Lauren

Isabelle then asked an important question, "Who wants first pick on the next hoard?"

That was how things were traditionally done in this party. Whoever did not get a magic item got first pick next chance. Isabelle knew how this would go. Jasper thought for a moment. Whatever first pick was, it would probably be better than that stone. That stone was likely a luck stone or something like that. Nothing that Jasper needed. So Jasper smiled and graciously said, "Alright. Lauren can have that stone, because I'm nice like that."

Lauren rolled his eyes but said nothing. He took the rock and put it in his pack. Temerity said, "Hey. Let's get out of here and rest, yeah? I need some sleep and some bandages."

There was general agreement.

Leaving the dungeon wasn't that hard. They has killed everything hostile that they had encountered. All that remained were statues and a very frightened kobold. The march to the nearest town took an hour. Vorka and Jasper traded dirty jokes. Ilya examined her new orb. Temerity and Isabelle planned what part of the dungeon the group should head to next. Lauren softly strummed his lute. He was lonely on these walks. He muttered under his breath, "I wish someone would walk with me." He hoped no one heard him, especially Jasper. On the other hand, a part of him hoped that they all heard. That they knew he was lonely. Then maybe they would not let him be so lonely. Oh well.

"What tune is that?"

The question took him off guard. He looked and saw that Ilya was walking with him. He supposed she had tired of her arcane study. Her lithe form walked with grace and poise even as she kept her eyes on him.

Elves.

"Oh it's 'Like Over the Mountains.' It's a traditional song from my homeland. Do you like it?"

"Not particularly. But it was not unpleasant."

Uhhh. "Did you want me to stop?"

"No. By all means keep playing. The music does not please me, but neither does it displease me. It is entirely neutral in its effect on my life."

"Then why... why did you ask about it?"

Ilya had to take a second to ponder that. She wasn't actually sure why she had asked Lauren about his music. She much preferred to study the orb she found, but something... Then she thought of it and knew that must be the answer. Her reasoning couldn't be wrong, after all.

"I wanted to make conversation. You seemed lonely."

Lauren wasn't sure how to feel about that. "So you're talking to me out of pity?"

Ilya shrugged, "If you want to call it that. It is not the word I would use."

Lauren's shoulders slumped. "Oh." Somehow this felt even worse. "I understand I suppose. I just wish you liked my music."

Something in Ilya's mind switched then as he said those words. She was not aware of the switch. She could not be aware of the switch in fact.
"I do like your music! I like it very much in fact."

Now Lauren looked confused, "You just said..."

"That particular song... well it is very nice. I enjoyed what you played in the dungeon better. Could you play that again?"

Lauren was entirely unsure how this conversation was going to go from here, "Uh sure."

He played the rest of the way to the inn.