Hartley palmed the money immediately, pretty much on instincts and since he wasn't about to show this much money. Sure, it wasn't exactly a fortune, but it was far more than he expected to be getting and he surely hadn't expected it here. "That's too kind, sir." The words were muttered while he quickly took in the room, just to ensure that nobody had paid too much attention.
Should he return some of the money? But the man seemed set and, hell, he was going back to the castle, he had a roof over his head and clean and dry clothes, which was a lot more than any of the people he'd be returning to could say and they always had use for money, so he merely inclined his head and then smile, pushing his chair back a little and moving the lute around so he could play again.
He sang a bit quieter this time, but his fingers moved all the faster. The song wasn't in English, which caused some muttering, until people decided that it was Spanish and could be tolerated. It was Spanish and Hartley looked up at Cisco, since he suspected that the man might understand the language.
This was definitely worth his money. Cisco grinned like an idiot and even turned to Ronnie and punched his arm in excitement, which honestly hurt his hand a lot more than Ronnie's arm. With a big beaming smile, he listened to the song with obvious delight and when it finished, he clapped. Which was a bit weird and over enthusiastic but hell, how often did he get to hear music he liked in his own native language.
It was a nice reminder of home, a pleasant familiar feeling.
Cisco raised his glass to Hartley and nodded his head in appreciation. "Thanks, man. That made my night." He offered out his hand politely. "I'm Cisco."
"Piper," Hartley said, because he hadn't gone by his true name ever since he left his home. it wasn't really supposed to be his name any more anyway, he wasn't allowed to use the full version. Piper, he'd discovered, brought on fewer questions, especially when people saw his flute, which he always carried, even if it wasn't how he earned his money. He needed to sing for that, people had expectations. He shook Cisco's hand and nodded at the other man as well, who seemed a lot more suspicious. He couldn't really blame him, as a rule bards were seen as good company, but not a good influence.
"I like Spanish, the music and language. Thanks for inspiring me." He took a spoonful of his stew and looked around briefly. "You're from the castle? I wouldn't think you'd go to such a lowly tavern."
"You took the last of his pay." Ronnie clarified and yes, it was a lie but he knew what bards were like and if they could charm someone, they could take all their cash and he honestly wouldn't be shocked if this guy tried to pull that. Ronnie didn't overly like being a dick to people, if he was alone then he'd be a lot friendlier but this was Cisco he was protecting. Cisco was the dumbest genius he knew.
"Well, I have a little more." Case in point. Cisco ordered another drink for himself, ignoring the way Ronnie pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to resist laughing at how dumb he was being. "And I'm not really 'from the castle', I work there."
"That's more than most here have to say for themselves. Me? I seem to just take people's money for a living, scoundrel that I am." Hartley smirked at Ronnie, not insulted - couldn't be a bard without a thick skin - but not willing to just let the remark pass either. "But your friend is right in one respect, you shouldn't talk about what money you have, it's much better talking about money you don't have."
He took a bite from his bread and then tore off another small piece for Echo, because he didn't want her to complain.
"I don't usually get this much, it's my first proper pay check that isn't going on repairs and I'm finally getting extra work so overall, it's nice." Usually Cisco just got a room and food, not much pay really but the older he got, the more he had to be given a proper wage and that got hampered by repairs and paying his parents. For months, he had no money.
And now, finally, his debt was cleared and all he had to do was give a chunk to his family. Which was insanely unfair but not worth arguing over. "I'm nothing special. Ronnie is the guy with-- ow!"
Ronnie hit Cisco around the head before he could boast about how much money he had, smiling over him at the bard. "Cisco takes a long time to learn a little lesson. Feel free to ignore him."
"Nice to meet you, Ronnie. I always like meeting guys with." Hartley winked and simply continued to eat, more amused than all that interested in how much money these people might have, although he sincerely hoped they'd not get robbed. He doubted either of them had big money, Cisco at least was definitely a servant. That Ronnie guy, probably as well? Potentially a guard, he couldn't be sure.
"It's a good season for bards now, because everyone spends too much time in taverns, since it's dreary anywhere else. The only problem is finding somewhere dry to sleep at, but sleeping is overrated anyway." He wasn't made for a servant's life anyway. At least as a bard, he only owed true allegiance to Leonard and that was of his own choice. "Do you work in the kitchen, Cisco? Stables? I'm useless both places."
"You sleep outside? In this weather? You should invest that money in shelter. Or build some. I used to make treehouses for Barry all the time." Cisco didn't worry about calling him Barry, not many people knew his first name so it wasn't really much of an issue to toss the first name about. "He's my friend and in the summer, sometimes we sleep in the gardens. I have built so amazing treehouses... well, I made the blue prints. Ronnie and Eddie do most the work."
Ronnie just sipped his beer. This conversation was such a lost cause.
"I can't do kitchen stuff, I sometimes do stable work and I help one of the noblemen out day to day." He wasn't going to bring up that his job these days was mostly hanging out with Barry. "I'm hoping to upgrade job wise. I'm doing a little work for the prince actually. It's pretty exciting."
"I usually find shelter, don't worry. Not really built for the rough life, I'm very delicate." Also, as much as Axel complained, the camp they had was more luxurious than many people with actual huts could afford and in summer it really was lovely. But then, Axel was used to a lot better, so of course he would whine and pout constantly, as if someone had made him come with Hartley. Hartley couldn't remember forcing him. But that wasn't important right now, even if Hartley didn't show his excitement visibly, just letting out a low whistle at the mention of the prince.
"You're doing work for the Prince? You must be quite something, I should have known." Someone in direct contact with the prince, that was an unexpected jackpot.
"A little, yeah. I'm a bit of a creative type, I guess. I have all these ideas and the prince really digs some of them, you know? It's pretty cool. He just wants to start trialling some of my ideas." Mostly his weapons but it didn't ring any alarm bells because he was also interested in Cisco's more fun and playful ideas. Like his wheel shoes. "He really liked the water squirter I made."
Cisco sipped his beer, feeling very accomplished, enjoying that finally, after years of being in the shadow of his brother achieving nothing, he had a reason to brag.
"That sounds impressive. And wet." Water squirter. Huh. But the prince was interested and this meant that Cisco could potentially be very important. Hartley would have to tell Leonard and he almost regretted it, because if it turned out that Cisco might be of use, his life might be turned upside down very soon. He would feel guiltier if he didn't believe in their cause earnestly. "You're an inventor then? All I can do is compose and that I mostly just dabble in. No wonder you can afford fancier clothes."
"I'm not an inventor, not yet. These clothes? They're gifts." From Eobard recently, he was trying to bond with Cisco and Cisco wasn't exactly complaining. Whether or not he was being buttered up, he kind of fancied the idea of having new clothes that felt super nice and brand new shoes. It was all really cool. "I'm just a dabbler right now but my idea are getting some attention, it's pretty cool. Maybe one day I will be."
"Cisco, finish up, we're going back." Ronnie didn't give a reason why, he just had an uneasy feeling. Cisco was getting too friendly, he needed to get him home and let Caitlin lecture the hell out of him. Caitlin would kill him if he let Cisco get hurt.
"Thank you again for your generosity." Hartley bowed his head and smiled, unsure whether he had set something off. He could understand why Ronnie was so overprotective if Cisco always talked as openly, but he was hoping he hadn't given him a reason for true suspicion. He'd have to be more careful.
Nevertheless he put a hand on Cisco's arm before he could get up, aiming to catch his eyes with a proper smile. He spoke in Spanish, for that extra touch of intimacy. "Maybe I'll see you again, genius. Take care."
"Maybe, it'd be nice. I don't get much music in my life these days." Cisco finished off his beer, speaking in Spanish too so that Ronnie wouldn't whine at him and getting up when the other tugged his arm. Ronnie smiled politely at the bard, he wasn't so much worried about him or assuming he was dodgy as thinking anyone listening in was getting a giant load of info that Cisco should not be giving. "See you around, Piper."
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Should he return some of the money? But the man seemed set and, hell, he was going back to the castle, he had a roof over his head and clean and dry clothes, which was a lot more than any of the people he'd be returning to could say and they always had use for money, so he merely inclined his head and then smile, pushing his chair back a little and moving the lute around so he could play again.
He sang a bit quieter this time, but his fingers moved all the faster. The song wasn't in English, which caused some muttering, until people decided that it was Spanish and could be tolerated. It was Spanish and Hartley looked up at Cisco, since he suspected that the man might understand the language.
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It was a nice reminder of home, a pleasant familiar feeling.
Cisco raised his glass to Hartley and nodded his head in appreciation. "Thanks, man. That made my night." He offered out his hand politely. "I'm Cisco."
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"I like Spanish, the music and language. Thanks for inspiring me." He took a spoonful of his stew and looked around briefly. "You're from the castle? I wouldn't think you'd go to such a lowly tavern."
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"You took the last of his pay." Ronnie clarified and yes, it was a lie but he knew what bards were like and if they could charm someone, they could take all their cash and he honestly wouldn't be shocked if this guy tried to pull that. Ronnie didn't overly like being a dick to people, if he was alone then he'd be a lot friendlier but this was Cisco he was protecting. Cisco was the dumbest genius he knew.
"Well, I have a little more." Case in point. Cisco ordered another drink for himself, ignoring the way Ronnie pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to resist laughing at how dumb he was being. "And I'm not really 'from the castle', I work there."
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He took a bite from his bread and then tore off another small piece for Echo, because he didn't want her to complain.
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And now, finally, his debt was cleared and all he had to do was give a chunk to his family. Which was insanely unfair but not worth arguing over. "I'm nothing special. Ronnie is the guy with-- ow!"
Ronnie hit Cisco around the head before he could boast about how much money he had, smiling over him at the bard. "Cisco takes a long time to learn a little lesson. Feel free to ignore him."
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"It's a good season for bards now, because everyone spends too much time in taverns, since it's dreary anywhere else. The only problem is finding somewhere dry to sleep at, but sleeping is overrated anyway." He wasn't made for a servant's life anyway. At least as a bard, he only owed true allegiance to Leonard and that was of his own choice. "Do you work in the kitchen, Cisco? Stables? I'm useless both places."
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Ronnie just sipped his beer. This conversation was such a lost cause.
"I can't do kitchen stuff, I sometimes do stable work and I help one of the noblemen out day to day." He wasn't going to bring up that his job these days was mostly hanging out with Barry. "I'm hoping to upgrade job wise. I'm doing a little work for the prince actually. It's pretty exciting."
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"You're doing work for the Prince? You must be quite something, I should have known." Someone in direct contact with the prince, that was an unexpected jackpot.
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Cisco sipped his beer, feeling very accomplished, enjoying that finally, after years of being in the shadow of his brother achieving nothing, he had a reason to brag.
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"Cisco, finish up, we're going back." Ronnie didn't give a reason why, he just had an uneasy feeling. Cisco was getting too friendly, he needed to get him home and let Caitlin lecture the hell out of him. Caitlin would kill him if he let Cisco get hurt.
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Nevertheless he put a hand on Cisco's arm before he could get up, aiming to catch his eyes with a proper smile. He spoke in Spanish, for that extra touch of intimacy. "Maybe I'll see you again, genius. Take care."
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