Mindartis bows to the tree a little. "Thank you Galathir, you are very kind. "I can take the last watch, or even the last couple. I'll be up either way."

Quentin will happily take the first watch, thinking its the safest, and will spend it looking through the new spell book he got from Lintelér and probably stay up a little later than normal looking through it. 

Quote from JacWalke >>

"I'm.....well I'm rather interested in my book and....well what you were trying to hide this morning Sir Cold." 

Elwin merely nodded at Quentin's request, apparently not wanting to speak of it publicly, as he set up camp.

"I'll take second watch," he stated, noting the other noble wanting to take the first.

QEDRM - Del thanks Q for the meal upgrade, plays songs for the tree and hits the hay until it's his turn Perception 17

As the party settles in to sleep, Quentin opens the book, only to find most of the magical symbols unfamiliar, and the notations indecipherable...it will probably take some time, and possible a little help to make out the strange spells. 

 (Did Quentin and Elwin want to have that secret night watchman's chat, or shall we go on with the night? )

(Quentin would very much like to have that talk. Pausing his pursuing of the book for it. If Elwin still doesn’t want to talk he won’t push it though.)

”So....that talk still. I would very much like to have it and I don’t think we’ll be anymore alone than this. We can do with my message spell if you’d rather do that though. Or if you don’t want to talk let me know and I won’t push.” Quentin quietly says to Elwin. 

Elwin shook his head. "It's not THAT big a deal. It's just..."

He rubbed his neck and looked away. "I pretty much embarrassed myself last night. On watch, I saw this boy take the prince's boots and run off with them. I've never seen anyone do that except one of the neighborhood thieves growing up, so I grabbed the kid, and demanded answers. I didn't hurt him or anything, it's just... boot cleaners? Who even came up with the idea of having strangers grab your boots from in front of your room? I didn't know, until the kid explained things, at which point I felt like a proper ass.

"It's..."  The young warlock sighed before continuing. "I've always considered myself a man of the world, so to speak, but in a lot of ways, especially with nobles and the like, it's as if I'm on a different plane entirely. And now that the prince has given ME a title? ME, a street urchin from Slate City?" He snorted. "I'm going to wind up looking like a painted pig on prom night."

Finally, he turned to Quentin and smiled. "Guess I have a lot more embarrassment to get used to before I get anywhere, eh?"

Quentin smiles and chuckles before saying, "It's okay....we all get embarrassed. I....ummm....." Quentin's face seems to turn red a little bit as he says, "I...well I embarrassed myself in front of the Prince this morning too. And...I...feel like I embarrass myself in front of you a lot too." Quentin chuckles as he looks down at the ground, the blush still on his face as he says, "I could....teach you..you know. That is...if...um....if you don't mind."  

Elwin looked at Quentin a moment. The idea of a noble being embarrassed for no good reason had never occurred to him. And yet here he was, trying to help HIM out...

He smiled as he threw an arm over Quentin's shoulders, shaking the elf as he laughed, "You're alright, Quentin!" He blushed a bit himself, adding, "Thanks for being so kind. I appreciate the help. I know I'll need it, and I'm probably not going to be a good student either; so this really means a lot. And hey--" he reached over with his free hand, bumping Quentin in the chest with a fist as he lowered his voice. "If you ever... you know... feel yourself getting frisky, and need suggestions on how to approach some of the more common city wenches, just let me know. I should be able to help hook you up, if you get my drift."

He winked before tousling Quentin's hair good-naturedly as he stood up, grinning like a kid who'd just found a new best friend. "See you in the morning, brother!" he said cheerily before heading out a distance to take on his watch.

If Quentin's face was just a blush before he is full on completely deep red, if you didn't know better you'd say that he was a fire genasi with how red his face has become. Seeing Elwin leave he quickly says, "Wait....Elwin....can you....can you help me right now?" 

Elwin rushed back, wondering what was going on. "Certainly, brother. What's wrong?"

Quentin looks down at the ground and says, "Can you promise me you won't tell the others? I...I don't want everyone to know yet." 

Elwin blinked, surprised at Quentin's concern. Then he smiled as he sat back down and threw his arm around the elf's shoulders again. "Anything you say is safe with me," he said confidently. "Anything."

Quentin nods trusting the human before saying, "I'm gay. It's....not that big of a deal in these parts but in the Court I'm expected to have a child and carry on my magical bloodline. And well....I can't do that while I'm gay." Looking at Elwin and trusting him Quentin then lets out everything that's been bottling up about this, it all coming in one long strand as he hardly stops to breath. "And I have a crush on someone, someone the court would absolutely hate. But I don't think he knows I have a crush on him and I'm unsure if he returns it. If he doesn't that's fine but I'm not sure if he'd treat me different or not and we're just starting to become actually close and I don't want to **** it up. On top of that I'm not...super experienced when it comes to dating, only had one secret boyfriend before and we never did more than kiss. And...well...the Prince was flirting with me earlier. But I didn't know he was flirting and I think I accidentally turned down his advances. But we're becoming closer and I like him the more I come to know him and I might be developing a crush on him too. But he's the Prince! He's suppose to marry some Princess from another kingdom for political alliances. And I don't want to be just some....casual thing. I want to date and actually fall in love. That's a big reason of why I left and didn't go the Academy like I was suppose to. So I could freely date and well...now I'm all confused and don't know what to do and could you please help me." As he finishes Quentin takes a couple of deep breaths and looks expectedly up at Elwin like he's suppose to have the answers to all of his love life questions. 

Elwin's look of confusion lingered a moment, before becoming a look of realization, perfectly punctuated by an "Aaaaaah." His brow furrowed a bit as if pondering something, but he quickly dismissed it as he turned back to Quentin.

The hand lying on Quentin's shoulder turned into an open palm that smacked the back of the elf's head--not too hard, but firmly. "You nobles, with your labels and expectations and such. You bring this all on yourselves, you know that?" Then he sighed as he lowered his hand back down, quietly adding, "I would say 'we nobles' now, but I'm not taking the path that far. Still..."

He turned to look at Quentin firmly, but with concern instead of malice. "Look brother, we never drew lines like that where I grew up, so I'm afraid I don't have the sort of answers you're looking for. I do think you sell yourself short by taking on needless restrictions and worries though. Marry if you want. Have a child. Nothing stopping you there other than your own choices. Or, do your own thing, although of course you won't change anyone's mind in doing so, so the social repercussions aren't just going to go away.

"I'll tell you what a wiser man once told me: 'Just make sure you do what you believe to be right, for you, and those around you, now and in the future. Don't rush into anything because of temporary feelings, including fear, and including baser emotions. Those all fade. It's your choices, made and kept with sober conviction, that will define you, and your relationships, and your legacy, throughout the rest of time.'

Tousling the elf's hair once more, Elwin asked, "I'm no guru, but hopefully that was some help, yeah?"

Quentin blushes some as his hair is tousled once again before admitting, "I was hoping you'd just say go for the Prince or go for the other guy." Quentin replies with shrug before saying, "But I guess that would make this too simple." He then chuckles before looking at Elwin and his face turning to a blush once more before looking back down and saying, "I...I'll think about your words some. Thanks for listening at least...it was eating me up bot telling anyone." 

Elwin gave the elf another smile before standing again. "Anytime, brother. Sorry I couldn't be more of a help. But... it wouldn't be any fun if it was easy, would it?" With a pat on the back, he stepped off toward the camp perimeter.

Quentin continues to blush and says, "I guess." Watching Elwin back off and not stopping him this time as he says something under his breath before going back to his book. 

((Anyone else got business to take care of tonight?))

Okay, the night is quiet through Elwin's and Del's watches.

Raven notices some torches to the northeast: and the distant sound of gnoll voices approaching.  Sounds like a lot of them, and they are making no attempt at being stealthy.