in with the evening. Oh, how he was happy to attend the masquerade, now that he knew the wonders that lay within. He carried his cup along with him as he lead his counterpart through the teeming crowds, for it seemed more and more were discovering the chilled beverages that offered some surcease to the heat of the stuffy ballrooms.<br/><br/>It was a relief in many ways as they had finally passed onto one of the balconies of the palace, and Claude had purposefully navigated them toward one that would draw the least attention; a very private affair. He'd not want to suffer the taunts of his friends, should they spot his interaction with the fairer sex. He kept the other's hand upon his arm as they gazed up toward Luna's face, smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.<br/><br/>"The night has only just begun, milady, though I must concur that the direction it is taking seems quite... enchanting," that last said as he turned his gaze back to his escort.<br/><br/>He'd not nearly drunk enough of the wine for it to be addling his wits, yet something clouded Claude's mind with a haze like which he had never felt before. The night air, the touch of a new acquaintance, the ambiance of the masquerade, and a private discussion beneath the unabashed moonlight were all creating a tableau of utter perfection in the young Murnau's mind. His father had warned him about galavanting about with ladies of which he knew naught, but the advice of his elders was quickly forgotten among such delectable circumstances.