With the subtle camouflage of a casual shrug, Clover jabs her elbow lightly into Xelise's ribcage, all the while keeping her pristine smile and glimmering eyes ready for the men of the town.  "Of course, it wasn't you<i>specifically</i>who caused this curse-- I'm sure than men of the common sense, such as yourselves, would have been more reasonable and clear, rather than demanding.<br/><br/>"Still," she shrugs back her shoulders charmingly, lifts her cider with the same serpentine smile at her lips, "I am positive that, despite the outcome, he<em>believed </em>that he had the town's best interests in mind."  Beneath the tavern's table, she pats Xelise's thigh gently, as if in apology, or encouragement.  Then, without warning, she splays her hand atop his thigh a few inches from his knee and squeezes gently.<br/><br/>Her lead hand still holds aloft her cup, and she sips from it, then her delicate pink tongue cleans a glistening amber drop from her soft, bow-shaped lips before she continues.  "So... where does this witch reside, and is this curse related to the bandits that--"<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=50558.msg2420374#msg2420374">Quote from: Odin on 06-11-2009, 07:16:17</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">((if you're in doors she is looking through a window)). <br/>Slowly she sidled up to them, "Hey guys, what's going on?" she interrupted.<br/>[/font]<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Clover's smile remains shining, though for a moment her eyes widen at the sudden interruption.  She lifts her hands in a grandiose welcome, ushers Maddy to join where she and Xelise sit with the card-playing commoners at the tavern table.  "Oh-- well, hello there-- a fellow traveler from our noble, well-intentioned band of adventurers, I see!"  Her expression becomes noticeably more somber-- albeit a tinge theatrically-- as she explains.  "These good townsmen have been explaining to us how the witch's curse was precipitated by a conflict with the Baron of this land."<br/><br/>She pauses for a moment, her eyes flickering appreciatively over the girl, before she offers to take Madeline's hand in a chivalrous gesture-- though, perhaps, an odd one for an unarmored woman-- in guide her to sit at Clover's other side, so that she is flanked by both companions.  It's not immediately clear if this is so she can hide behind them in case of a fight, or so she can more easily flirt with both.