"I'm sorry. I was somewhere else, in a time and place that have disappeared from this world," Crystal apologized. She smiled at him gently, allowing the care of her feelings to shine through.
"It sounds wonderful. I do need a place to stay. I would pay you for your kindess, but I don't actually have any money," Crystal said as her blush deepened. She didn't want to take advantage of a man that was obviously just slightly drunk. She had already taken advantage of too many men.
She shook her head at Aman when she asked if she wanted anything else. She didn't have the money for anything else. Crystal was beginning to wonder why money was ever an importance to people.
She unclasped the jeweled necklace that hung from her neck and held it out of the hobbit.
"If you'll please kind sir, take this as a payment of your kindess then I would be honored to stay with such a gentleman as you," Crystal replied with a smile that didn't show the breaking of her heart. She never wanted to part from this, but she had to if she was going to live through the night.
She studied his eyes again and couldn't help feeling as if she wasn't dreaming. That these were the eyes of her Arty, the only man that she had loved. The only man she had wanted to love. Maybe that's why her heart and stomach were feeling funny, but she could tell it wasn't Arty's eyes. They were the same in some ways, compassionate and kind, but the eyes had a different soul. The soul of this hobbit.
"Excuse me, kind sir, is your name at all Arty?" Crystal asked boldly, regretting it immediately. She had never asked a stranger for his name, but yet she never felt at home before. She watched his face for any sign of surprise and hoped silently.
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"What you see is exactly what you get. Don't say I didn't warn you."
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