"I've got roughly an hour of free time... I'll give you two coins for a distraction?"
Was he hearing right? For a split second, a very flabbergasted Steven looked straight toward the other man and wondered if he had lost his mind or smoked something that may have scrambled his brains in a very disorganized fashion. This one man... wanted one hour of his time for the measly price of two gold coins? Was he supposed to be in sales? Did he have the word CHARITY imprinted on his forehead? Kudos for the audacity of the request but as the other man would soon learn, things were done the Blackwell way and not the other way around.
"Two coins for one hour of my precious time. Don't get me wrong, I do like what I see." Definitely not one of those skin and bone twinks that he couldn't even use as a toothpick. "But in what universe would I spend one hour with you when I don't even know if you can last that long? And for two gold coins? Are you putting me in the same category as everyone else? Sweetheart, it would take a lot more than just two coins for you to spend time with me... let alone an hour. But..." Because Steven was indeed entertained by the sheer audacity of it all...
"Pledge your case. I won't give you an hour. My time is far too precious. But I can give you something - if you succeed in convincing me."