Theon's attention snapped up to the soldiers. He made a show of thinking hard about his answer—which really wasn't a show at all—glancing off to the side and chewing on his lip as he thought on what to say. It gave him time for the adrenaline to taper off, and for his hammering heart to regulate. On one hand, he could admit to their suspect's current location of where she perched beside him. "Actually, yes. I think I have seen someone fitting that description," he said finally.
On the other hand, what good would it really do him? Surely this young lady must be running for a just reason. If she only cared for violence and destruction wouldn't she have hurt him already? If it turned out Theon was mistaken, he would eat his words. But in the meantime, perhaps goodness would bring about greater rewards. He couldn't help being curious about this strange woman's intentions, either.
"She passed by here not too long ago. Like she was in a hurry. She went that way." He gestured to the direction of the market's main entrance.
The leader raised an eyebrow but looked in the direction that Theon was pointing at. "…Well…Thank you for your information. As a reward." The man tossed a single gold coin toward the vendor and walked away with his small group. Inara peeked out and made certain that the men had left before crawling out from the stall and standing up. "Thank you, sir, you may have just saved my life!" She sighed in relief. "How can I repay you?"
Theon caught the coin in his hands with a gentle clap. He held it out, cradling it in one palm as he inspected the gold piece. Shiny. Probably not in circulation for very long. Between his family and his own business, he had enough money to keep him comfortable already. He squinted at the thing critically, then offered it to the supposed ne'er-do-well beside him. "You're welcome. I suppose you can repay me by telling me what exactly is going on. Why are they chasing you?"
Inara refused the coin, though begrudgingly, and glanced at the warm treats decorating the stall. Her mouth watered as she imagined how they would taste. Despite her humble background, she had quite the sweet tooth. To her mother's dismay, Inara went around in her small town bartering her personal belongings and her skills in exchange for sugar so her mother could help prepare some sweets with her. A small bit of nostalgia washed over Inara and she sighed, it had been quite some time since she had thought about her mother.
"I am innocent. I have done nothing wrong!" She blurted out. Inara huffed and sat on the low wall nearby and stared at the sweets. "I could tell you, but who even are you? We are not acquaintences, we have no reason to be this friendly."
Theon shrugged at the girl's refusal and pocketed the coin. He noted the way her eyes trailed over the pastries on his table. Was she hungry? He wondered, and considered offering her one. But she was just a stranger. Besides, she seemed to have no other interest in him otherwise. Then again, she did refuse the coin he'd offered. Perhaps it could be considered as payment for the treat. He was just about to grab one iced cinnamon bun with a rag when the girl blurted out.
Theon startled. "Oh. Woah. Alright. I think I believe you. We are acquaintances, yes, but you just inserted yourself into my life. However briefly. And you're rather interesting." He wrapped the bun he'd previously reached for, and held it out to her in place of the coin. "As acquaintances we should introduce ourselves. I'm Theon Quillen. What's your name?"
The sweet smell of cinnamon and sugar wafted in her direction, lulling her into acceptance with its siren song. Inara reached out and gingerly grasped the treat, mumbling words of gratitude. She held it in her hands like it was fragile, bound to shatter in moments, then took a small bite. The bun released a small stream of steam as she melted in its warmth.
"Inara Faustus." She stated. With a start she jerked back and groaned internally. If she didn't look suspicious before, her name certainly did. Duke Faustus was quite the notable figure in the kingdom. His duchy was responsible for training the most skilled knights in the kingdom and owned quite a few different businesses. She prayed to anyone that listened that he didn't pay her name any special attention. That would simply spell trouble for her.
"I suppose we could be acquaintances. Perhaps moreso a vendor and his customer but it matters not." She sighed and finished off the bun, savouring it before pulling out a napkin from her side and wiping her hands and mouth. "These are phenomenal! Do you make these yourself?" She questioned.
Theon scanned the market just to check if anyone else was headed towards his stall. Satisfied that they were left alone to chat, he sank back down into his chair, scratching his chin. He studied Inara while she ate. Faustus. The name seemed terribly familiar. It brought back memories to the days with his family before he moved out on his own. He remembered meetings between his parents and someone else with the last name Faustus. They wined and dined on a few occasions during his childhood, but besides talk of business, no official partnership or friendship became of their meetings. Later, he heard more of Duke Faustus and his renowned duchy from the more populated towns' gossip. "Faustus, hm? Is there any relation to the Duke around here by the same name?" He spoke congenially, curiosity without suspicion.
Ailean lifted his head at the smell of Inara's cinnamon bun. Like the good dog he was—Theon told him so—he rarely begged for the treats on the table. But this one, the one that descended and drifted tantalizing scent closer to his nose, he couldn't help but crawl a foot closer to the stranger. He laid back down a nose-lengths away from Inara. His chin rested on his paws and he lapped at his jowls. A low whine escaped his throat when he watched the last bit of pastry disappear.
Theon's entire disposition brightened, entirely too happy to talk about his baking. The subject of her name forgotten. "Aha, thank you! Yes. Yes, I make them all. Those cinnamon buns are my favorite, in fact."
(Sorry! I've just been so busy!) (Yes, if you'd like to join, I'd like a sample from you first.)
"I haven't had one in such a long time and these were the perfect reminder." She smiled happily, a little too happy to have moved on from the topic of her name. She glanced down at the dog that was looking at her with an almost betrayed expression and she sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck with her clean hand. "And who's this? So cute!" she observed the creature with a curios glance, hesitant to reach out and pet him.
(Thank you!! And thats good weith me ill be back, school stuff i need to do first)
"Oh, that's Ailean," Theon seemed almost as interested in talking about his dog as his baking, but there was no less fondness in his voice. He leaned down to give his dog a gentle scratch under the chin, which appeared to placate the hound. "He's a good boy. Don't feel bad about not sharing. He gets enough snacks at the house already."
As Theon sat up again, his gaze turned up to the sky, squinting against the sun. "Oh. I was planning on leaving shortly…" He trailed off while his attention turned back to Inara. "Do you…hm…do you have any specific direction you're heading?"
