Spring 4995, 01 Buromoth 

Alena loved the design of this city.

She'd expected to be turned off by the capital. Stories of tightly packed streets and dark alleys where the sun never shone -literally or figuratively- had tainted her expectations despite her best efforts to stay positive. Instead, Alena found fascinating architecture where the tightly packed homes were built with flat, sturdy roofs that served as gardens open to the blessed sun.

She'd taken to performing her morning ritual -greeting the sun at dawn- on the rooftop of their own massive mansion. But for the first time in the weeks since the team had started filtering in, she wasn't alone in waking up early. Finishing her prayers, Alena looked out over the edge of the roof, down to the back garden. There, their newest member, Shon of the Temple of Hengist, danced alone. 

He'd started the strange steps as she prepared for her prayers, with no weapon at all, kicking and punching at invisible opponents. By the time she was done, he was still working but had drawn his sword, slashing it through the air in a slow and graceful dance of death. It was mesmerizing, he moved with such fluidity, the sun glinting off the steal of his sword. 

She was so engrossed that Alena didn't notice Ryuuko until it flew up from the courtyard to flap in her face and chitter, nearly making her jump out of her skin. "I wasn't spying, I swear," she pled with the little dragon as if it might actually understand. It landed on the stone balcony, and its twitter sounded like a laugh. Maybe it did understand... 

Alena leaned down and whispered, "Do you think he'll be mad at me for watching?" 

Ryuuko tilted its head to one side, then the other, then chirped. She hoped that meant Shon wouldn't be mad, but just in case, she added, "Don't tell him, please?"

The little dragon giggled again, then squawked, just as surprised as Alena when another voice sounded from the stairs, "What do you think of him, Vicar?" Sir Tristen appeared on the roof in his gray and purple uniform. He walked with his hands held behind his back and moved to stand beside her, looking down at Shon from above. 

"I don't know yet..." Alena answered honestly, holding out her hand for the pseudodragon to sniff and turning her eyes back to the Hengist man. She probably knew Ebonwing the best, and that was only since the day spent with her yesterday. But there was plenty of time to get to know all the members—no need to rush things now. The sun rose no faster no matter how you urged it. 

"What does your heart tell you, Vicar?" Tristen didn't mean her heart, of course. She knew that. He meant what she felt from the bit of Soleil held in her soul. Alena closed her eyes, feeling the warm sun on her skin, warming her robes even in the frigid temperatures of early spring. The warmth spread deeper, seeping into her muscles and bones, all the way to her heart and soul...

"He's hurt... But it isn't something Soleil can heal..." she whispered. Even after all her training and early bonding with the god, Alena wasn't always sure when she was guessing and when she was intuiting the vague feelings the divine sent accurately. She'd been assured that was perfectly normal and that her confidence would grow in time with her experience. But, for now, Alena just had to feel her way, "a wound of the heart?" 

She spoke mainly to herself, but Tristen answered with a hum, muttering to himself, "But which one..." 

"Sir?" she asked, then jumped as Ryuuko leapt from the railing to her shoulder, stretching out its neck to sniff at the Paladin. Its weight was negligible but its tiny claws were sharp.

Tristen grunted but reached up to pet the pseudodragon gently, "You are the youngest and yet still the most accomplished healer, Vicar-" 

"You can call me Alena, Sir Tristen." she dared to interrupt him. 

He stuttered to a stop, then blinked down at her. Alena gave him a gentle smile, "I will use your title, as that's obviously your preference, Sir, but if we're going to be working with each other, living with each other," She gestured around the manor. "Then I think we should have a way to differentiate between formal and informal situations. When we're acting in our capacity as representatives under your command, then using our ranks is appropriate, but if we're holding a friendly conversation?" Her smile broadened, "Then you may call me by my name." 

Tristen hummed, looking down at the still practicing Shon. He'd put his sword away on his back, but instead of heading for the house and breakfast, he'd moved to a weapons rack installed beside the garden shed and taken out a new weapon, a quarterstaff. 

"Another weapon?" Alena asked, looking to the pseudodragon, who whistled as if in confirmation. It really was a very intelligent beast. 

Tristen nodded, "He has been trained in all of them. I didn't realize he'd kept up the practices..." He shook his head and turned to fully face Alena. "My apologies... Alena." He hesitated around her name, and she smiled encouragingly at him. Ryuuko whistled again. "You are correct, of course, I insisted that we be assigned to live together so we could become a more cohesive unit, but not everyone is comfortable with constant formality." He glanced down at Shon again, then continued, "His Highness has a similar policy and you may call me Tristen during informal situations." 

The potted plants on the other side of the roof rustled, startling them both as a rabbit jumped out of them, sniffing at the air. How in the holy name of Soleil...? But Alena's unspoken question was answered a moment later when the rabbit shifted into the form of Ebownwing, who stretched and grinned, "Maybe you're not as bad as I thought, Tris." 

Sir Tristen gaped at the Druid, but Alena sighed, asking, "Spying, Ebonwing? I thought that was Oswall's job?" 

The Druid smirked, "We'll see." 

"Is that a challenge, Eb?" Oswall's voice sounded from shadows that shouldn't have been able to hold, let alone hide, him. They lit up with a spark as the Rogue himself puffed one of his smokes. And how long had he been there?!

Ebonwing tried to hide her surprise by cocking a hip, "Could be," she grinned at him. 

Oswall huffed, "Probably shouldn't be sleeping on the job then." he commented, gesturing to the potted plants and explaining to the stunned others, "She's been sleeping on the roof. Her furniture won't be done growing for another week." 

Far from being offended, Ebonwing laughed, "At least I sleep here. Who's bed have you been keeping warm, Os?"

He wiggled his eyebrows at her, "Who says there's only one?" 

Alena blushed but managed a giggle, more at Tristen's slack jaw than the banter between these two most informal members. Ryuuko twittered at the lot of them, and Alena pet it. 

"Saint Giorgos's lawful cudgel, what have I gotten myself into..." Tristen whispered, then louder to Alena, he said, "Trust your intuition, Alena," Bringing her back to their earlier conversation. "I'll be leaning on you for the overall health of this team." 

"Is someone sick?" Ebonwing asked, "I mean besides Os's lungs?" Oswall countered by blowing smoke rings at her. 

Tristen and Alena both shook their heads, but whatever it was the knight meant by the warning, she didn't know. Alena glanced back down at Shon. He had moved on to working through a new drill with a heavy mace, like Alena and Tristen's holy weapons. 

Ebonwing shrugged, "We'll see after breakfast. It's Ranito's turn..." 

Oswall groaned. "Didn't we just have some of his bland shit?" 

"It's circled around back to his turn," Alena pointed out. 

But Ebonwing had walked to the edge of the balcony, leaning over it to stare down at Shon. "Actually," she smirked, "There's one member who hasn't had a turn yet..." 

Tristen actually grinned with the Druid, then nodded to Alena, "Why don't you go let our newest member know the deal we've come to?"

Alena blushed, but Ryuuko chirped. Launching itself from her shoulder, it glided over the garden, then folded its wings and dove like an arrow for its human. All four of them looked over the edge in time to see Shon stop his mace in the middle of a maneuver to avoid hitting it. Tristen's eyebrows shot up, and Alena let out an impressed gasp. 

They couldn't quite make out Shon's expression from such a distance, but the man looked up at them, then nodded, before dropping off his weapon and heading back for the house, and presumably, the kitchens. 

Ebonwing laughed, "Let's hope he's better at cooking than you, Os."

"At least you can taste mine over the spice," Os shrugged, flicking his smoke over the side of the house and heading for the stairs. Ebonwing followed, and Tristen and Alena were left alone, for real this time. 

"You're worried about him?" Alena asked in a whisper anyway.

The knight sighed, "I am not at liberty to share his personal information, Vicar Alena," he shook his head, hesitating, but then continued, "But as our healer, you should know that even the gods can't heal everything. If you notice something about him that might prove a liability, to him or to us, I expect you to let me know." 

Alena whispered a prayer, touching her lips, then her head, then gesturing to the sun on the horizon, "I will, Sir Tristen. In the name of Holy Soleil. For all of you." 

***

Ranito yawned as he entered the kitchen, his fluffy slippered feet scraping on the tile, then stopped mid-stretch, his arms over his toweled head. The team was already sitting around the informal kitchen table, their plates nearly empty of a simple breakfast of eggs and bacon. 

Alena smiled warmly at him and gestured for the serving plates with just enough for him still piled on, "Now that Shon's here, your turn is tomorrow." 

"Is it hot at least?" Ranito asked, taking his seat.

The ice Sorcerer's familiar hissed at him, and Ranito blinked at it. Shon wouldn't meet his eyes, and Alena actually scowled at the Mage. Ebonwing took in a hissing breath and accused him, "Wow... rude..." 

"What... but..." Ranito stuttered, then gestured at the plates, "It's almost gone! You never eat mine this fast!" he crossed his arms and legs in a huff, "And after I got up early and everything..." Early for a Mage anyway. 

Oswall snickered, leaning away from his empty plate and patting his stomach, "Well, yours is bland as paper, old man." 

Ranito huffed again, but Tristen at least seemed to recognize the misunderstanding and addressed it. "It's still fresh... Ranito," he used the Archmage's name, which had Ranito blinking in surprise at the Paladin Colonel. Tristen cleared his throat awkwardly and asked, "Did you find those cultural books I asked for?"

"They're in the library. Enough for each of you," Ranito answered as he leaned forward to fill his plate with the last of the -still-warm- breakfast.

Alena cleared her throat and, glaring at Ranito, nodded toward Shon. The man was feeding his familiar the last of his bacon, and -other than not meeting the Mage's eyes- didn't seem at all offended. But Alena cleared her throat again, so Ranito rolled his eyes, "I didn't mean to imply-" 

"My power is sealed." Shon interrupted without looking up. 

Ranito held his hands out, fingers spread wide towards Shon as if to show him off to the Cleric, "See! He knew. I'm not so biased as our illustrious Prince. I even worked closely with the Firewyrm when she was first released-" Ryuuko hissed at him again, and Shon finally did look over, his cold eyes freezing Ranito's words in his throat. 

Everyone stared for a moment, then Shon finally said, "Then you should know," His voice was deep, and as cold as a winter night alone in a blizzard. "that her name is Lily." 

Ranito tried to relax under Shon's stare, rolling his eyes, "Yes, well... she does prefer people use her name. She didn't have one before." 

"She didn't have a name?" Alena asked, her voice quiet. 

Oswall reached for his tobacco, "Warlocks are bastards." 

"Mad bastards," Ebonwing chimed in. 

Shon nodded mutely, finally looking away from Ranito, -whose breakfast had gone cold... 

Ranito cleared his throat and forced down some of the tepid eggs anyway. They were still better than the magical food he summoned, "So, you know her..." Ranito said. 

Tristen cleared his throat, and Shon stood, gathering the empty plates and bringing them to the sink. Everyone looked around at the three of them until Tristen cleared his throat again, pointedly. As though the first time had been for them, he said, "I had Archmage Ranito gather some books on the customs and practices of the barbarians in Lenare. You should familiarise yourself with them." 

Oswall stood with a groan. The man seemed unable to do anything without some kind of complaining. It made Ranito wonder how he ever managed to remain quiet long enough to stay stealthy. Ebonwing rolled her eyes and joined him, exiting the kitchen. When Alena stood, she gestured towards the door, asking, "Shon?"

Shon lifted a wet rag, and Tristen chimed in, "The Master Sergeant has already dealt with this particular tribe." 

"Oh... right..." she left the kitchen. 

Ranito looked from Shon's back to Tristen and swallowed his mouth full, "What are you hiding, Colonel?" He leveled his gaze on Shon's back again. The man didn't stop washing the dishes. 

"Shon does indeed know the Fire-" Ryuuko hissed yet again and actually flew onto the table to snap at the Paladin's fingers. 

"Sir Tristen," Shon didn't turn around as he spoke, "only the Warlocks refer to Lily by that title." 

Something clicked in Ranito's memory, and he slammed his hands down on the table as he stood, "Shon!" the man finally looked up, arching a black eyebrow at the Archmage's outburst. But Ranito was digging through his robes for his notebook. Pulling it out and chanting over the cover, he flipped it open to an entry almost eight years old. 

"Archmage..." Tristen started in a strange cross between curiosity and warning. 

But Ranito had found the line he was looking for and dropped the book onto the table. "You named her!" he announced, then stopped, "But..." he frowned at the book, "You were a Squire..."

Shon went back to his dishes, and Ryuuko whistled, low and sad.

Tristen sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose as if to banish a headache, "Yes, Archmage, please sit back down." Ranito sat while Tristen continued, "Shon and the Fire... Lily, knew each other while he was in training to be a Paladin, and they traveled together for a time before he joined this team. I would like this connection between them kept as confidential as we can."

Ranito hummed, chanting over his book again -to return it to his current half-full version- and started taking notes. Tristen was the leader of this little band, and Ranito had always been more of an observer anyway. If the Paladin didn't want the others to know, then that was fine. It would give Ranito something else to study. How long would it take them to figure it out? Who would make the connection first? Would Shon break his silence and let something slip?

But Tristen had only answered one of his questions, "You were a Squire..." Ranito said again, looking up in time to see Shon flinch. 

"He wasn't chosen," Tristen answered for him. "He enlisted after, which is why he was able to join this team." 

Ranito waved a dismissive hand, "Well, that's good at least. One Paladin is enough to deal with." he looked up at Tristen and added, as an afterthought, "No offense." Tristen sighed, but Shon actually huffed what might have been a laugh. His familiar at least twittered in amusement. 

Tristen stood, "Mast... Shon." Shon turned his head to arch an eyebrow at the Paladin. He continued, "I know Ranito wanted to speak to you about the Warlock magic you witnessed. Now would be a good time to do it." Tristen nodded at the Soldier, who returned it, and left the kitchen. Probably to the library to refresh himself on the Lenare barbarians with the others. 

Shon finished the dishes while Ranito finished his breakfast and took notes. When the soldier was done, he dried his hands and returned to the table. Sitting down and crossing those huge arms, he watched Ranito and waited in silence.

Ranito pushed his empty plate away and turned to a new page of his notebook, "What did you see? Please be specific."

Shon sighed and stood again, taking the Mage's empty plate to the sink to wash. He spoke as he scrubbed, "They used mostly Mage spells, though some were twisted," 

"List them," Ranito said. 

"Invisibility, it dropped when he stabbed me," Ranito nodded, though Shon wouldn't be able to see. Invisibility only worked until someone did something as overt as attack or until the caster lost concentration, usually by being hurt. An illusion spell. Ranito had very little use for it or the other spells of that school.

Shon continued, "He also enhanced his movements, dodging a Grandmaster Monk and leaving an afterimage. He had a dagger with a black blade and fire that burned purple-black." Ranito hummed but didn't interrupt.

"He teleported, but only a short distance..." A blink spell then, Ranito wrote it all down. "... I didn't see it, but Master Veon-Zih said he also transformed his arms into tentacles that couldn't be cut until the weapon was infused with ki-" 

"Key?" Ranito interrupted.

Shon nodded, putting the plate away as he answered, "Life energy. Monks use it to enhance their abilities and do damage that would normally require a magic or blessed weapon." 

The Mage hummed again and said, "Continue." 

Shon returned to the table and sat again before he did so, "The other one, an Archmage, cast a purple-black lightning spell without a component and her apprentice also used black fire. The Archmage's black-bladed sword cut a kind of gate that she escaped through, but didn't show the destination on the other side." 

Ranito furrowed his brow, "Can you describe these different spells? What they looked like? The enhancement and the gate spell in particular. In as much detail as you can manage." Ranito cursed silently that they hadn't asked these questions when this man had first given his report after the incident. It had been at least a month and a half, and human memory was a faulty thing. 

Shon ran his hand through his hair, and reached for the bag at his belt. Ranito looked up, squinting at the soldier as he pulled a large journal from the bag. Ranito's eyebrows shot up, "You took notes? Very diligent of you, Sorcerer." 

Shon huffed, his sword pommel shifting to a lighter shade of blue, "Shon." he corrected. Apparently, the soldier didn't like to be thought of as a Sorcerer. Shon opened the book, but the pages were empty, and Ranito furrowed his brow again. Folding the new journal backward to help break in the spine, Shon reached for a set of pencils and started drawing.

Ranito stood, rounding the table to lean over Shon's shoulder as he drew a series of near-perfect depictions of the Warlocks performing their spells. His familiar hissed, turning to stand on the man's back and wave a threatening tail at Ranito to keep him back. Shon grunted as if in thanks to the little beast and continued his drawings while the Mage attempted to watch from a distance. 

When he was done, Shon carefully removed the pages and slid them over to Ranito's seat. The Mage sat back down to study them, "You are quite the artist, soldier..." Ranito muttered. Shon just shrugged. So, being called an artist or soldier didn't illicit the same response as 'Sorcerer'... "I may have to ask you to do this a few more times. When we run into more..." Ranito led. Shon shrugged again but nodded. 

Shon waited for a few more heartbeats as Ranito took notes beside the drawings, then stood, moving for the door, "Sorc- Shon." Ranito called after him, and he stopped. "The Fire- Lily," He sighed in frustration but had no desire to be bitten by the pseudodragon. "You two are, or at least were, friends. How do you feel about bringing her to the Mages Guild?"

Ranito watched as Shon glanced from the door back to him. Those eyes were like looking into a frozen lake reflecting the winter sky of Clearhelm, Shon's home province. Ranito wondered if Shon would let him take a blood sample...

Shon interrupted Ranito's musings with his answer, "Sir Tristen has ordered that my past with Lily be kept confidential. You already know more-" Shon cut himself off, looking to the door again, and his familiar crooned, Shon finished, "It doesn't matter how I feel about it, Lily can take care of herself."

He left the kitchen without truly answering Ranito's question. Ah well, Ranito shrugged to himself and went back to his notes. Another thing for him to observe and study... Ranito did find it interesting that a loyalist of Hengist didn't insist on protecting the woman, as protection was the god's primary tenet. Perhaps that was why he'd been denied? Ranito made a note in his book.

*** 

Ebonwing spent as much of the day as she could get away with watching the Hengist rep.

He knew Yua... Had said that the Ranger returned to Shutha to see her. Ebonwing wondered if she'd just barely missed the woman by coming here. Would Shon know where she would be going next? Did Ebonwing want to know? It wouldn't matter now that she was on this team. Ebonwing wouldn't be able to leave it just to find her lost lover. Even if Yua had forgiven her enough to come looking for her in Shutha, a place neither of them wanted to spend much time in after having lived there for most of their lives. 

Ebonwing sat in her room, all the way down the hall from Shon's, but with her door cracked open and Neg standing guard looking into the hall. She and Alena had been given the two corner rooms on the east side of the manor, and Shon and Oswall, the two on the west side with Tristen and Ranito between them. Ebonwing suspected the assignments were meant to keep the younger, and potentially less honorable, men, as far from the women's rooms as possible. They wanted the team to be close, but not that close. The idea made Ebonwing snicker. If that's what they were worried about, then they should've put the Druid on the side with the boys. 

She cleared her mind and focused on channeling her magic into the plants she'd started growing in her room. Eventually, they would shape themselves into her furniture. Still, it wasn't a process that should be rushed, not if she wanted them to turn out as more than a jumbled mess of leaves and vines.

Neg cawed, and Ebonwing opened her eyes as the bird communicated to her in its own language. Shon had left his room and entered the bathroom. She hummed in confirmation and continued her work a little longer before entering the hall. 

Ignoring the sign that said one of their male members was using the bathing room, Ebonwing entered. Shon was already soaking in one of the deep tubs, a washcloth over his eyes. The pseudodragon floated with its wings outspread over the water, and the druid lifted a finger to her lips to shush it before it could give warning to its human companion. 

It twittered a dragon giggle, and Shon flicked water at it without looking up.

Ebonwing smirked. Their relationship was an interesting one. She knew Rangers who would kill to have a pseudodragon companion and would treat the elusive intelligent beasts like little gods to keep them happy. Shon's bond with the little forest dragon was much closer, and yet she'd never heard of a Sorcerer treating their soul partner so coldly.

Going for the cupboard that held the towels and soap, Ebonwing didn't bother to move quietly. Shon didn't respond to the sound, probably assuming it was one of the other men. Stripping without shame, she started one of the showers, the steam hovering in the air but doing nothing to hide either of them from the other.

Ebonwing turned her back to the hot water to watch him in the tub, "So, you know Yua?" she asked.

Shon's jump of surprise had her laughing out loud. He slipped all the way into the tub, his head submerging and feet flying into the air, then came bursting out before dropping back in again to cover himself and gape at her. 

Ryuuko chittered angrily at its human for splashing it and scooped up an entire wing full of water to splash over Shon before it took flight to perch on Ebonwing. Her laugh dissolved into an evil snicker, and she continued to scrub herself clean, "Well?" she asked him. 

He actually cursed out loud, though in a low grumble, "Hengists holy sword woman," her eyebrows shot up. She must have really gotten under his skin if he was talking without focused prodding. She'd watched Alena try and engage Shon in conversation all day and never get more than a few words at a time. "you really are worse than she was." he finished.

Ebonwing rinsed the soap suds from her naked body and turned off the shower. She walked without a towel to kneel by his tub with a grin.

Shon moved his washcloth in the water to cover himself. His body was a crisscrossed network of countless scars over chiseled muscle. Ebonwing wondered if he had any fat on him at all, then remembered that he didn't really need the insulating layer anyway. He would probably be considered handsome to those interested in such things, assuming he wasn't too intimidating for most of them. In her case... 

"I have no interest in Hengist's sword or yours," Shon blushed from his chest all the way up to his black hair. His real sword, which was leaning on the other side of the tub, swirled quickly in shades of pale cloudy blue. Interesting. Where his expression showed very little, if any of his emotions, his sword seemed to act like a mood stone. Well, that, and the blush. 

She grinned, "Yua warned you about me then? Tell me, iceman, did she enjoy watching you blush too?" She let her fingers trail over the bathwater. It was freezing. 

Shon ran his free hand through his hair, the other still covering himself. Looking to the ceiling, he muttered a prayer and nodded. 

Ebonwing snickered but couldn't hold the mirth too long, not with this subject, "How is she?" she asked, drawing circles in the water. 

Shon sighed, and something in his cold eyes softened. "Fine." 

"When did you see her?" how long ago did Yua tell this man she would go to Shutha to find her? Did she actually go there? Or had Yua just used that as an excuse to continue adventuring elsewhere?

"Winter Solstice," Shon answered. She expected him to stop there, but he sighed again and continued, "after we stopped the Warlock operation in Swailand, we were supposed to take a break. She was going to use that time to find you in Shutha." 

Ebonwing searched his face for a lie but saw only honesty. And something like a hint of warmth, "She really said she would go back to the Southernwood? Even if they might have recruited her and made her stay?" 

Shon shrugged, "I don't know how the Grove works, or if they can make Rangers stay, but she did say she was going there. Li- She even rented a horse for the trip." 

Li? She didn't have a chance to question his correction, however, because he continued in a low voice, "She said she would have gone with you when the Grove summoned you..." 

Ebonwing sighed, turning to lean against the tub and resting her arms on her raised knees, her hands hanging limp, "I know... But she wouldn't 've been happy. I know she probably hates me now..." 

The water sloshed lightly behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder enough to see Shon resume his lounging position, though he didn't bring up the washcloth as he had before. He was probably still covering himself.

"You took the choice away from her," he said. She flinched, but Ryuuko crooned at her, and Shon continued, "but she doesn't hate you. I don't think she ever could."

Ebonwing fiddled with her fingers, "You fought the Warlocks together?" she asked. Shon nodded mutely. "In Swailand, the capital," She thought out loud, "She left, on horseback, around Winter Solstice... I must have just missed her. To come here..." but had Yua really forgiven Ebonwing?

Shon sighed, sinking down to his neck in the water and causing it to slosh again. Ebonwing didn't expect the chronically quiet man to say anything more. He'd already spoken more here than he had at all over the last two days. That she'd seen anyway. "Thank you." she told him, climbing to her feet, "I'll resist making you blush for a few days at least." she grinned over her shoulder at him, but he just groaned. 

She started for the door, grabbing her clothes on the way, but as her fingers gripped the nob, Shon said, "She's coming here." 

Ebonwing turned back to him, and Ryuuko jumped from her shoulder to glide back to the tub. Shon wasn't looking at her, still relaxed in his bath, but he said, "We were supposed to meet back up on Summer Solstice." 

She didn't know what to say. Lost for words, Ebonwing stared at him until the door was pushed open. Oswall blinked at her, still naked. He glanced from her to Shon and back again, then huffed, "I thought you said you didn't swing our way?" 

Ebonwing snickered, reaching up to pat the Rogue's cheek as she passed him into the hall, "I might make an exception. Those pecks are almost as large as breasts." Shon groaned behind her, and she turned in time to see him hiding his face in his hands, his ears and shoulders bright red with his blush.

Well, she would try to keep her promise to him for the next few days at least.

*** 

Shon stoked the fire to life in his personal hearth, watching the flames dance, barely illuminating the massive room.

He thought of the team. With a sigh, he turned to put his back to the light, crossing his legs on his bedding and pulling out his new journal. What a motley crew they were. 

Shon had worked with a variety of people over the years of constant missions, so he could see the benefits in their varying skills, but to live with them?

He drew Ranito as the man had eaten his breakfast with one hand and taken notes with the other. The Archmage knew far too much. He might not know about the depth of their current relationship, but he knew Shon had given Lily her name. He seemed willing enough to follow Tristen's orders of confidentiality though, so maybe that wouldn't be too much of a problem.

He drew Alena as she smiled one of the many many times the girl had tried to pull him into conversation. Shon had responded to her every question, but she always seemed to expect a verbal answer. He realized she was just trying to be kind, but he hoped she would realize, sooner rather than later, that he preferred not to communicate in words if he didn't have to. 

Last he drew Ebonwing as she stood by the door of the bathroom to leave, making sure to position her held clothes in a way that covered her nudity. She really was worse than Yua had been. The Ranger had warned him, but he didn't expect her to come into the shower room. She had about as much shame as Lily when it came to being naked. Though Shon liked it in Lily, -he felt himself smile just thinking about it- it was more than a little awkward with anyone else. 

Oswall hadn't questioned Shon about it. The man seemed to be avoiding Shon without being too overt about it. It was probably for the best. If he really was loyal to Horsa, then Shon's loyalty to Hengist probably made him as uncomfortable as Shon.

He drew Tristen as he'd seen the Paladin after breakfast, after the others had left. He didn't like how the knight continued to refer to Lily as 'the Firewyrm,' but he got the impression that Tristen did it as a title, the same way he seemed to find it difficult not to refer to them all by their ranks. Though he was trying... Shon sighed down at his journal. He felt a little sorry for the Paladin. Shon knew, at least a little, how the man must feel. Surrounded by people like Oswall and Ebonwing undermining all his efforts at professionalism. Well, Tristen wouldn't have to worry about Shon, at least. Other than the constant reminder of his own failure, Shon liked working with Paladins. Though he'd never worked with those sworn to the Slayer before...

That made him think of Lily again... Everything made him think of Lily...

If she was afraid of anything, it was the Warlocks, and the Temple of Saint Giorgos, Slayer of Dragons. 

Shon wondered where she was now. Would she find a way to communicate with him? Did he want her to? If the others managed to track her through him, even without his direct help, could he forgive himself for even that unintentional assistance? 

He redrew an old memory of Lily working through her staff kata, the ends alight with her fire, and whispered, "She can take care of herself..." He just hoped this team could survive if she ever had to.