Events

Varanis goes looking for Xenofos in the common room of the White Grape. It seems she spent her night in her room there and comes down in clean clothes, with her hair in a simple plait, and a fresh scrubbed look to her cheeks. She is not yet in armour.

Xenofos is slumped against a table facing the door. He is still in armour, with his helmet, sword, and shield close by. His head is resting on one arm, the other stretched straight. It seems vigilance of the guard has lapsed.

Varanis approaches carefully, attempting not to startle him, but trying to ascertain if he is actually asleep. He appears to be sleeping peacefully. His cousin smiles fondly at him, then fetches herself a cup of water, speaks to Rondrik about breakfast, and finally takes a seat nearby. Xenofos seems so young when he sleeps.
After finishing her breakfast, Varanis takes her dishes to Rondrik and then comes back over to the sleeping sage. She stays out of arm’s reach, but puts herself in his line of sight. Then she calls his name softly. Xenofos opens his eyes slowly. For couple of seconds his gaze is empty until his spirit returns to the waking world.

“Hey there. You should move to your bed.”

Blinking. “Hmmmm. I thought I just rested my eyes for a moment. I must have fallen asleep.” By the sight of his stretching, the moment may have been pretty long.

She nods. “You did. But all is well and we are safe. Go to bed for a while.”

“Hmmm. Bad guarding that. And it seems I don’t react to movement here making that quite moot.” Xenofos is shaking his head, getting rid of last shreds of sleep in the process.

“Exhaustion will do that to a person, which is why I’m suggesting a proper sleep for you,” she replies gently.

“You speak the truth in this. We should have proper turns if we keep guarding up. This serves no purpose like this.”

“Kallyr is back. The Flame is lit. I don’t think I’m under threat in the same way,” Varanis replies. “With the quest complete, the rest of you are less likely targets too.”

“Yes. And with Kallyr lighting the fire she should not have any reason to see you as a threat.” He pauses, then adds, “Queen Leika might be displeased with you…”

Varanis raises an eyebrow at him over the Kallyr remark, but says, “No good would come to Leika from punishing me. It would give Kallyr an excuse to retaliate. As it is, she can claim honest mistake, but killing me would make it something else entirely.”

He nods thoughtfully. “True. You seem to have learned to calculate more shrewdly and cynically than before. Pity that you must.”

“With you and Dormal constantly pointing things out, it was inevitable I suppose.” She shrugs and glances at the door. “I’m going to my temple for a while. I will be alert and I will be safe. Go sleep in a bed for a bit.”

Xenofos nods. “Please, send me a word if things start rolling. I would like to keep up to date if your Prince lets hear of herself.”

She nods. “I’ll armour up first and then head out.” She rises and as she passes him, she reaches out to give his shoulder a squeeze. “I’ll check in with you this afternoon or at least send word to tell you where I am.”

Again a curt nod. “Before Boldhome, I would not have even thought of armouring up for a stroll inside a town.”

“I know what you mean,” his cousin replies softly, and then she’s off, climbing the stairs to her room in this odd little home away from home. Xenofos looks at the stairs for some time after she is gone. Shrugs his shoulders and turns to Rondrik to order a breakfast.