“I am Albanus. This is Hodge, and Mhurren,” the man said, pointing to each of them in turn. He said something to both the men and Mhurren went to the end of the bar and collected the coin purse, while Hodge went behind the bar and gathered her clothes. They came back and threw them at her feet. “Hodge and Mhurren will give you the respect you deserve, as will the rest of the men under my employ, but I cannot speak for the others who may come here. This can be a rough place at night, little flower, but I am not worried. You have shown yourself very capable.” He said something quietly again in the same foreign language to both men.<br/><br/>“Dress yourself. Take your coins. Go with Mhurren—worry not, he knows better than to damage what is mine—and he will take you to clean up,” Albanus said. “Mhurren, take her to Lady Sondra’s Bathhouse and then find the Fabrician. Sweet Miriel will need something to dance in—though …. “ he looked over her half-naked body from top-to-bottom, “if the lady prefers, I think with a little more taken off, this outfit might be more divine than any dress.” Hodge and Mhurren snickered.<br/><br/>Albanus stepped forward, into the range of her staff, though seeing how tired she was, felt confident he would not be struck. “And, after you dance tonight, you will prove whether your knowledge of the thieves cant is adventitious,” his nostrils flared as his chin rose, looking down at her with his bright blue eyes, a faint smile on his lips. “Or if you are a thief after all.”<br/><br/>Then he stepped back towards the bar, Hodge walking back around to the bartender’s side as Mhurren watched her. “Dress quickly,” Mhurren said, sneering at her. He was a dog who had been toyed with, promised a delicious piece of meat, and then denied its succulence.<br/><br/>The thought of waiting until they were out of earshot of the Applebarrel Alehouse, dragging the half-elf into an alleyway and having his way with her had crossed his mind. But he knew better than to go against Albanus, or to potentially threaten the profits he could make from the young girl and her dancing—and thieving. Part of him was hopeful that tonight she would fail in whatever task Albanus would give her after her dancing was over, and he would still have a chance to tear her clothes off—but for now he knew he had to obey.<br/><br/>He watched her dress with side-eyed anger, but said nothing, only waiting to take her to Lady Sondra’s.