"Sounds like an adventure with each sip" Alaric replied, a half-smile touching his lips, attempting to match her easy demeanor. He'd never been one for the sweeter spirits; they always seemed to pack a different punch, one he hadn't quite grown accustomed to. The mention of Orchidia's characters resonated. "Aye, Orchidia's got its fair share of tales, and every soul here seems to carry a story or two." He watched her with a mix of curiosity and amusement, noticing her swift consumption of the potent drink, her playful spirit apparent even in the early hours. Her barrage of questions both bemused and startled him. "Rock music? It's a fair bit of everything, I reckon. Don't rightly know yet what I fancy doin' here. Just treading the waters for now," he confessed, scratching the back of his head in uncertainty.
He leaned forward, considering her with a faint grin. "Ramble away, lass. It's been a quiet morning anyhow." He found himself oddly entertained by her chatter, an unexpected shift from his usual brooding silence. "I'll have to catch up on my drink, haven't had a sip yet," he chuckled, lifting the glass to his lips, though his pace was slower than hers.
The dark tendril, a curious sight, wrapped around her, and Alaric raised a brow, intrigued by her peculiar abilities. "Ye've got quite the bag o' tricks, I see," he noted, gesturing subtly toward the shadowy tendril. His curiosity lingered, but a sense of camaraderie began to creep in, a bond forming over shared moments and early morning conversations. As the tendrils danced around her, a peculiar warmth spread within him—the kind that stemmed from an unexpected kinship. He found himself easing into the oddity of the situation, a soft chuckle escaping him. "Questions, eh? Give me a tick. " he muttered, taking another slow sip of his drink.
The quirky afternoon conversation felt oddly comforting, a break from the usual solitude he sought. As the day unfolded, he sensed that perhaps his days might not remain as solitary as they once were.