[Amanaduial the archer]

Callath put on an expression of mock panic at the remark, then stuck his lip out in a deliberately childish expression, making the others smile. Adeline's suggestion of going down to the ebach for an hour was most welcome to the youth - after all the only other thing he could do was, as Calnan put it 'get acquainted with' the Doran's horse.

Standing, Callath dropped his crumpled napkin lightly on the table and dug one hand into one pocket, then the other, in search of some money. Ignoring Devon's pained look, the stable hand sifted the right change out onto the pile by the half meltes candle holder in the centre of the table. Straightening up, he smiled ruefully.

"Aye, sounds good - sure, the stable master won't miss me for too long..." Callath exchanged a grin with Devon, who had seen Horse-Master Garth in his typical state before, when he chanced into the stables to see Callath in the middle of the day, and found the man fast asleep, a half empty bottle of ale hanging loosely from one hand.

"Thanks Adeline. At least someone has some consideration..." Callath finished in a martyred tone, casting a wry look at Calnan, who simply laughed, standing himself.

As the three began to make their way out of the bar, Callath continued to turn over in his mind some way of revealing Doran, walking a few paces ahead of the others, his hands dug into his pockets and his brow slightly creased, reflectively. Devon would be all for rushing straight in and storming up to the sea captain to reveal him for what he truly was, but at least his father’s dismissal had seemed to shake some sense into him. Or at least, Callath hoped it had… Looking back at the Ambassador’s son, he saw an energetic, and intelligent, of course, young man, talking vividly to Calnan. But at some comment made by the attaché, Devon’s eyebrows shot up and he shoved his friend to the side, making Calnan stumble slightly, laughing with him as he tried to come up with a retort. Callath himself smiled, but it was only a half-smile – he wondered just how well his friend realised what danger he was in. But what if…

“I’ve seen that look before, Callath Harres. Generally it means something up here is up to no good.”

Adeline tapped the side of her head lightly as she spoke, illustrating her point, and Callath almost jumped. The young woman had always had a way of moving even more quietly than him, cat-like – she had approached without him even noticing, and fell into step with him. After a moment, she nudged him lightly. “Come on then – you have an idea, out with it.”

Callath merely smiled. “Not an idea really, Adeline. More…an inkling.”

Her eyebrows went up in askance, but once again the stable hand merely smiled, before turning back to where Calnan and Devon were having a joking verbal duel. The wind had picked up as they came towards the beach, sweeping in from the sea, and his fair hair flopped into his eyes even more. “Come on, you two – the tide’ll have come right in by the time you catch up with me and Adeline.”

“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, keep believing it Callath!”

Callath grinned, shading his eyes against the sun, one hand cupped against his mouth as he called to them. “Prove it then!”

Jerking his head towards the beach, the stable hand grinned mischievously and took off at a run towards the beach, and after a second the other three followed, exchanging friendly threats and bantering jokily, thoughts of Doran and corsairs thrown, for a while, to the sea wind...

[ October 25, 2003: Message edited by: Amanaduial the archer ]