The Phantom was attempting to retain some shred of dignity, which was proving difficult considering Belnarr's skill at kicking a target and his still-burnt fingers. It was difficult to look dignified with one's fingers in one's mouth. He stuck them into the snow instead and resumed eating his rabbit with, "About the same as today," thrown in Ash's general direction. Jais was, as usual, being Jais and therefore annoying someone or other.

Eledhe tore into her dinner with as much abandon as anyone else, and a conspicuous lack of manners. She was still eying the map thoughtfully, as though convinced there had to be a more efficient way to get where they were going. Apparently, upon finishing dinner, she decided to broach the topic again and came to jolt a reluctant Phantom into a mostly wakeful state at least.

"Look," she said, jabbing a finger at their current location. "We'll cut off five miles if we go over Kingfisher Pass instead of going around to travel through Caire, even if it is safer."

The Phantom opened an eye to squint at where she was pointing. "Oh, I know," he responded calmly. "That's the way we're going."

Eledhe threw up her hands and stalked off looking as though she'd passed the stage of approaching homicidal.

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Looking mildly offended, Kjan muttered something about religiously washing his socks at least once every few months and finished the remainder of his meal in silence. Once he had salvaged every last possible scrap of meat, he casually tossed away the bone and stood up, leaving Jais to his own devices.

He wandered about the small camp for a bit, before finally settling back down on a low rock near their young noble guest. Nodding shortly in greeting, he continued to sit in silence for some time, seemingly fascinated by the glowing coals that were all that remained of their little fire.

"So," he said at length. "Are you positively miserable yet?"



Silvryn's expression remained impassive as Eledhe strode away, but her eyes did not leave the mercenary's dark form until she was some distance away. "I still do not see why you continue to employ her," she murmured to the Phantom once Eledhe was out of hearing range. "She is hardly dependable, and what's more, she's dangerous. I have little interest in being stabbed in my sleep, Phantom. I don't trust her."

"Oh, she's dependable," returned the Phantom, opening both eyes. One assumed it had to be respect for nobility that coerced him to do so. "I've worked with Eledhe on and off for seven years, m'lady. She won't be doing any stabbing or she'd have done it long ago."

He sat up to brush snow off his cloak. "She pretends to be as amoral as her colleagues but I think I would disagree." A rakish grin flashed and he added, "I'm flattered by your concern, however, and I'll take special care, since you asked."

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Jate gave an amused laugh at the question. "Let's see, I've got the makings of a blister, I'm still more or less a captive, and it appears that I'll be sleeping outside in the cold for the next who knows how long. Miserable? I wish I was home." The last bit ended in an almost moan.

Resting his chin on his arms, Jate joined Kjan in staring into the fire. Only small flickers of red showed, dimly lighting the rest of the camp. Then, leaning back, Jate stared in awe at the multitudes of stars above him. Life in town, with it's welcoming inns and roaring fires, left little time for stargazing. Jate seemed transported back to a time far past, when he would run barefoot in a small cottage on the skirts of town and had the freedom to do as he wished, as well as camp out overnight. A small smile touched his lips. The trip seemed to be looking up --well apart from the whole prisoner thing.

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going on a journey through my old claims

The noble's last statement brought a wry, almost imperceptible grin to Kjan's lips. "I think most of us do," he muttered, mostly to himself. "I've been meaning to ask - what's it like...you know...there? I mean, we get enough reports to know what's basically happening, but it's different, not being in the middle of it. I would never have thought I'd reach the point where I missed my sisters' idle gossip about who's courting which noble's daughter and who's going to what party....It's just odd, being detached from it all."


"On and off does not generally imply dependability," Silvryn felt the need to point out. "And I only ask that you be wary. Your recent actions certainly haven't lowered the price on your head, and your loyal mercenary may just be persuaded to 'pretend' to turn you in to the Regent."

Snowflakes were beginning to drift through the bare branches above, and the Phantom shrugged his cloak closer around his shoulders. "I'm aware of this," he responded, no longer quite jesting as much as he had. "Rest assured I trust her only as much as I must. She's a valuable asset, m'lady - not many have even a fragment of magical ability and her insight into tactical strategy is unlike many I've seen." He inclined his head slightly, and made to fold the map. "I cannot deny I would like to see more of yours, m'lady Silvryn. One cannot, I would assume, be heir to a throne and not learn a little."


Eledhe hooked her elbow around a slender sapling and leaned there, contemplating the faint glow of the sunset on mountain snows. Aye, to go around Caire was quicker. She didn't deny to herself that it was more dangerous, nor did she intend to illuminate the fact that there were several scattered bands of goblins holed up in the surrounding cave networks. Goblins...and perhaps aught else. Eledhe didn't know. But she'd had on her mind lessons from one of her many masters as a mercenary's apprentice - only play both sides if you're keen on losing your head. He'd illustrated the point with several gruesome stories. Time to pick a side, Eledhe Darkstar. The winning side. Which is it going to be?

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Jate fought the urge to laugh. This outlaw, second-in-command, wanting to know court gossip? Well, you never know what goes on in other's minds. Though Jate had to recall gossip heard from stablehands and maids, Elghy wasn't much for that sort of thing. He was a bit more interested in books.

"Er..well, I'm not quite sure what you're wanting to know. But I'll give it a shot. Mistress Carter -I don't know if you knew her, she was one of the lady attendants a few months back- held this huge ball at Lord Strontham's manor house. Course, you know, just everyone had to be there. It was rather dull, actually." Jate wrinkled his nose as if to prove his point.

"I'd have rather been out doing anything else. So pretty much I sat in a corner. Bout the middle of the party, out comes old Stronty himself announcing his intended marriage to Mistress Carter. It was a huge shock to some of the fancy girls--they were hoping to get ahold of him and his money. Positively shooting daggers at the woman. The two got married oh, I think about four days later. Eh, what else. They're expanding the main city, though I suppose you know that by now. Regent's decided more people need to be inside, safer from the 'raiding bandits of the Phantom'. We've gone past the river now on the southeast side, got a bit of a canal part of the city now...ah, my lord is talking of a division in Tygrane's family. Seems that their son is a bit off his spot, they're trying to hide him from the public but he gets out on occasion. Rather embarrasses the family, some people are suspecting his sister has been helping him out."

Jate stopped, unable to believe he had just talked that much. Brushing some snow off his head, he glanced at the other man to see how Kjan was liking the chatter.

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going on a journey through my old claims

Kjan's smile grew a bit wider, more at Jate's attempts at gossip than the actual contents of the 'report.' A few of the names sounded vaguely familiar, though none were the specific onces he'd been wondering about. He supposed no news was good news, but still....Sobering once more, he finally ventured, "I suppose Lord Armadur has been keeping himself insignificant as always, then? I half expected him to be kissing the feet of the Regent himself by now. He always had a knack for making himself look like an idiot while seeking a better position." He laughed mirthlessly and continued to stare into the dying fire, wishing absently for the pipe he had left in his quarters.

(I'm back! If I make any mistakes, just correct me)

Threng, in the mad dash for supper, was surprised that he actually managed to grab a......well, he didn't exactly know what piece of meat this was, but seeing as how he was hungry, and the piece was still edible (no thanks to the Phantom's cooking) Threng gladly devoured it. The piece of smikong rabbit wasn't more than a few mouthfuls, but it was warm and filled Threng's stomach to some extent.

The momentary happiness of a warm belly soon left. It was freezing! Threng, grumbling angrily, joined the group. He wasn't one for gossip (he despised it. Petty talk like that made him gag) but he was hoping that the increased warmth that came from multiple bodies would suprees his gag reflex.

Sparing a glance for the other man who rushed over to the fire, Jate returned his attention to Kjan.

"Lord Armadur? You know, I haven't heard much from him lately. He had spent a bit of time hanging around the Regent's quarters, but he seemed to be brushed off. 'More important matters' and all that." Jate tried to recall. "I'm not sure when the last I heard of him was. He stormed away from the quarters one day in a huff, and we all assumed he returned to his home. He didn't come back, though."

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going on a journey through my old claims

"Good," Kjan said shortly, mildly amused by the image that his mind provided. Cerys had neglected to mention any serious altercations when they'd last corresponded, but once he thought about it, that had been nearly a year ago. Increased security had made exchanging letters far more difficult, much less meeting. And honestly, he couldn't care less what Lord Armadur himself did. As long as he wasn't causing any problems for his family, he could sign up as the Regent's personal chamber pot attendant, as far as Kjan was concerned. "His younger daughter is well, though?" he asked. Cerys had never been the social butterfly that Celeste was, of course, but she was well enough known. This noble should at least have heard something one way or another.

"Younger daughter..." Jate thought. "Let's see... That's not Celeste...what's her name? Oh right, Cerys. She seemed well enough last I heard. I saw her wandering the library one day. She seemed to take to hiding a bit after Lord Armadur had his fit, but I think she's healthy enough."

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going on a journey through my old claims

"Good," Kjan repeated with a short nod. The less practical three-quarters of his mind wished there had been a way to check in while they'd been in the city, but that was impossible, of course. They'd been far too busy with rescues - first the prisoners, and later the Phantom himself - to sidetrack, and they'd snuck into the stables at far too late an hour to encounter any people (which had been the intent, anyway). Nonetheless, he had somewhat selfishly hoped they would run into her anyway. Even better, that they would have been forced to take her with them to the Keep. As far as he knew, her cover still hadn't been blown, but he suspected the Regent's men would be far better practiced by now at apprehending rebels. His own escape was narrow; he hated to think what would happen if Cerys was uncovered as well.

Jate turned to see a look of pain and remembrance cross Kjan's face. "Out of curiosity, why are you so interested in Armadur's family? Personal grudge or something?"

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going on a journey through my old claims

"I know some," Silvryn said at length, in response to the Phantom's last statement. "However, I suspect that I would be far more helpful after a proper night's sleep. Good night, Phantom." Rising in one fluid motion, she dusted the snow off of her clothing and moved over to where her own blankets had been arranged, then settled in wordlessly for the night.


"Lady Silvryn is right," Kjan said abruptly as he stood up and quickly set about banking the fire. His usual grin had returned, if a bit more deliberate than before. "It's growing late, and we're tired as it is. We'll be doing plenty of walking tomorrow, I suspect, and there's nothing worse than being tired while walking. Except perhaps being tired while attempting to walk with a missing limb. Which none of us should have to worry about." Here he threw a pointed look in Eledhe's direction. "Good night."

With surprising alacrity - if not quite as much grace as Silvryn - Kjan was on the ground, eyes closed, buried under several blankets, and looking very determined to fall asleep quickly. After several minutes of unsuccessful attempts, he grunted slightly and turned his head, eyes still closed, in Jate's general direction. "They were my family."

The Phantom produced a pipe from among his personal belongings and sat staring into the remainder of the fire, puffing thoughtfully, long after the others were asleep. Eledhe sat up once to raise an eyebrow at him, earning a raised eyebrow in return and a soft "Since when are you my mother?"

Eventually he banked the fire and rolled himself into blankets as well, but it remained to be seen quite how much sleep was to be had. Perhaps the thought of a rebel leader were not quite conducive to a peaceful sleep.

-----

The next day dawned colder and somewhat wetter, with unnamed material pelting down from a dull grey sky. It couldn't decide whether to be rain or snow, but was leaning more towards rain when the party ventured out from under the dubious shelter of tangled tree branches.

The surrounding terrain was unremarkable if you were used to mountains and pine trees sodden with precipitation, and even less so if you didn't appreciate being not quite toasty warm. Therefore, travel was somewhat subdued - Eledhe in particular gave ample occasion for the others to give her a wide berth.

The mood was really quite depressed until the Phantom, with his customary flawless timing, hit Kjan in the back of the head with a wet snowball.

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