[Elora]

Barrold

Under the pretense of tiredness, Barrold turned away and missed Avanill's smile in the darkness. He leant back, stretching out into a comfortable position of recline, arms folded behind his head, and made a show of appearing relaxed. Behind his closed eyelids a different theme played.

Toby fidgeted nearby, reaching for his pack and some food.

"Keep quiet, my hill rat," Barrold said in a hard voice through the night. Toby's reply was to crunch on an apple. Barrold shifted again, until he could survey Vanwe from beneath lowered lashes. She was hard to make out in the darkness, yet she did not completely disappear in shadow. What light there was lingered in the fall of her hair and the drape of her gown. It was silk, Barrold guessed. What other treasures Naiore carried with her was an interesting source of speculation.

Rumour had it that Naiore had once been wealthy in a way that only those who served less morally demanding masters could become. Yet, he had seen little sign of it. She seemed to have ample gold and silver to pay for things, and her gear was worth a prince's ransom alone. Every man for himself, eh?

Naiore's weapons and gear were valuable in their own right. Perhaps she had other little trinkets tucked into her pack along with the dress that Vanwe wore. It was plainly elvish in fashion, fancy compared to women's clothing that Barrold was more familiar with. No rough cotton or hession, no rope there. Silk, embroidery delicate, beads too, perhaps precious stones. Without getting a closer look he couldn't be sure, and Vanwe would probably yell if he tried to rectify that.

Barrold's mind greasily moved on. What else did Naiore have of value? He knew the answer to that, but did he dare? If he did, he would have to act before these reinforcements arrived. He'd have to get the location of the Rangers from the rat and slip away long enough to put that information to good use. Avanill, Toby or Vanwe might give him up to Naiore, by choice or otherwise. Still, if he could get away just long enough to impart Naiore's location and plans, collect the bounty and leave others to gather up this rag tag group, he'd be close to as wealthy as he wished to be. Maybe he'd be able to collect some of Naiore's other possessions, including her daughter.

Barrold sighed, throwing various ideas about in his head, feigning sleep and listening to Toby work his way through an apple and then start on a piece of smoked meat.