Alaric is heartened to hear Muzdum's reply, though still concerned. He withholds the all-purpose antitoxin he had brewed weeks ago in Entan's lab.
"Aye, let's getcha to a healer, now!" the young wizard replies in rough Dwarven. It occurs to him a second later that there was a distinct clanking sound a moment ago, and that some familiar voice had said the same thing. And raven-man? What the heck? After all, his bird was a crow, and it wasn't HIS poison! Alaric turns to see the newcomer, one eyebrow shooting up and the opposite end of his jaw falling slack as he stares, stupidly, at William.
The comical pose lasts a few seconds before he says "Willie? Ya didn't drag another thrice-damned ghost along from the arse-crack o' nowhere what ya've crawled back outta again, didja? Or didja jes' drag Estelle back after the longest honeymoon-what's-not-a-honeymoon man's ever heard'a, since she jes' came outta nowhere too yesserday?" Alaric says incredulously, his hick accent coming out as he's stupefied.
It doesn't occur to him, until several seconds later, that he's probably just killed whatever remote chances he might've ever had of wooing Lady Devera with art and fancy words, so he could get out of working for Entan one way or another for the rest of his life. He tries to regain composure and act normal.
