[ The remark is similar enough to the common Elvish comments about goblins and their barbarity that Maia's back stiffens a little - he is not offended, but perhaps a touch more wary than he had been before. Blandly - a little too blandly - he says: ]

Many elves believe such things in our world, too.

[ Of course, in fairness, goblins had plenty of inaccurate and unflattering ideas about elves, too, but Maia had not grown up around goblins. Taako's words would sting more, if it were not clear that he is not speaking about people like Maia's mother - or Nemer, or Oshet, or any of the many goblins and part-goblins who work as servants of various kinds at court. For all Maia knows, the goblins in Taako's world really are, as he says 'rough'. ]

It is a skill that anyone can be taught, if they have skill enough to be accepted as a novice, but... as you say, we did not have the knack for it.

[ It's true enough, if not the whole story.

Maia turns and looks back to the crab, which has stopped near to the sugar. He watches as, delicately, it picks the little cube up between both of its large pincers, bringing it carefully to its (rather horrible to look at) mouth and starting to nibble at it with an extreme delicacy that is mis-matched with its intimidating appearance. ]

Perhaps we should leave while the ferocious beast is distracted.

[ A little humor in that, at his own expense, for being afraid of an animal that is now clearly harmless. Maia hesitates, then asks: ]

If you would like, we would be pleased to speak to you more, about magic and your world. Might we- buy you a cup of tea?