Here he perks up visibly behind the edge of his bowl. The boy swallows hard past the piping hot mouthful of stew and rearranges his limbs into rather less sullen angles.

"Is that all? Easily done. In fact, hurry up with that hot meal and-- oh, here comes your hot chocolate-- and we can go back to your rooms straight away and be done with it. Do you have any chalk? Paint, even. Or should we get some on the way?"

And thank you, amenable barmaid, for the drink. Ignoring the heat, he knocks it back entirely in one go. Places to go! People to no longer be!