Arvel swings his arms in a wide flourish, and the observant notice that his eyes flash pure gold for a moment.

"Dear me. I am being zee center of attention again, am I not? What a distraction I must be!"

His foot nudges Rue under the table.

 "Mon dieu! I do so 'ate being zee centair of attention! Everyone staring at me! Every eye on me! Not a thought to anything but me! 'Ow embarrassing!"

Dwindlejoy and the Sergeant blink, clearly annoyed with you.  Grady does more than blink - he stares for a long moment.

Arvel’s well-polished boot nudges Rue again. 

Aerys comes up from the table with his mug and sets it down. "By the way, Grady, while I was down there it seems you dropped this paper! I'd hand it back to you, but I think the sergeant needs to see this." Aerys hands the paper to the sergeant and smiles at Grady. "You know littering is one of the worst type of crimes if you think about it..."

(Sorry, I forgot it was Aerys under the table. Not Rue.)

((I just imagine you've been kicking the shit out of Rue's foot for no reason lmao!))

Jun turns his attention to this paper to see what the big deal with it is.

Cassandra raises a skeptical eyebrow at Arvel's claim to not like being the center of attention.

When the paper is brought up, she leans in curiously.

It's a good thing Aerys grabbed the paper, because Rue has ((gone to bed)) just been staring at Arvel, baffled.  He shuffles his feet further beneath him, but at least seems to catch on once Aerys presents the note to the Sergeant.  He gives a sheepish grin that likely no one notices because they're looking at the Sergeant.

Sergeant Grimsditch takes the paper and skims it.  "A distraction will be provided, eh?  Now I know we have more than enough."  He snaps, and the other eight members of the watch appear as if out of nowhere, flanking Grady and Dwindlejoy.  "Attempted robbery and conspiracy.  Durnan, this will have to go through the Council, of course, but I think we have found those who will make restitution for the damage to your wall.  Unless, of course, you two would like to tell us more down at the stockades."

"I would welcome their paying the good people hard at work," replies Durnan.  You can see the walls themselves are already in the process of repair, as even during the fight Durnan had contacted various craftsmen's guilds. He is not one to let his business lay idle.

As the Watch prepares to leave, the Sergeant turns to Leilani.  "Is there anything you want to say about this parchment of yours, miss?  I might save you some trouble down the road."

Leilani shakes her head.  "I thank you for your attention, Sergeant, but my affairs are my own.

"As you wish.  And the Watch thanks you for your efforts during this 'accident' and helping to identify the perpetrators.  We can take it from here.  In recognition of your efforts, however, if you have one question you wish to ask these two thugs before I take them away, now is your chance."

Aerys looks at the two, "I, personally, have nothing to say to these fools. A lion doesn't concern himself with the opinions of a sheep."

"No furzer questions, Armar."

"Very well, then.  Waterdeep thanks you for your service," the Sergeant concludes with a bow.

As the Watch exits your view, Rusty Bighat enters it.  "My good beings , what a night, what a night!  Brave adventurers, delving into the very Pit!  An unforseen crash, a battle royale "-- he trills his Rs in a way unlike any halfling you've known - "and the Watch hear to serve and protect, as always.  Let's show them the respect they deserve!"  He leads the audience in tepid applause for the departing Sergeant and his guards.

"But we promised you a show, did we not?  And who better to warm you up than your very own Threestrings Mereg, here to tell the tale of Bravado, and the Baron of Blood!"

The applause raises in earnest as Threestrings takes the stage.  Slowly, but with confidence, he begins to coax a tune out of his battered instrument:

Waterdeep has many villains, but few so terrifying as the “Baron of Blood”: a cruel nobleman who bathes in a bath of blood drawn from his victims. Each night, the baron’s minions prowl the streets for lost souls to kidnap. They deliver them to the baron’s manor, where he personally murders them.

One night, a penniless tiefling named Bravado was searching the sewers for salvage when he tripped and broke his lantern. In the pitch dark, he stumbled across the hidden entrance to the baron’s manor. When the baron returned, Bravado had no option but to hide in his bath of blood. Alas, the baron found him! Covered in blood, Bravado took a great gamble: he pretended

to be the devil lord Asmodeus! The trick worked, and Bravado tried many unsuccessful ploys to distract the baron and escape. In time, the baron caught on to his ruse, but was so impressed by his cunning that he decided to let him live!

The baron rewarded Bravado by agreeing to swap roles with him one night every tenday. For that night, Bravado would enjoy all the luxuries of the wealthy, while the baron mixed with the poor. Perhaps he’s here tonight...?

Towards the midpoint of the tale, an elderly halfling and a human approach your table.  The human fidgets constantly, and her hand never strays far from her sword.   The halfling smiles gently up at her and says, takes the trembling hand, and says gently "peace, child.  These are not our foes."  She turns to you and asks "please, may we join you?" 

 "By all means! Zee more zee merrier!"

"Thank you," says the halfling, as gingerly sits in the chair her human companion has pulled out for her.  Once they are both seated, she continues "I could not help but notice how you handled the...situation.  Curious, how a carriage happened to crash moments after seasoned fighters descended into the pit, don't you think?  Durnan should be glad that you were present to sort it out.  Tell me, do you go looking for trouble?"

"Looking? Non. But a life wizzout a leetle trouble would be very boring indeed!

Besides, if zee rumors are even a leetle true, Durnan would 'ave 'ad no trouble dealing wiz zings himself."

 "It is mighty curious, friend. Let's just hope them two get what they deserve." Aerys says as he takes a sip of his ale.

(OOC: Does Leilani stick around for the show?)