Rowdy disappointment was on everyone's lips as Arisa pulled the elf away. A few lads even dared call out for Liliana as she walked away, promising her things they had no business promising to one of her girls! But once the innkeeper demanded their attention, she got it. Being captivating in speech and body helped, and though not an ounce of salacious, lusty hunger drained from those eyes when they rolled over Arisa's showy curves, everyone did purse their lips in slight shame and embarrassment.<br/><br/>Everyone but Lyrio, that is. He just folded his hands and smiled blankly at the matron, little respect and even less shame swimming in his eyes as he made no attempt to hide his leering gaze. A tight shirt could only do so much to hide the shift of ample breasts, and Arisa could barely stand or pose without giving the merchant something soft and curvaceous to look up and down. It was like she a young paladin all over again.<br/><br/>Arelat was such a slow and quiet place that Uther and all the other men and women practically worshiped the ground Arisa walked in on, blinded by the sheer brilliance of her holy beauty. But before Arelat there was the city and adventurer's guild, where day after day gazes just like Lyrio's now groped her youthful body shamelessly. And every now and then actual hands did the same! Lyrio hadn't gone that far just yet, but he was certainly a big-city man giving her a big-city look. Poor Shayla didn't stand a chance.<br/><br/>The merchant leaned back in his chair, at first like he was drawing away from her imposing lean. But Lyrio settled into a lazy stretch that mocked her like an impudent son letting a mother's chastising words fly right past his ear. "Oh no doubt. But I'm here for more than just one 'golden coin,' dear!"<br/><br/>Stuffing his broad, stout hand into his shirt, Arisa's honored guest produced a folded parchment with a broken seal - the seal of the Duke! Holding it up and coyishly pushing the corner into Arisa's bosom, he gave her an excited nod. "Feel free to read it aloud, or not. But I'm here for what I'm owed. The name's Lyrio, and I'll be your taxcollector for this season."<br/><br/>The contents of the letter opened and closed with names and titles and enough authority to make the head of any old Arelat bumpkin spin. Arisa had seen the style before as part of the usual contract adventurers were given when serving the court, but the expansive rights of Lyrio's letter were daunting nonetheless. Every few years the king would send a taxman to town, a bureaucrat of no account who usually made off with a fraction what was owed. But this year the right to collect had been sold to the broad shouldered, broad chested, broad waisted Lyrio, and the amount owed by every household was substantial - and the tax on businesses like Arisa's even higher!