Crispian could not help but smile. It had been what seemed like weeks since even so simple a thing as tea with Azi in the afternoon had been possible. Things had been very hectic since that night of disaster and death. "Of course, tea would be wonderful," he said as he shifted his weight in the chair.


It took great effort to hide the small limp his injury had left him with. Tinalynth had said the leg would never truly be the same again, and that he should be greatful for the healing that Tobyas did on it when he did. Of course, she said that after he had allowed Laraleloth to rebreak it while Kelvyn pinned him down.


"I feel as though we have been out of touch, dearest. Tell me all manner of what has happened in your life!" He was so filled with joy to be relaxing with Azi that, for the time being at least, he set aside other concerns.

 

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Azi kept her head low, feigning the business of making tea as she blushed. Crispian always seemed to do that, speaking to her in a way that made her feel as if she was most important. She smiled to herself in thanks for the friend she had in him as she selected various little tins and bottles from the sill over the table.


Into his cup she sprinkled a few chamomile leaves and a bit of dried apple, poured in the steaming water carefully, and finished with a long drop of honey. Making tea this way always reminded her of her mother. To Azi it had become almost a sacred ritual of reflection more than just simply pouring some water into a cup. She sighed with a smile. Into her own cup she sprinkled some bitter leaves in hopes that they would soothe her stomach, and watched the steam rise up as the water turned a deep green-brown.


"It has been far too long, Crispian, we've neglected each others' company!" She smiled and settled herself onto a stool beside him, smoothing her robes. "Things are well with me," she blushed as she thought of Ascot, "despite my sister's antics. And Emlae has proven to be more than I could have wished for in a squire. How is Tannir?"


Part of her wished she could rush through the idle chat and talk to him about Arcalan, but it was so pleasant to have this time now. What did people do whose lives were uneventful? How nice it would be to just sit and chat without constantly worrying about what evil lurked around the next corner. To tell him all about herself and her love, and to ask him about Jashen and Tobyas. So much had happened that she wished to talk about, but she set them aside in her mind and smiled softly, sipping the bitter brew.

Crispian's eyes grew haunted for a moment. Tannir had been in a grave state following his assault in Snowdonia, but his recovery was going well. "Oh, Tannir is doing fine. Typical teen-ager, thinks he ready to wrestle a moorlich already." He grinned crookedly, being officially now five years passed his own teens. "Mostly, it seems to be bad dreams, but I have had Sir Tinowan check him regularly, and he says the recovery will come along nicely.


"Of course, I still feel badly to have put him in harm's way, but he insists it is nothing he would not have done if I had not asked him." He sipped at the tea, savoring the taste. His own never tasted this good, and Tannir's was little more than steeped leaves. He grinned, anticipating Azi's next two questions, he hoped.


"Jash writes me that his retraining is slow, but satisfying. He is now a full infiltrator, although he is having troubles with poisons." He smirked. "He said they're messy than he thought they would be, and that he misses chain mail."


His grin spread a bit and became sheepish. "And yes, Toby is fine. He is about the Predwyn Keep area administering to the young and newly trained of the Realm." His face clouded for a second. Would this war never end? He smiled at Azi again.


"Now, how is Ascot?"

 

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"Tell me, friend," she chuckled, "how have you come to learn to read minds?" This time the blush came too quickly for Azaeli to hide it, and she laughed to herself that she would still get so flustered by the mention of her dear cabalist.


"Ascot is well," she played with the golden band at her finger subconciously, "He insists that the maps of Lethantis are inaccurate, and so he has started an expedition into various areas up north to begin measuring and redrawing.." She frowned slightly, feeling a tug at her heart. It had been only two days and she missed him so already. "He sends messengers twice a day with letters and trinkets."


She smiled again, motioning to a stack of scrolls and little sacks on the bench near the hearth. Her eyes danced pleasantly as she sipped the remains of the bitter leaves in her cup. "Tobyas has such a kind heart. It seems I run into him more than I do you, Crispian!"

It was Crispian's turn to blush at that. He knew Toby had been spending more time at the city than he had. His pursuit of a captian's slot at the Defenders' Guild had kept him afield quite a bit. "Aye, he is much about these days. He has been," he paused a moment, "understanding since that night with D'Vena. There are still somethings to be sorted out, of course."


He relaxed, stretching his left leg out a bit. "So, finally, a ring fo Azi? Tell me he did not get that from some Centurion!" He chuckled. "It looks very fine and proper on you, Azi, but when shall you take his name for yours?"

 

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Azi gasped before she could stop herself and hid her hands behind her back. The blush reddened deeper on her cheeks and she stared at Crispian, unable to form the words. How much should she tell him? That she and Ascot had secreted away and married with only her father and the priest as a witness? That they enjoyed a short honeymoon and decided to leave it quiet and secret? That her stomach had been queasy for almost a week now, when it was known that paladins do not catch illness? She managed a weak smile and tried to think of the right words.


"My name will always be Hammerfel, as my father had no son. But if I had taken Ascot's name, it would be changed now." She beamed at him, "And it is not from a centurion!" she chuckled.

Crispian smiled at Azi, surprised that his guess had been correct. His eyes danced with humor and joy. "I would congratulate him, but he is never here!" He could not resist however kissing his friend's cheek at his joy for her.


"That is wonderful! I am sure he will be a good husband to you."

 

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Azi grinned at the first official congratulations she had recieved, and suddenly felt guilty for not telling him sooner.

"The League will want to hear of such joyous news!" he bellowed, but Azi quickly quieted him, knowing that it was especially hard for Crispian not to say anything about it. She explained to Crispian the reasons behind thier secrecy, and thier desire to keep it so, and he agreed reluctantly not to tell anyone. With a grin, she remembered how she and Jashen had joked at the Feast. Yes, indeed, Crispian was a man with a love for speeches..


The two friends talked long into the night, and she was grateful for the distraction. She told him what Emlae and Kanna had reported of Hecathia, including Azi's meeting with the lady Sakara who had recently joined the guild. The conversation turned to Lexi for a time, and her recent problems. That conversation led to the her sister's murder of the old woman who had warned them of Azi's capture by trolls, which in turn led to the tale of her rescue.


Crispian listened with great concern as she told how Tashtego and Emlae had braved the snow of Midgard to rescue her. His expression soured to anger at the attack she had undergone, but she assured him all had been healed, thanks to the noble armsman Tashtego and his very strange tribal gift.


After a long while Pappa came inside, dusting off his leather apron. He smiled at Crispian with a warmth that he'd have shown his own son, and clapped him on the back and congratulated him for his victory and station with pride. Then his gaze turned to Azaeli, and his eyes sparkled fondly as he kissed her forehead.


"Off to bed, Angel," he said sternly, giving her a pointed look.


"es, Pappa," Azi chuckled to herself as he clomped his way up the stairs and closed his door. Thirty-two seasons and still Pappa felt she needed to be told when it was time for bed.


"It was such a pleasure, dear, dear friend. Please, let us have tea more often." With that, she hugged Crispian warmly and was even bold enough to kiss him on the cheek, which made the two of them blush madly in the darkened room.

Arcalan returned to the League Hall and fetched the diary from her room. She couldn't just ransack Crispian's quarters, but she had to get that key!

She made her way downstairs to see how many people were about and was annoyed to find a good many drinking and talking in the main hall this eve. She would never have the time to slip into Crispian's room with all these people about, for they would surely discover her.

At that moment Hecathia limped slowly down the stairs and into the hall, with a bewildered expression on her face.

"Hail" she said simply but with a small and quiet voice, shakey and unsure.

"Hail Hecathia!" replied several who were there.

Hecathia looked around herself and then asked "Who is Hecathia? I.. am I?"

Arcalan caught on instantly, knowing the woman hadn't had amnesia when she healed her the previous evening.

She moved to her side to help guide her down the stairs and took the chance to whisper "I brought you back from the brink of death, getting that key will be your payment" and then aloud saying "Well of course it is! You told us you were called Hecathia. Don't you know your own name?"

She let Hecathia sit down in a chair in the hall, and retiered to one corner to watch events unfold.

Ilara limped to the chair. She could not feel her leg as she used to. Though repaired, the damage done to it would still linger for some time. She looked around confusingly to the room, hearing Arcalan's whisper then looking to her meaningfully.


"I, I am, Hecathia? He... cath... ia... such an odd name... and you Lady, brought me back? Thank you, what is your name?" asking Arcalan.


"Arcalan Hemlos" simply replying.


"Arcalan Hemlos..." repeating. "Well, thank you Lady Hemlos. But could you tell me what had happened... why my leg is like this... who did this to me?"


Arcalan shook her head. "I am sorry, I do not know. Tashtego is the one that found you, though he doesn't know either."


Reaching over Hecathia grabbed a long wooden board, then used it as a crutch to stand with. "I shall take a walk... the air might do me some good... and it is a nice night..." hobbling out the door. Tashtego quickly rushed over to try and help, but Hecathia refused his help, limping out the door. Turning the corner, Ilara came to the back of the Guild Hall. Looking around, not even the moon shone in the sky this night, which made Ilara smile. The Goddess was giving her the cover of darkness. Looking up to the hall, she saw a window that led into Crispian's quarters. Bending down, she carved the wood to match the size of her leg, then tied it tight to her leg, so it would give her mobility. "Well, those clerics of God did teach me something at least..." she muttered, then looked up to the window.


Scaling the guild hall, she reached up, finding the window to be locked. She muttered a curse under her breath, and looked through it. Crispian was asleep, now was her chance. She knew Arcalan was being watched by spies, she was not, this might be her only chance to get that key. Muttering a prayer to Hecate, a stream of lightning arched from her fingertips, destroying the lock on the window. Opening it, she fell down into the room, and froze. She looked to Crispian, he did not seem to be snoring any longer... had he awoken. Hecathia paused, sliding over to a dark shadow in the room, and waited for Crispian to resume his sleep...