"So that's yer story, eh?" Claus stroked his stubbly chin. "Well, Bella. Ya did the right thing."
"Ah, thank you Mr. Claus." Bella beamed.
"Now, Avaron. Where's yer pay?" Claus extended his massive, muscular hand.
"Um...about that..." Avaron shifted her eyes away nervously.
"Ya don't have money on ya." Claus retracted his hand. "Welp, I'm not lettin' ya get off so easy, 'til ya pay yer bill!"
"I'll pay you back! Right now, in fact!" Avaron fished some money from her pockets. "Here! Maybe a few Moonbucks will cover the cost!"
"What's this?" Claus looked at the money. His eyebrows furrowed. "Little prices of paper ain't gonna cover yer bill!" He quickly tore up the bills, until they were nothing more then pieces of confetti.
"Hey, hey!" Avaron stood up, slamming her hands on the table. "What's your problem? I paid you and you just tore it up!"
"They don't use paper and currency here, Avaron," Bella explained. "They use a system of trading goods in exchange for products. Look." She pointed towards a customer and a tavern waiter.
The waiter served the customer a mug of beer. The customer then took out an egg and two radishes. The waiter placed them on the tray and walked away.
"You, expect me to pay you with poultry products and radishes?" Avaron scoffed in disbelief. "I don't have those things, but the farmers who found me probably have. Just let me leave and I'll get them for you." Avaron started to walk away, hoping to just leave the situation behind.
"Not so fast." Claus stopped her with a firm grasp on her shoulders. "Yer gonna work off your debt, and yer not going anywhere 'till the day is over!"
Out of all the authority figures Avaron had encountered in her life, Claus was certainly very much formidable. Clearly, he wasn't the type to be dumped so easily as the high-society Moons were back home. Add muscles to the equation, and the sum was a brainy bruiser.
"Heh...heh..." she laughed nervously. "Ye-yessir...."