<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;">The expression that crossed Cia's mouth was almost childishly humorous. Her nose wrinkled and her lips twisted as if she were trying to hold back some sound of horror before she shook her head, sending her hair cascading over her shoulders again, <strong>"It smells awful."</strong> And to her sensitive nose, it certainly did. She certainly preferred the fresh clean scent of water and really, that was all she needed to survive. But she was pulled out of her reverie by his ending question. Little spirit...river...<br/><br/>Her head snapped up from where it had focused on the table and her mouth opened and closed much like...well, a fish or ondine out of water. Shoring back her shoulders, she planted her back firmly against the back of her chair and lifted her chin, <strong>"If one chooses to leave her river, she may,"</strong> but unconsciously, her hand lifted to the glass ball filled with water - her river. There was no way she was going to admit that her river kicked her out. No, no, no. It was unheard of...almost as much as an ondine ever leaving her river. He'd shown her no reason to trust him with her true story yet...it would take a bit to get <em>that</em> out of her. She glanced around for a distraction and noted the man that had taken a seat in another corner. His drink was clear to her and she couldn't help but point it out to Draven, <strong>"See, now he,"</strong> her head tilted in the newcomer's direction,<strong> "knows what a <em>proper</em> drink is."</strong></span></span>