RYUUNA<br/><br/>The travelling man noticed me watching and out of politeness I dropped my eyes and continued my meal. Many types of persons passed through our small village, some took kindly to curious looks, some did not.<br/><br/>It was wise not to provoke strangers.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Milady is there perhaps a question you would like to ask me?"</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>I looked up at the voice and found he was addressing me. I did not fluster, I have had too many interesting encounters these last three years to make me blush any more.<br/><br/>I smiled at him and nodded a greeting,<strong>"Good morning kind sir, I trust you are enjoying breakfast?"</strong><br/><br/>I sipped my tea, watching him over the rim of my cup,<strong>"Indeed I have a question for you, though it is unseemly to call out across the room like coarse fishwives. Would you not join me? Then my question might be posed without the whole village knowing."</strong>I smiled again and laid down my cup, pushing my empty bowl aside, my stomach pleasantly full.<br/><br/>Beside me at my table in the inglenook was a single empty chair. In gesture of welcome I pulled it out from the table and patted its seat with one palm; a somewhat childlike action but I was in friendly mood and the motion had a lightness of air I hoped would cause no offence nor merit my offer being misconstrued.