“Alright,” Crow held up his hands. “I suppose I had it coming to me sooner or later, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I prefer to be at the administering end of a joke. It’s much more fun.”
“Though, if you keep up that terrible lying, we’ll have the whole kingdom confusing us as some sort of thing,” Penelope went on critically. “You couldn’t come up with anything better than acquaintances, huh?”
“What lying?” Crow scoffed. “It’s true. We only met a few days ago, and I didn’t think you’d go so far as to consider us friends. So, that just leaves me the option of describing the nature of our relationship as recent acquaintances.” He placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his palm as a sly smirk crossed his lips. “Unless… you want me to introduce you as my lover. I mean, it makes sense, right? Two young peasants, a man and a woman, traveling together by themselves. It’s only natural for onlookers to come to such a conclusion. Why fight it?”
He looked up as Evelyn returned with their drinks. The old woman set them down on the table, “Okay, one honey mead for the village idiot and one more for his surprisingly beautiful lady friend.”
“Oh, stop with the sentiments, Evelyn,” Crow said with a false note of emotion. “I think I might start tearing up.”
“Just don’t forget to pay me this time,” the tavern owner grunted in response. However, the thief could see a hint of a smile on her face as she turned to walk away. He lifted his mug to his lips and took a swig, sighing in satisfaction, “Just as good as I remember.” He smiled at Penelope in mock adoration. “Go on then, darling; don’t take my word for it. Or would you rather share a pint with your lover?”
“Though, if you keep up that terrible lying, we’ll have the whole kingdom confusing us as some sort of thing,” Penelope went on critically. “You couldn’t come up with anything better than acquaintances, huh?”
“What lying?” Crow scoffed. “It’s true. We only met a few days ago, and I didn’t think you’d go so far as to consider us friends. So, that just leaves me the option of describing the nature of our relationship as recent acquaintances.” He placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his palm as a sly smirk crossed his lips. “Unless… you want me to introduce you as my lover. I mean, it makes sense, right? Two young peasants, a man and a woman, traveling together by themselves. It’s only natural for onlookers to come to such a conclusion. Why fight it?”
He looked up as Evelyn returned with their drinks. The old woman set them down on the table, “Okay, one honey mead for the village idiot and one more for his surprisingly beautiful lady friend.”
“Oh, stop with the sentiments, Evelyn,” Crow said with a false note of emotion. “I think I might start tearing up.”
“Just don’t forget to pay me this time,” the tavern owner grunted in response. However, the thief could see a hint of a smile on her face as she turned to walk away. He lifted his mug to his lips and took a swig, sighing in satisfaction, “Just as good as I remember.” He smiled at Penelope in mock adoration. “Go on then, darling; don’t take my word for it. Or would you rather share a pint with your lover?”