While Thia was highly skilled at listening to many conversations at once, she had great difficulty speaking while she was trying to listen to even one other conversation. When Irchaet finished asking her question, Thia broadened her simper into a bashful smile, fluttered her eyelashes, and shifted her weight forward against the bar, all to stall for time while she waited for a gap in the soldiers' speech.
"Well, aren't you just full of information, my darling." Thia carefully raised the pitch of her voice and pursed her lips as she spoke the word "full," but only allowed half a breath before she continued. "I'm never quite sure what I'm hunting for when I begin the evening, Irchaet, but I think I may be getting very close."
Since she had locked eyes with the barmaid, Thia hadn't broken contact for a moment, even to blink. But now she allowed her heterochromic orbs to drop to her drink for a calculated moment while she took a short sip and continued to take full advantage of the nearby troopers' loose lips. Thia once again peered into the barmaid's red eyes.
"This is exquisite," the slender, dark-skinned woman gushed, only slightly in exaggeration. "Tell me what you would be doing if you weren't here, and if it's half as interesting as this libation, I may find myself pleased."