(Open)Sit down, enjoy the scene

[Alessandra]

She had to chuckle to herself at the comment and takes a sip of her drink.

“I’m always happy to add to my collection. Once I’ve done my research on it and the artist of course. But I have a feeling this one will spark some fun discussions.”

An eyebrow was raised at the question, “Any Italian of worth knows his work. He’s considered the founder of a new school in the Italian drama. He’s also hailed as Italy’s sole tragic poet. I grew up learning about him school, and my father had original copies of a few of his plays.” Some gifts, some acquired.

She looked to Ellis with a look showing she was impressed, with a nod, “Yes. Seems someone knows their Italian plays.” Or he got lucky.

Taking another sip, her eyes looked amused as she listened to Ellis, “Grazie.” She was pretty proud of Cain. “His name is Cain. And he’s a one off, I had him bred special.” Placing her glass down, “You interested in dogs?”

[Ellis Meadows]

Ellis smiles at the complement. "I read a translation. Sometimes it's nice to not just be a pretty face."

"My father was." The way Ellis says father and not quote-father-endquote suggests it's his actual father, not a convenient euphemism for Sire to use in public. "Mutts, nothing purebred. We lived in a place where we could have lots of big ones. Great big rowdy things that ate like horses and slept in a pile. I haven't had a pet since I moved away. Never had the time to take care of one on my own the way they deserve. My days are too busy still." He makes gesture of acceptance. "I can respect the work you must have put into him with training, though. It's self-evident."

When Alessandra drinks from her glass, Ellis' eyes do a quick sweep around the room. "I'm going to go get a beer. You want something, Thomas?" He nods over to the bar where drinks are changing hands. They've been sitting around in a bar for long enough that it was going to become suspicious that they didn't have anything in front of them. Shelling out a few bucks for a draft beer that he wasn't going to drink was a cheap enough shield for the Masquerade.

He looks over to Alessandra, including her in the offer as a courtesy. Not that he expected she would accept. She already had a drink.

[Alessandra]

“My family was originally from Sicily, I was born and raised, but I moved to Florence soon after taking over the family business. Expanded you could say,” sipping from her drink again, “the family wine sold well there.” She had legitimate business connections. At one point in her life. “But things, changed. And I wanted to explore opportunities here.” Which had been a wise move.

Chuckling, “I prefer the originals, but good to know you’re not just a pretty face.” Might prove useful at some point. “Do you make it a point to study plays from other countries?”

“That sounds nice. Must have had lots of room. I have Cain on a special diet, keeps his coat nice a shiny, and his weight down.” Special diet, ha! “We have a special bond, took many nights getting to know each other. But worth every sleepless night.” Cain was an investment.

Catching the look, she shakes her head, “No thanks, still got this one.”

[Ellis Meadows]

llis takes Thomas' offered money and hits the bar, coming back a very short time later with two beers and a smirk. "I don't think that bartender considers us fit company for you, Sofia." Ellis is amused more than anything else as he passes Thomas' drink and change to him. "Or maybe he just doesn't like me." In another circumstance, with different company, he'd make it a point to eat him. Just a bit. He'd recover in a few days, a week at the outside.

Still, he might. Depending on how the evening shook out. It's not like this was the Rack. He'd eaten worse, and for less cause.

"Ruralish. Not a farm or anything. It was the outskirts of a town in Arizona. One of those places that get built by people who don't want company." His voice twists into an imitation of someone else's cadence. "An they sure as hell don wan'ta be surprised by any company that darkens my doorstep. And just imagine there's a shotgun near the door and that I hacked up something and spit, if you want." It isn't difficult to imagine that a younger Ellis would want to be there any longer than he had to be. "Yourself?"

Thomas struck him as someone who had been struck, by a father or uncle perhaps. For being smart, or clever. Or just because they felt inadequate somehow. The comment on kings and fools was a clue. So was the unobtrusiveness. People were puzzles, you just need to find the edge pieces.

[Alessandra]

A single shoulder shrugged, “Oh you know how life can be. It’s finicky and times change. I wasn’t able to provide for the business like I used to, in my younger days.” She says with a smirk and a wink. “Sometimes it’s best to begin an empire in a new country, make my own name. The market was much more receptive here, there were more opportunities.” New name, and empire.

An amused look was offered to the bartender, “It must be how shady you both look.” She jokes.

“Sounds like a welcoming place.” And one that would not want her there.

[Ellis Meadows]

"A tragedy, I'm sure." It was easy for Ellis to dismiss the deaths of an entire cult, they were after all already long dead. Disappointing that Thomas would flex about that, but it certainly lent credence to his personal theories.

He gives Alessandra a smile. "The dogs like it," Ellis says simply. "And I suppose as long as they're happy, that place has a more positive impact on the world's net happiness then a lot of places."

He raises his beer in a toast for the table. "To homes that are too small for our ambitions."

[Alessandra]

Fire was a bitch.

“That’s sad to hear. We’re they able to rebuild?” some people choose to rebuild, some didn’t.

Smirking, “The dog was a bonus, and a requirement.” Given her station, she trusted none. “I’ve been considering expanding into opening a business. Been studying the local scene, seeing what’s working and what’s not. Looking for a niche that hasn’t been done yet, or hasn’t been done well.” She was a business woman at heart. Maybe it was time for some legit business.

“I certainly can’t argue with that. Animals have a way of making us feel like better people. Showing us what truly matters.”

A toast? Eh, why not, and she raises her glass.