The tavern was busy, as it had been ever since Balefire returned. It annoyed Acora that her favorite room and table was often occupied now, while only weeks ago it had been reserved only for her.

This night she was lucky, though. No one had her favored table in the darkest corner she could find. It gave her the perfect vantage point, able to see all of the table from her spot, her back agianst the corner and close enough to the bar to hear all the most interesting gossip which flew like ravens across the common room.

She lounged back, watching people come and go through the busy tavern door, her meal in front of her steaming slightly as she absently stirred the stew with her spoon.

The lights of the tavern cast strange purple shadows and cast Acora's pale skin in soft mauve tones. She sat there until her food began to cool off and she ate slowly, seemingly oblivious to time or the fact that the tavern was getting ever more busy for the evening hours.

A rather glum look seemed fixed on Gaul's face as he stepped into the tavern, and seemingly coming at a bad time with the tavern steadily filling up with patrons, Gaul however managed a smile and captured the attention of a maid and ordered a drink and food, she nodded her head and told him to take a seat,

Gaul looked around and raised an eyebrow, a more annoyed look breifly on his face, all the tables were taken and the bar to was packed, Gaul glanced around more carefully spotting a table off in the corner that only darkness appeared to occupy, until Gaul approached the table spotting a sinlge woman sitting at it tilting his head and allowing his frustration to stay hidden Gaul smiled at the woman "I apologise Ma'am I thought I this table was empty" Gaul spoke politely ready to move off when the maid came across and placed his food and drink on the table before scurrying off to serve the newcomers,

Gaul scratched his head at the misunderstanding and gently moved across picking up the hot bowl and using his sleeve to keep the heat off his hands Gaul stood against the wall a few steps away from the woman his spoon fishing in the stew as though looking for something, When Gaul was only waiting for it to cool down some.

She frowned at him at first and glared at the absent-minded maid, but soon sighed in submission and gestured impatiently to the seat across from her. "Sit," was all she said, turning her attention back to her stew, stirring the beef and carrots within it before swallowing a spoonful, following it with a swig of an almost bitter wine she had requested, which tasted of the exotic mushrooms of the underdark. She had never tasted the underdark wine, and it almost made her wince at it's tang, but ever since Balefire had been receiving the imports of it, she had enjoyed it's new and exotic taste.

After taking another sip of it, she observed her new dinner guest with an interested glance. "Are you new to the City of Lanterns?"

Gaul nodded and gratefully took the seat placing his stew on the table opposite the woman and smiled "Thank you." Gaul spoke softly and began to eat slowly at first as the contents were still hot and burned his mouth briefly as he ate,

taking a quick sip from his ale Gaul nodded his head "Yes it is my first time, I'm looking for work, but no luck yet" Gaul grinned slightly and looked at the woman properly for the first time "I would say you frequent this tavern, and probably the city as well,?" Gaul asked softly and sipped his ale again.

"Yes, this city has been my home for my entire life. I practically grew up here," she said with almost a reminiscent glance up at the mauve lanterns above the crowd. "Work is hard to come by if you are an outsider. The people of Balefire are slow to trust others with their secrets, although they are not so distrustful as to not open trade with outsiders. It is the best career to invest in if you wish to get rich. Only if you have the right resources, though," she said with a wry smile.

As Acora spoke, she spooned her stew some more, taking regular glances around the room as she did so. Her attention was focused on the man before her, but she kept herself alert to the other goings on in the tavern, such as a minor brawl at the bar. It would be quickly sorted out, though, she could tell as the large innkeeper stepped in. He worked for the woman who owned and operated the inn and served as her partner in the venture as far as Acora could tell.