Waiting for Ceol's response with his mildly patronizing and amused look, Renolf was surprised by the suddenly persuasively placed bard in his path. Shifting his attention, his lips quirked into a disbelieving frown before he sighed over-dramatically and rolled his eyes. "<strong>Fine, fine. A short shopping trip for the road. Let's meet at the gates as soon as you're done shopping, okay?</strong>" The last remark was mostly addressed to Ceol, but spread out to the rest of the group in case they also had impromptu plans for purchasing items.<br/><br/>The irritation disappearing, Ren offered his arm in a gentlemanly manner to Sanora, smiling at here pleasantly. "<strong>Shall we, milady?</strong>" Though the rogue was being playful, he was unmistakably good at putting on a performance with a great deal of seriousness. It was hard to tell whether he was being genuine, oftentimes, for how it came across.<br/><br/>Winking at Seka, he headed off to obtain a crossbow with the bard.<br/><br/>(And belatedly, the following happened:)<br/><br/><br/>After they cleared the party, Renolf looked sidelong at Sanora with amused curiosity. "<strong>Do you often use that cute expression and your chest to influence men?</strong>" Ren didn't seem at all offended by it, and it sounded like he was inquiring on a technique or skill more than anything else.<br/><br/>Sanora's brow furrowed as she studdied Ren with sincere incomprehension, but no lack of curiousity.  "I suppose I always saw it as an expression of sincerity.  Wouldn't it be rude to hide how happy it would make me if you did what I asked?"<br/><br/>Renolf stopped, staring at Sanora with an even more disbelieving expression than she bore for a moment, his tongue licking his lips as they tried to find the right words - and then he laughed, shaking his head. "You've never… tried to persuade someone by doing that?" Watching her, it became quickly apparent that she had no idea.<br/><br/>Bringing up a hand, he stroked his face a bit before looking at her more intently and curiously. "<strong>Are you completely unfamiliar with dissembling?</strong>"<br/><br/>Sanora giggled, "Oh, seriously Ren!  Would it be important to show sincerity if everyone in the circles I run in were sincere?  To move among the courts of Faerun is to navigate a labyrinth of forged of infinite graduations of half-truths and cordial little lies."<br/><br/>Eying her for a few moments, he smirked lightly. "<strong>Your enthusiasm seems abundant in sincerity.</strong>" His gaze searching hers carefully, he touched the tip of her nose gently. "<strong>Why is that?</strong>"<br/><br/>Sanora's cheek's flared rosy at his question and, more so, at his touch. "Ahm...  Oh, maybe I've spent a few to many years locked up in the practice rooms, libraries, and dance salons too see you for the rapscalion you are, stealing my heart as easily as you lift a purse, sure to have your way with me and then abandon me too nunery." As her wit kicked in throughout the speach, her playful smile spread.<br/><br/>Renolf's smirk deepened, the bard seemingly slipping between the game and not with an uncanniness that seemed absent before. The only thing that he was sure of, so far, was the blush on her cheeks - it was too immediate and unprepared for deception.<br/><br/>Drawing the finger from her nose to outline part of her jaw before withdrawing it, he gave her an amused breath. "<strong>Trust me, Sanora, I have yet to try seduction on you.</strong>" His eyes glittering with promise, he resumed their walk, though his attention watched her more than it had previously.<br/><br/>Sanora's pert bossom swished with the speeding of her breath.  Sh paused a moment longer as he resumed the walk.  "I know that," She whispered.  "You...  If a man like you wanted to be iresistable, he would be."  She whimpered, then scampered to catch up.<br/><br/>Sanora's words elicited a slight twitch of Ren's half-pointed ears, his eyes moving only subtly to regard her with a sidelong glance. For all the talent she possessed, her inexperience and… innocence… became quite clear. Bringing a hand up to seemingly brush dirt from his cheek, the rogue sighed inwardly. Seducing women had its many pleasures, but Ren had more than a handful of scruples, and something felt innately wrong in plucking so easily from innocent maidens. There was no challenge in it, besides, and what was life without challenges? Amusement played over his face briefly. He didn't really know what to do with what was in his hands, here, since he was still interested in helping her find her skills.<br/><br/>Leading the way, Renolf broached conversation again without much delay. "<strong>So what happened back in the tavern? I thought you were a trained dancer</strong>," he asked, grinning at her provocatively.<br/><br/>Sanora pulled up hard, then straightened up and huffed, blushed, and straightened her skirts. She started forewards again, cheeks red, still not replying, and looking anywhere but at Ren.<br/><br/>Renolf slides past her, moving backwards while facing her, his feet dancing easily on the ground. "<strong>I mean, I'd love to see you do better.</strong>" His provocative grin remains, his eyes challenging.<br/><br/>She huffed, but her cheeks went from Pink to crimson. After a  moment, her lip corners began to twitch.<br/><br/>Shifting to stand in front of her, he tilted his head at her, putting his hands on his hips, watching her with a broadening grin.<br/><br/>he stopped, then palced her hands on her hips.  Looking up into the young man's eyes with level regaurd, she began, "Quite frankly, I'm proud of myself.  I was hardly at my best, but I earned my own meal, which is more than my mother has ever done in her life."<br/><br/>Looking askance for a brief moment, Renolf's lips parted, his tongue touching his teeth before he spoke. "<strong>There is no doubt you have the talent, but you lack experience.</strong>" Offering his hand her to, Ren cocked a questioning look.<br/><br/>She sniffed. "You  noticed." Then she giggled and took his hand. "That is why I am here, after all."<br/><br/>Grinning, he pulled her to him suddenly, his eyes not far from hers. "<strong>Put your heart into it, but let your mind keep its attention</strong>." Lifting his arm, he spun her outward from him slowly, his eyes sticking to hers.<br/><br/>The chestnut haired girl glanced around in shock that Ren would start a dance here on the cobblestones. Then it struck her that there was nothing more natural in the world! He warmed her blood, which energized her.  His touch lit her skin with tingles, heightening her awareness.  Letting her mind go quite, focusing on his eyes while the rest of the world fell into place, Sanora flowed into flawless motion, spinning out to the full extension of their joined hands.<br/><br/>Dancing with the girl slowly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do, to slowly tango here, ignoring everyone else, he drew her back in and took her hands. Guiding her steps, his body moved without him having to watch his steps, his focus stilled on Sanora.<br/><br/>The world outside Ren faded too the background.  Her bossom hovering in barest contact with his chest guided her as much as their joined eyes.  Hand in hand, hanad on shoulder, hip warmed by his touch, her feet glided across the coblestones in smooth time.<br/><br/>Keenly aware of their surroundings, Renolf moved them toward obstacles, but deftly avoided them; touching her shoulder, squeezing her hand, pinching her hip, he gave silent directions to her, directing her to move with him and avoid as he did, and to do so gracefully, elegantly, seemingly effortlessly. "<strong>Don't lose your head in public.</strong>"<br/><br/>Sanora tossed her curls over her shouldr and looked up into his eyes, grinning, "Don't sell your partner short, Ren.  You don't need to pinch a girl to guide her."<br/><br/>A smirk appeared on Ren's face, and he stopped giving all guidance, increasing the pace of their dance and the broadness of their movements, eliciting a mix of anger and enchantment amongst the crowds that moved around them and watched them. "<strong>Show me you can keep up, then.</strong>"<br/><br/>Sweet smile widening to an energetic grin, Sanora rose to the challenge, slowly building up the sway to her hips and swirl to her skirts.<br/><br/>The dance unfolded into something incredibly energetic, following no set pattern or steps, and Renolf taunted and challenged her with sudden pulls and shifts of her body, pulling her down and swinging her under him, tilting his body to the side and rolling her across his back, picking her up and twirling her - the rogue was pulling out all the stops.<br/><br/>Sanora swishes her hips and runs her hands up Ren's chest to his shoulder.<br/><br/>Ending up with Sanora drawn close in the middle of the circle they etched out for themselves, faces barely apart, her smiled at her. "<strong>If you're this good, what held you back before?</strong>"<br/><br/>"<strong>Mmm.</strong>" He smirked slightly, inclining his head. "<strong>You're not very good at covering, either.</strong>" Pulling her in from the small of her back, he brought their mouths together and kissed her deeply.<br/><br/>Sanora gasped, back going stiff.  Her hands closed on his chest, flexing, not pressing him away but seeking the strength to press him away.<br/><br/>She did not find it.<br/><br/>Moaning softly, Sanora's lips opened into the kiss and her body melted against the acrobat's strong, lithe frame.<br/><br/>Feeling the tension against his chest from her hands, Renolf didn't carry the kiss very long, and drew back, regarding her eyes for a thin moment - and showing her a look of himself without any guard, deception, or play. Quietly, seriously, he asked her, "Do you know what you want?"<br/><br/>Her eyes widened nervously when he pulled away. For a split instant her hands tightened on his tunic as if to pull him back. Her body arched forewards after him, but she stopped as their eyes joined. At his words, she whimpered softly. Her eyes closed, then opened. Then again. "No," she whimpered.<br/><br/>Renolf's eyes softened as he smiled a smile with no happiness, a certain sadness and paradoxical desire in his expression. "<strong>You're very beautiful, Sanora, and you have a sweet soul. I would regret taking advantage of your indecision.</strong>" Leaning up, he brought his lips to her forehead, kissing her gently above the eyes.<br/><br/>Sanora whimpered and lay her head forewards, kissing Ren's heart. "Damn you, Ren," she whimpered. "You're a scoundrel, why do you have to be a better gentleman than any gentleman I've ever met?"  Her fist rapped his chest once, enough to express her distress without really hurting him.  Then she grabbed his shirt and pulled herself closr to him, ear over his heart, she gasped--almost a sob--thn whispered, "Why can't you just make me want you in that way that makes it so easy to throw all my past to the wind and dance out into the future without ever looking back."<br/><br/>Leaning down, he drew in breath and took in the sweet, heady smell of her hair, feeling an undeniable stir in his chest. Touching her cheek softly, fingers brushing against her skin, his embrace became more comforting and emotionally intimate than seductive. He whispered back to her after a moment of silence and deeply torn consideration. "<strong>Would it last? Would a few months of whirlwind romance make your past truly fall away and let your heart break free from its chains?</strong>" Swallowing with a breath, he nearly laughed, the aborted sound bittersweet. "<strong>I want to help you dance into your future with the strength to endure on your own… not with a crutch of passion that can disappear with the smallest of storms.</strong>"<br/><br/>Sanora groaned again, releasing his shirt.  Her fists clenched at her sides, anad she whimpered softly, then turned away and strode towards the crossbow shop, whimpering throu a tight throat, "I need to think!"<br/><br/>Letting out a deep sigh, half of great relief, he rubbed his forehead, tugged at his facial hair and laughed with the release of heavy emotion, muttering incoherently and following her toward the shop.