The pub is busy at night with all kinds of custom making it rowdy and loud as they spend their money on food, drink and women. The atmosphere is warm and pleasant, though tinged with an air of the debauchery that often goes on there.

::Aidan shivers on the outside of this fine establishment as he looks longingly through the window at the warmth and happiness inside.::

"Oi. Tha' little urchin's outside again."

"Will I chase 'im off?"

"Might be a good idea. 'E'll scare off the customers."

::A fairly drunk middle-aged man looks out the window and sees the young Aidan outside. He gets up.::

"I'll take care of the lil blighter."

::He sways for a moment before going outside.::

"'Ello, there."

"Hello..."

::Aidan looks up at the man timidly, but he must do what he must do.::

"Could you spare any-"

"Nonsense, my boy. I can spare nothing!"

::Huntley claps Aidan on the back.::

"I can offer everything, though."

::Aidan frowns, not understanding.::

"Everything?"

"I hear you're around here a lot, m'boy. Begging and scrounging... have you turned to pickpocketing?

"No, Sir, I would never!"

(Only because I'm not good enough.)

"Then you're a good man. And this is your lucky night. I'm offering you food and shelter back at my manor. My name is Edward Huntley and I am well-known."

"Forgive me, I have not heard..."

(... this is a trick.)

"Of course you haven't; you're a boy of the street. But I offer you this: food, ale, a warm bed, a roaring fire, fresh clothes... and all for nothing. I am in a generous mood, you see?"

::Not knowing what to make of it, Aidan decides that he should take what he can get off the old man before he changes his mind.::

"Are you... honest?"

"Completely. Come. Come back with me and I will prove it."

::Aidan takes one last look into the pub window and nods.::

"Please."

::Still with his hand on Aidan's back, Huntley leads the boy to his manor.::

(This looks like some kind of pub. Maybe I'll get to use the phrase 'making merry' with something. Oh yes. Keep an eye out.)

::He sits as silently as possible in a corner and watches for action.::

::Aidan gets some dirty looks.::

::He smiles politely.::

(I wonder if they know Paidan. Good nickname.)

"There you are, m'boy! Why on earth did you run off like that?"

::The jolly-looking Mr. Huntley strides over to Aidan.::

"Oh er, well, you know me! Sociable Aidan..."

::Aidan pauses, looking the weathy man up and down completely unknowing of how to react.::

"Shine ya shoes guv'na...?"

(Idiot.)

::Edward stares.::

"Pardon me?"

"Just an old joke... sir?"

(Is he my father?)

"Where are we off to?"

"Back to the manor, son. You didn't finish eating. I did wonder where you'd run off to."

::Huntley smiles and holds a hand out to help Aidan up.::

(Don't do anything. I don't know how I die in this time. Just follow and look pretty, that's IT.)

"Thank you."

(Son? Maybe he is my Dad, or maybe he's just being nice. Maybe I have no parents. Maybe I'm so poor I've been reduced to selling myself to strange men.)

::Aidan offers his hand.::

::Grabbing on to the boy, Huntley pulls him up and quick-marches him back to the manor.::

::Dante walks in and wrinkles his nose at all of the oafs and louts in here.::

(Ugh. Disgusting.)

::He glances around for someone not completely and utterly repulsive to talk to.::

::Hag.::

"'Allo 'andsome!"

::Dante screams in horror and runs out to the streets.::