“Is that all it takes?” Amusement clearly lingered across her face, and in her tone. “Perhaps, I should endeavour to pique your curiosity more often then, no?” While Aspel often found herself curious about some idle matter or another - it was what had lead to her slowly amassing a decent size collection of books on completely random topics - it was always endlessly fascinating when others found things which they took interest in. What was it that drove them to seek out that specific information? What caused random interests to begin with? Perhaps she’d never fully know, but learning bits and pieces of how others worked was always a pleasure regardless.
“I am certain at least a few things could be done to make such a,” words flickered through her mind, an attempt to pick the right one made with a pause, “proposal more than adequately entertaining, no?” Her gaze fell off to the side, seeming to take in the details of a particularly detailed ice carving of a young woman in a long flowing gown caught in the middle of a dance. Her face was alight with joy, and her body easy. “I do know a number of spots within the guildhalls which I fear lack visitation by most. Certainly, those old empty places must be lonely, no? I have no doubt they could use the company of laughter and joy.” It was a round about way to invite Ari along on a ‘tour’ of the guildhalls, but Aspel had no doubt that the bard would prove capable of keeping up. She always had.
“The things which pique my curiosity are not always standard,” Ari said. “Still, you’ve caught me -- its assuagement is one of my primary life motivations. Along with entertainment and… enjoyment of all sorts.” it was, to Ari’s thoughts, the best way to live one’s life. Certainly, it was the most satisfying. With the interest she held in her work, she advanced in her modest ambitions with relative ease. There was little more that she wanted or needed for happiness -- and thus, entertainment seemed as good a reason as any to act.
And speaking of entertainment…
“How sad,” she said, thinking she might know just what the somewhat sly look on Aspel’s face implied. “That ought indeed be rectified -- I would join you on such a tour. If you assume my intentions to be… not entirely altruistic,” a grin, “you’d be right.”
The thought passed through her mind that Aspel seemed greatly improved in mood now, too, from the way she had been when Ari had first encountered her in the hall. She supposed that despite the chill, the walk had done the other woman good.
A note was made of the commentary with a brief nod of her head, having those sorts of life motivations seemed to be well enough placed as far as the smith could be concerned. Aside from her lingering guilt and other problems, entertainment, and satisfaction of curiosity were significant goals within her own life as well. Perhaps, that was why her and the bard beside her got along so well in the end.
“If they were, I fear I would need to admit a certain amount of worry. One can’t have fun all by themselves, no?” And the idea of helping Ari have the kind of fun they both likely had in mind sounded far more appealing than most other endeavours the smith could come up with, this evening included. A brief pause was taken as tongue slipped out to wet her lips.
“I suspect,” The beginning was a bit hesitant, slow to come out as her voice dipped down low. “We could likely find some similar places - old lonely spots that are infrequently visited and in need of a bit of cheer - here as well, if we were to look, no?” And with that thought, a glance would be taken back to the palace. They certainly could find something Aspel had no doubt, it was just a matter of looking hard enough.
“I suspect,” Ari repeated, lowering her own voice too even as she held back the desire to laugh, “that you are one of the few people who would be mad enough to think of it. That is not, by the way, a ‘no’.”
And if the search for such a spot kept Aspel out of the way of any countrymen she was attempting to avoid, so much the better.
As in so many of their interactions, it did rather seem as though they both would win.