He couldn’t help but feeling a little distressed as the small bard instructed him to stay put, and went bounding off to… Whatever she seemed to feel was one of the better selections of the event that was going on today. As soon as she was gone, he felt distress wash over him. This really wasn’t how he had wanted to spend his night. Darius had known that staying for more than two glasses was a bad idea, why hadn’t he listened when that little voice in the back of his head piped up? Well, now he was going to pay for it in spades it appeared.
And before he could get too far into his own thoughts, Ari was back and handing over a glass with a new wine he hadn’t tried before. “Thanks.” Another slight nod was given with the singular word, and there she was, sputtered off at the mouth again. “Not all the time.” Darius couldn’t help but interject in response to her assumption of his work schedule. “Besides, I like work.” It was true too, the structure, the helping others, the ability to make a difference… Not that he felt like he had to explain himself for these things either. Though…. What the hell did he say from here? Not having a clue, the cup was brought up, a sip being taken to try the new wine out.
Ari sipped too, then said, “I suppose you would have to like your, with the amount of it you do. I mostly like my work too, but everyone needs a rest sometimes. And I also like wine -- this in particular. What do you think?”
He didn’t seem to be feeling particularly chatty, but that was all right. She had plenty to say. “So, since you claim I am mistaken in my estimation of your work schedule, what have you been doing with your time lately?” Her expression was perfectly (and falsely) guileless.
“Mostly work.” Now he really wasn’t helping his case any with that response, now was he? “Sometimes go out for drinks with friends, practice towards learning some new spells.” There were a couple he’d started eying recently with all of the chaos, and destruction that had been going on around Emillion. Though Libra had proven harder than he thought from the book Darius had flipped through, and the other spells… Well, between the strength of Arise and Re-raise, along with no proper tutor for the Bar- or -En spells… Well, he was basically at a loss on where to go precisely with those. There was no doubt he could learn Arise and Re-rise as he did know Rise already, but… Well, the sheer power of them would take some time. Plus there was always that nagging thought in the back of his head that perhaps, he should learn some offensive spells other than the one rather meager Holy incantation he knew.
A simple shrug was given. “I read.” Not nearly as much as he worked, but really, that was… Actually pretty much all he did that he’d be willing to share at least.