[Amanaduial the archer]

Crystal stalked away from Ferethor disdainfully and came to stand by Atharen, not looking at anyone in particular in the group, simply glaring angrily away from them, apparently intrigued by the spire on the tower of the Archives. Although she wasn't looking at him,as Atharen opened his mouth to speak to her, he felt her stiffen against his arm. Closing his mouth thoughtfully, he simply regarded her sidelong for a moment, and noted again the tips of her ears turning very slightly red; probably from retained anger against Ferethor. But why would they be turning red just now? a murmur in the back of his mind pointed out.

Turning around sharply, his hand on his sword hilt, Atharen stepped around Crystal, his arm brushing hers as he did so, and something like electricity seemed to spark between them, distracting him for a moment. He didn't show it though, his eyes opaque as they fixed on some point behind the wall, and he took a few steps forwards. The others in the company had stiffened - apart from Del, who was leaning against a wall and whistling tunelessly under his breath, apparently quite unconcerned. "What is it?" Maen inquired, her voice low and alert.

"I'm not sure," Atharen replied in a murmur, still watching the wall convincingly. He glanced at the others and nodded to them, one hand still on his sword. "Wait here, I'll just go a check. I thought I saw a man watching us, but it may have been nothing - it was only for a second." As he began to walk away, he caught Crystal's eye for a split second and she caught on, and she spoke even as Ferethor was opening his mouth to.

"I'll come with you, Atharen - better to have two of us who are well trained in swordsmanship." It seemed she couldn't resist a last snipe at the Gondorian guardsman as she passed to follow Atharen, and the ranger couldn't help grinning, his face hidden from the others. Quickly suppressing it, he turned and glanced at Maen, nodding to her, and she nodded back in understanding of his silent message: Go on into the Archives.

He and Crystal walked in silence until they had turned the corner, and after a few moments the ranger grinned again, pushing a stray lock of blonde hair back behind one ear as he glanced at Crystal. She didn't look back, and he noted that her ear-tips were still very slightly red, and she must not have seen his grin, as she tensed again, as she had before; as if she was expecting some sort of repimand. The man had absolutely no intention of remanding her actions towards Ferethor, however - the guard was not gaining trust with any of them by keeping them in the dark as to his motives and methods. Maybe Crystal had reacted violently, and to be sure that needed to be kept down, especially when if they were to be in more dangerous situations in the future, as Atharen highly suspected they would be, and in more public places, but as he had seen before, was she not like wild fire?

So Atharen tactfully decided to avoid that subject and switched to another, the one that had caused him a rare grin. He had wanted some time to speak to Crystal, even if it could not be for very long, away from the others for a few moments. "Well, my lady, what did you think of my acting skills?"