[Nerindel]

The noon sun was now beating down heating their backs and the black stone of the citadel courtyard as Ghurdan reflected the events of the previous night. After Sevora, Dristi and Naramath had issued their orders and left, he had brought out the chest and gathered his men together, "Desert wear any one!" he had laughed as he throw open the trunk. The fifteen men had also burst out laughing as they saw their own clothes. they had grabbed at the pale browns, greens and sand colours of light trousers and shirts. "You are free to go, but be back here at first light and make ready to leave, Dismissed!" he had told them.

Once his men had left he had went to find Zasfal. He found The younger man packing his gear. "Where's your friends" he had scoffed looking around, "Packing I should think " he had replied off handily shrugging his shoulders. "And!" Ghurdan had urged him impatiently, Zasfal didn't stop packing but answered "They have worked for the eye before" "Ah! but who hasn't" Ghurdan had laughed, "But did be brag, like so many of his kind usually do." Zasfal nodded and proceeded to tell the captain all that had passed between them. "So do you think he was embellishing?" Ghurdan had asked, "No!" was Zasfal's only reply.


Just then Ghurdan had seen Sammael and Damodred cross the courtyard looking in their direction. "It looks like your cover is blown" he had said nodding in the direction of the pair. Zasfal had looked up and looking at the two men he smiled, then nodded to them. "Not at all, they will no doubt have their suspicions but as yet nothing I have told them has been a lie and they were fool enough not to ask anything about me, if they had asked I would have told them, for it would be impossible to hide our...er...relationship for very long!" he told the captain returning to his packing. " Good" Ghurdan had replied approvingly.

As Ghurdan had made to leave, Zasfal 's gruff attempt at an apologetic voice had reached his ears "I apologise for the uniforms" Ghurdan had burst out laughing, he had totally forgotten that they were Zasfal's idea, "Don't worry about that, they served their purpose all be it not the same purpose you had in mind." " Make sure you are dressed appropriately tomorrow. I have dismissed the crew and ordered them to be back here at first light to make ready, that order applies to you too!"

Ghurdan had then left Zasfal and went to the city to get a room for the night. Nothing much had happened that morning, the crew were waiting for him when he had arrived back at the citadel, Zasfal with them. Ghurdan had been pleased to see that all of them where now dressed appropriately. They spent the entire morning packing and preparing for the journey, Ghurdan issuing orders here and there and the crew following them without question.

As the sun beat on his back he surveyed his crew, Each man now carried a heavy pack and was ready to leave. He himself was dressed in light airy sand coloured trousers, brown boots and a tunic of light greens and browns, in his pack was a cloak of the same light sand colouring, his head and face was covered, so that only his dark eyes showed. As he turned he saw the priestesses group gliding down the steps once more, they too had changed their black and red robes for the browns of the desert. He listened intently as she spoke, Nothing she said surprised him in the least.

As the priestesses party lead the way Ghurdan, Zasfal and the Fifteen men of his crew followed silently at first, but as they left the main part of the city they started to talk quietly amongst themselves.

Zasfal nudged Ghurdan in the side, he scowled at the young man then followed his gaze. He saw the old man that had grabbed his arm the night before, he was practically leering at the Priestess Dristi, both he and Zasfal burst out laughing "One hour! before she puts the old man in his place" Zasfal spluttered out between laughs, "Nay, I say longer , she is of the order and she should have more restraint than most" he said raising his eye brow at the young man. "Fifty silver" he replied. Ghurdan laughed again but took up Zasfals wager. "And what say you" Zasfal asked Sammael and Damodred, who he had heard coming up behind them.