Ropati biked back to his stand, chiming the bell through the tight crowds … and then because he had to get off in said impenetrable crowd, caught himself idly dinging out a tune on the bike bell instead. He could see his stand, and that he still had most of what he had left there. She told him she had gotten an influx of customers at some point, and figured that was when one of the bottles had wandered off.

So, Ropati took a seat behind his stand and smiled invitingly to anyone who made eye contact too long.

Of course Lailani made eye contact for too long. She had watched the man arrive on a bike and from the moment she saw him her mind tried to work out what exactly was he. As unfortunate as it was, Lailani got asked that question more then one would think growing up to the point that the woman had the habit of trying to figure peculiar peoples origins.. usually that meant non Europeans. The noble woman smiled at the man as she approached the stand curiously. “You sell wine? I thought that went against your religion… which is…?” She smiled warmly not meaning to be mean as this was pure curiosity much like a babe and their first roll in snow.

She was a stunning woman – the kind he tread carefully around … and yet darker than that usually entailed. He’d bet if he took her hand in his, hers might lay gold in his clay.

Not that he would dare.

His customer smile coiled, tightened, strained at the question, though it did everything but break. Had she even seen her second decade yet? He doubted it was anything sinister, much as it crawled under his skin.

“Tell you all about it over a glass of wine, young miss,” he answered, voice rough but tone smooth.

She eyed him very curiously. Their were similarities between this man and that of her cousins on her mothers side but still their was there differences. Perhaps her first guess was wrong. None the less Lailani smiled and did a small curtsy. “But good sir I do not know your name and as a representative of Hawaiian nobility in these much colder isles I must be a symbol of virt-“ she couldn’t hold her presentation of regalness and burst into a fit of giggles. “I cant even say the word without laughing, my apologies. I am aliʻi Lady Lailani Mackenzie.. what you say I buy a glass of wine or a bottle per question answered?” She wagered

He watched her quietly in her speech, though the corner of his mouth quirked when she couldn’t finish her sentence. He didn’t know a thing about her, but he had eyes: she was a beautiful woman, unaccompanied, in this vicious English land. At the very least, she had spirit.

“It’s a silly concept,” he said, with an amused look. “Ropati Fa’afili,” he introduced. “I’d say you could be walking away with a lot of wine and a little less coin is what.”

He slid forward a mid-ranged bottle, for she certainly looked like she could afford it, and gave her a price … less than he’d usually charge someone so well dressed.

Upon hearing the mans name a smile spread across the raven haired woman’s face. The man had to be from the Pacific, the name and surname sounded too familiar in a way not to be. “Especially when its not a universally distributed or evaluated concept. One mans noble daughter is another mans wench” she said with a grin.

However with Lailani’s habit of jumping the gun at times this would not be the first time the woman guessed wrong. Heck she guessed wrong earlier. Lailani did not have to worry about money so she simply nodded at the mans assessment that she would leave with more wine then what she knew to do with it. So after taking out from currency, she placed it on the mans stand without even looking at the wine. “Where are you from? Your name sounds… s-pacific” the woman said feeling very proud at her usage of pacific in place of specific which made her grin. 

Lailani took out more currency and held the currency as she asked another question. “Are you married?”

Another man’s wench … Ropati shifted his glasses up, studying her a touch too intently.

Too young to be his daughter; too old for a granddaughter. His shoulders settled in relief.

“The law here may say the man owns the woman, but I hear there’s a ring involved in that exchange.”

Whether it was from trust or sheer unwillingness to haul all this wine back, Ropati sorted the money with nary a glance for counterfeits. She didn’t even glance. Did she even like wine?

Neither did he.

He slid another classy bottle toward her with the next question, not bothering to hide his grin.

“Very … sssssPacific. Samoa.”

When she asked if he was married, he glanced down to her hand. Spied no wedding ring. Ropati slid another wine her way.

“I am not,” he answered, “and I hear that can be quite ideal – especially for independent young women.”

He didn’t want a girl young enough to be his daughter to think he was only talking to her out of some misguided notions of courtship, after all.

Lailani smiled as she thought she was beginning to like this man. Not in a romantic sort of way but In a.. well in that way that someone who wants to get to know them better. “Rings are so impractical. Not everyone will want a ring but most people would prefer a chicken” she joked in her weird nonsensical manner.. at least to most who did grasp her mind.. sometimes Lailani did not grasp her own mind. 

“Samoa is a pretty place. Ask people here and I think they will complain about the heat” she giggled with amusement at this jab she made at her own fathers people in favor of her mothers. “I find the humidity to be quiet kind to my curls” she said feeling obligated to at least act a little vain and girlish despite the expression on her eyes being a rolling cart wheel in expression to emphasize her point. 

“Soon to be married I am. But my fiancée is flexible to my persuasion which is how I like men if they are not willing to downright be agreeable” What she meant by flexible to her persuasion was up for interpretation. 

Lailani again gave the man money fully intending to pay for conversation rather then wine. She would not be carrying this stuff home after all. “What do you miss about Samoa? Is their anything you miss culturally wise? Perhaps a food your fond of?”


Lailani smiled as she thought she was beginning to like this man. Not in a romantic sort of way but In a.. well in that way that someone who wants to get to know them better. “Rings are so impractical. Not everyone will want a ring but most people would prefer a chicken” she joked in her weird nonsensical manner.. at least to most who did grasp her mind.. sometimes Lailani did not grasp her own mind. 

“Samoa is a pretty place. Ask people here and I think they will complain about the heat” she giggled with amusement at this jab she made at her own fathers people in favor of her mothers. “I find the humidity to be quiet kind to my curls” she said feeling obligated to at least act a little vain and girlish despite the expression on her eyes being a rolling cart wheel in expression to emphasize her point. 

“Soon to be married I am. But my fiancée is flexible to my persuasion which is how I like men if they are not willing to downright be agreeable” What she meant by flexible to her persuasion was up for interpretation. 

Lailani again gave the man money fully intending to pay for conversation rather then wine. She would not be carrying this stuff home after all. “What do you miss about Samoa? Is their anything you miss culturally wise? Perhaps a food your fond of?”