Joli's eyes are huge, rapidly blinking and seeming to try to find anything else to look at as Lon approaches.  "Ah... well then, wonderful to meet you Lon."  She swallows dryly and finds his eyes, managing a nervous smile.  After an awkward moment of silence, her mouth open as if to speak, she finally forces herself to respond in a civilized manner.  "I'm just passing through... I mean to say, my uncle will be here shortly of course.  He's with a caravan.  He's a guard-- big, huge arms, very protective of me."  She nods sternly as the tavern maid sets a bowl of the stew on her table and she smiles far too exuberantly with relief at the distraction.  "AH, soup, I love soup."  She flashes her teeth in a ludicrous smile before slowly calming, like a toy winding down, to a heavy sigh.<br/><br/>"Sorry.  I chatter when I'm nervous."  She smiles faintly, studying the man's face.  "I'm Joli.  Obviously I'm not from around here," her blue eyes dark upwards, returning with a smile. She looks at the soup, the bowl streaming steam in the amber glow of the oil-lights of the tavern.  "Um... what are all those guys in the armor arguing about?"  Her fingers twitch toward the spoon, but she knows the soup's too hot to eat... and she doesn't want it to be obvious just how hungry she really is.