A rather promising conversation with Pureblood was interrupted when something the King did or said caught his attention and pulled it away from her half-lidded gaze and flirtatious smile. Annoyed, she followed his gaze towards the King's table in time to witness his command to Naamino, forcing the boy to find him more wine. The spectacle was... actually a little disappointing. Still, for his disappointing performance right off the line, he was lucky if a little humbling was all he had to endure.
Kivah's eyes sought out the King, studying him openly before lowering her head in a respectful nod that barely reached her shoulders. Her companion said something and she was opening her mouth to reply when a sharp thwack that could only be a fist connecting with a face sounded through the room. A scream of shock and rage followed. Immediately, her ears perked up and Kivah was looking for the source, potential dalliance forgotten in favor of this new excitement.
The moving crowd hid the action until someone was pushed back and like a ripple through water, the press of people spread out to let her see inside to the fight. Leshanna was laying into another girl that, weren't they from the same house? Ohh this was good. Tail flicking, she rocked up onto the balls of her feet as she watched the fight. Mentally she was there tallying up the blows and anticipating the blocks, dips, and counter-attacks. Proud in her victory, her rage was an ugly thing, controlling her with no finesse. The surrounding students were quick to join in, either picking a side or trying to stop the fight, and Kivah frowned disappointed. Teases. Now that she could watch, it was over in a flash.
"Well that was disappointing." She told her red-skinned companion and lead him over to a collection of wine glasses to take one up.
His reply was full of curiosity and showed that he and at least several in the room either had dossiers on the students or the announcers had gone into interesting details about their pasts.
"Weren't you a fighter? Not tempted to join in and help your fellow students?" He regarded her over his own wine.
She gave a one-armed shrug.
"Cage matches and business, not brawls. I'm here to get noticed. Not make an ass of myself in front of everyone that matters." Besides if she joined in unrestrained, she'd be sending some of those kids to the hospital if not the morgue. A small lie, more than a few of her fights had been brawls. Drunk Kivah enjoyed a good fight and dives were fun for a reason.
"Still, shying away. Could make you seem weak, risk avoidant." He was testing her now and she took a teasing sip of her own drink while considering her reply.
Best to be honest while playing down the risk. She shook her head.
"Anyone who saw the initiation trails should know better." Her hand tensed around the glass without squeezing, flexing her arm a noticeable amount even under her jacket. As she did, another thought suddenly struck her.
"Besides, there would be nothing to gain. No ally of mine was in the tumble, and..." How to phrase this next bit? Keep the flash of insightfulness going...
"Like I said, it would be detrimental." Good, let him fill in the blanks as he wished. He changed topics with a smile but had already lost the Cathar's interest. He was looking at her like a student. She'd preferred his earlier looks.