Rouen listened to Lokenth's speech and wondered when he would get to the part about the gold. That had been what had piqued his interest in the first place, but it also seemed to be the last thing on Lokenth's mind.
He looked over at Svetlana. He had been surprised when she joined him after their meeting in Saex and even more so that he had enjoyed her company so much. In addition, she had shown to be an able companion and had talked their way out of paying bribes on numerous occasions in the past days, though much was still extorted from them. But despite their close interactions, he could never quite tell what she was thinking.
Rouen smiled and spoke in a half joking manner, "Trust is indeed what it's all about. But who are we trusting here? Is it the King? For I certainly have no knowledge of the man, and from what you say he sounds the type that doesn't trust anyone. And as far as I can tell he is asking much of us and offering nothing in return. That does not sound like a relationship worthy of trust, nor a bargain worth accepting.
"Are we trusting you Lokenth? I seem to recall being left to drink alone a few nights ago. Right now I trust only in your tardiness and that you are a hard man to find. Trust is not something that is simply given upon request. Trust is built over shared experiences, both good and bad. Trust is gained from work and diligence, hardened with dependency and honesty. So why is it that you speak of trust, Lokenth?"
Rouen drained his ale mug and set it back on the table. Svetlana did the same, was she trying to keep up with him? He shook off the thought and turned back to Lokenth, his tone becoming more serious, "I do not think that trust is something we should talk about at this time. Instead, I would rather speak of friendship. Of shared hardship and success. And I would prefer to do this over a full mug." Rouen pointedly looked at his empty mug and then turned to Lokenth. He made the same gesture to Svetlana's mug and again, made eye contact with the newcomer. His one eye remained fixed, while his eyebrow lifted questioningly, an ever-so slight smirk on his face.
