Event Private Gift Giving Pride

Colten Morey didn't exactly celebrate Christmas, but he did participate in the secret Santa program from time to time. It was a matter of great pride to select a gift that would impress whomever he was paired with each time he participated.

And this was no different a situation. He'd arranged to procure something he thought would go over quite well. And then made contact to set up a meeting at small, upscale restaurant. It wouldnt do to just invite anyone to the Manor after all. Besides he knew the owner and the head chef there. So it was sure to be a good night even if the gift didnt go over as well as he expected. But it should.

Colten sat at a table on one side of the room, with his assistant casually seated at a table nearby. Within reach if needed but otherwise she would simply just leave Mr Morey and his guest alone.

@Romi

Colten was hard to miss. Between the fine attire and bright orange and black stripes on his horns and tail he tended to stand out. Some might say intentionally so, in fact. But he calmly stood and smiled at Jackal as he approached. "Indeed I am, and you must be Mr. Jackal. Please, join me. Shall I order us something to drink?" He asked as he gestured to the table with one arm, his tail flicking lightly back and forth.

On the table, slid over to the side to be out of the way but still accessible, were two neatly wrapped objects. Colten always tried to give a book of some kind in his gifts if appropriate, but knowing not everyone appreciated such things he had commissioned something else too just in case. The book was actually quite simple but the subject was relatively intriguing. Rather than a novel or academic tome it was a bound collection of stories from the earliest dragons to come to Manta Carlos. Tales from home, personal stories, and even one or two diary pages had been collected into a single book. Not an overly popular book among the general public, but the note had mentioned Jackal had an interest in dragons.

The other gift though was a bit more physically intriguing. Beneath the shiny wrapping paper was a complex array of sharp daggers arranged into a spiraling tower. An intimidating but beautiful sculpture. All poised to support and interlock the blades into one stable structure. Of course they were all perfectly usable weapons should someone dare pull one from the tower and not lose a hand doing so.

Colten smiled and nodded at a waitress nearby, holding out two fingers to indicate they would both be drinking the wine his assistant had already selected. Then he waited for Jackal to find his seat before joining him at the table.

"I would imagine we do have a number of things in common and I would also personally appreciate time to speak with you. I have cleared my schedule for a couple hours just in case. Colten noted the packages but deliberately kept his focus on his guest. His own tail being adjusted in much the same way.

"Perhaps we should exchange gifts first, that way we can discard the paper and such before the food comes," he said calmly as he reach over to slide the ones he'd brought across the table. "A word of warning however. The larger one could be dangerous if not carefully handled." He sort of relished the mystery and decided not to mention in what way it could be dangerous. "But I believe you have some experience with danger so I am not overly worried."

Colten waited and watched Jackal's face as he opened the first gift. Wanting to see whether he was going to appreciate the book. And then he smiled, nodding to himself in satisfaction as the man seemed to like it.

Not everyone could recognize the thought that Colten tried to put into his giftgiving.

As for Colten himself, he drew a knife from the array of shiny utensils on the table and carefully cut open the first of the gifts offered to him. Based on the shape and feel of the package it was a pretty safe bet it was some kind of book. And of course it was just so. As the cover was revealed Colten smiled. "Ah, a collection of local works of a shorter nature. How did you know I sometimes like to read short stories between appointments? I will read each one." He seemed genuinely impressed with the gift. Or perhaps he was just being polite. A flock of his tail probably indicated the former though, for anyone who might have caught the brief movement.

"It amuses me that the first gifts are both books. Though I suppose that given my interested and reputation that was a fairly likely outcome."

He smiled again and glanced at the second gift he'd offered to Jackal. "But of course sometimes an item, or items, of a more tangible and physical nature are also quite welcome. "I am impressed so far Mr. Jackal."

Meanwhile the waitress returned with their glasses of wine, leaving the bottle on the table. It wasnt a cheap bottle either. Not at all.

Colten nodded and took a brief sip from his own glass. "You seem to be well versed in reading people. Or researching them. Or perhaps both. It's a laudable quality I think," he complimented as he set the glass back down lightly on the table with his head cocked just slightly to the side.

"But while i'm quite proud of my bestsellers they are not all that I am. As you noted, I can be quite generous at times. Or not, depending on the person I am speaking with. But I don't see any reason why our meeting would turn sour in that way. You're respectful enough, complementary, and intelligent after all." He sat back in his seat but didn't slouch.

"We should open the other gifts though. I'm interested to see whether it suits your liking as much as the book did"