A/N: As the incredibly badly written summary said, this is just me speculating on how scenes that Elspeth never saw may have played out. Let's face it, first person point of view neglects what must have been some great moments: Daffyd telling Obernewtyn that Elspeth was dead, Rushton realising that Dameon was in love with Elspeth – the list goes on. And I will also add in some scenes that would never ever have happened in a million years, unless the OberChrons were written with a cross between tabloid sensationalism and pantomime drama. Because who doesn't love that kind of thing, really?

Louis looked at me knowingly. 'So that is the way of it then' he said. 'That gypsy Swallow.'

Louis picked up the metal rod and poked at the fire, grunting as the coals fell against each other. Javo's voice boomed out from behind him. 'Will you stop your meddling, old man! Leave the fire be.'

Louis laughed, settling more comfortably into his chair before the flames. 'Ye'll not strike at me like I'm one of your lads, I ken. The fire had need of it' He looked up at the head cook as he approached the fire, a smile fleeting across his face.

'You're too big to strike,' Javo muttered, 'and Lud knows you're most likely to hit me back.' He settled into the chair beside Louis, passing a mug of hot tea to the other man. 'Besides, i have eno-' His sentence was interrupted as one of the side doors slammed open to reveal Ceirwan, striding into the kitchen with an exasperated shake of his head. Seeing the two men by the fire, he moved over to them and began to speak quickly, his accent thickening in his agitation. 'Javo, do ye have any porridge left from firs' meal? Th' Guildmistress has nowt eaten anythin', an she is mean' to ride to th' caves today.'

The cook grunted and rose ponderously to his feet, then moved to a nearby bench and began pulling drawers open, muttering under his breath all the while. Louis cocked an eye at the Farseeker guilden, who was running a hand through his hair and moving his feet restlessly. 'Th' lass is keepin' hersel' busy, then?' he asked, sipping from his mug with a queer light in his eyes.

Ceirwan sighed and seemed to calm a little. 'She is always busy,' he replied slowly. 'At leas' before I could see that she ate properly, but now...what with Rushton...they're nowt...' he stopped suddenly and blushed, seeming to remember that he spoke to one of the Master of Obernewtyn's oldest friends. Louis' mouth was open to reply when Javo reappeared, thrusting a tray into the guilden's hands. 'See that she eats it this time. She needs to be careful of herself, with all that is happening lately', he said, his gruff tone failing to disguise the warmth that lay under his words.

As Ceirwan left the kitchen Javo sighed. 'The Guildmistress needs someone to care for her, though I'd never say it to her face. It is fortunate she has Ceirwan to run and see to her needs, else she'd likely forget to eat at all, the skinny thing' He paused, and slid a troubled look at Louis. 'Especially since Rushton seems unwilling to be anywhere near her.'

The other man ignored the probing remark, spitting into the fire as he replied. 'Elspeth has nowt the faintest need fer someone to fetch fer her like a brainless hen. She's the most independent lass I ken.'

'I hold her abilities in the highest regard, physically and mentally, as well you know,' Javo rumbed. 'But it took such a time for her to plight her troth to Rushton, and now they seem to be estranged. I fear she is very unhappy now, poor woman.'

'Poor woman!' Louis exploded. 'Bah! Ye'd do better t' save yer pity for th' Master o' Obernewtyn, nowt that cold fish. If she were truly hurting she'd ha done more for him, an she'd nowt have let such a rift grow.'

Javo shifted in his chair, taken aback by the old man's ferocity. 'That's hardly fair Louis,' he said uncomfortably. 'Any fool could see that the Guildmistress does try to reach him. Every meal the two of them are present the rest of us are in agony watching her try to behave normally, and him as hard as rock with every word and look.'

Louis grunted, but seemed to have lost some of his antagonism as he stared into the fire. 'Well, with all her fine and mighty powers, she has nowt helped him when he has the need of it. Ye can call it equal blame as much ye like, but our Master suffers an she ha nowt the courage or the will to save him. She mun ha done something bad, or he would nowt treat her so. If ever a man were in love, it were Rushton Seraphim, an ye ken that only losing tha' love would make him so hard.'

'Something bad! The Guildmistress? She's so Talented as to be legendary for the young ones, and none could ever find fault with her courage or loyalty,' Javo growled, glaring at his friend. 'How can you think she would harm Rushton when all know the depth of love between them?'

'Calm down, man, or I'll talk to someone wi' more sense, said Louis grumpily. 'Tis my ken that she tried to shove inside his mind, fer ye mun ken how often she does that. Shove where she is nowt wanted, and fix the problems of every soul except her own. Ever since she firs' came, she couldna keep her mind tae herself.'

'But if she did, it was out of love,' Javo objected.

'Out o' conceit, ye mean!' growled Louis. 'Th' impatien' fool. She invaded his mind, or ha said she will nowt bind herself to him any longer. Th' only other cause could be that she ha taken another man, but ye ken that no man here would take her for himself, nowt when she is bound to the Master of Obernewtyn.'

Javo turned his head back to the fire, his thoughts disturbed. 'Unless the man were not a Misfit. She has been on enough missions to the Lowlands to know a surfeit of them, tis true. A rebel, perhaps, or that gypsy who helped us so much. Swallow, his name was. I have heard he treats her with much courtesy.' The cook stared into the flames, mulling over these new ideas. 'You do not truly think she would do that, do you?'

'Well, tis true tha' I have niver understood all that Elspeth does,' Louis said complacently, happy to have won a concession from the other man. 'But somethin' has turned them agin each other, and I dinna ken that there will be peace until it is fixed.'