A/N: Finally managed to overcome my writer's block, and the story started flowing naturally again.

"I am Annalise, Queen of Castle Cainhurst. Ruler of the Vilebloods, and sworn enemy of the church."

They all stood there in awe, transfixed by a strange combination of her foreboding presence and the mysterious aura that she seemed to be casting over them. The room lined with countless candles and armor from knights long past, though Sio felt that they could come alive at any moment.

"Visitor… I claim no subjects, but here lieth Our throne. Kneel afore us… …or get thee gone."

Sio shivered and almost took a step back; the Queen's tone was pure venom, and every instinct in her body told her that this woman could not be trusted. Still, in this world where there was precious little information to come by…they needed all they could, even if they came from dubious sources.

She glanced around nervously; nobody was kneeling, much less bowing, despite the ominous command. Adam's expression was inscrutable, and Vidocq's could only be described as pure hatred. Still, Sio herself was rather reluctant to just bow down to a figure she'd never met before, especially one as foreboding as this Queen Annalise. Suddenly the figure in the throne sat upright, the movement startling the huntress.

"Such impudence. Defiled, are We, yet still Queen. We shall not give audience to an ill-mannered beast. Get thee gone."

"So much for doin' things the easy way…guess we've no choice," Adam muttered, before nudging the girl and one by one they sank to their knees, some more reluctant than others. Sio nearly fell over in her haste, but managed to steady herself just before she planted face-first into the cold stone floor.

"Visitor… Moon-scented hunter… I am Annalise, Queen of Castle Cainhurst. Ruler of the Vilebloods, and sworn enemy of the church. Yet, Our people are murdered, and We are prisoner to this wretched mask. What is it thou'rt in search of?"

"Uh, we—" Sio was about to tell their tale to this queen, but Adam was faster.

"What's this all about?" The mysterious invitation fluttered in the air, Adam not so much as handing it over as simply thrusting it towards the queen. "A summons? To see you? I'm no member of the Vilebloods—nor do I have any interest in joining."

For a moment the tension was so thick that the very air nearly suffocated them; Vidocq gave a side-glare at Adam's brusque tone, but if the hunter took any notice, he didn't hint at it. The silence was unbearable, and for a second Sio thought they'd have to draw their weapons, until…

"…Ah. Thine face we do not recognise…but thy blood…is the same, moon-scented hunter." An odd creaking noise came from the throne, until Sio realized the Queen was actually laughing.

"My…blood? That's impossible; I've never been here before—"

"—but thine father has. Hunter Muirhead…you are his progeny."

There seemed to be a collective gasp from the entire group—Adam especially, the man's eyes narrowing in a combination of disbelief and disgust. "What…! My father wasn't the kind of man who'd join with the likes of you!" It was true that he knew little of his father, aside from what disjointed memories he still held and the stories his mother had told him; but they all seemed to point towards a dutiful, if somewhat stoic, man who had left simply because he didn't wish his family to suffer the beasts. "He isn't…wasn't, someone who'd kill on a whim."

Somehow throughout his entire tirade, the Queen didn't seem to take any offense; she merely sat there, un-moving and silent, until Adam seemed to have spoken his mind.

"Foolish hunter; dost thou truly believe all men to be invulnerable? Thine father was quite astute in his loyalty to us. His death was a true loss…"

The very room seemed to spin, but Adam kept his composure. It was an insult to his family…yet suddenly it made sense. Why his father never came back; why his mother could never seem to answer him; for how could she, knowing the man who had once vowed to provide and protect his family had given into the bloodlust of possibly one of the most hated covenants? Queen Annalise must have promised him something in return for his father to entirely abandon his own morals.

"…And now you're thinkin' I'll do the same, aren't yeh? I may be his son, but I'm not him. I'm not interested in joining your…vampires."

"Thou'rt dear to Us. We would see no harm befall thee…"

Those words sent shivers of disgust down his spine. "Me, or my father? Either way, the answer's no. Now come on, we're leaving." Without even waiting for a response, he turned tail and left, the young huntress tagging along close behind.

"A wise choice…There is no more to be said…away from mine gaze."

"Well, that was a load of bull," Hunter muttered under his breath as the group slowly trooped out, "but at least we figured out where tha' invitation came from. Though I can't say I fancy the idea of how she knew about you…"

"Perhaps your father mentioned something?" Mahesh casually interjected, but Adam's blood boiled at the mere thought of the Queen getting close enough to his father to find out something like…that. "Well, at least she didn't decide to kill us. Could've been much worse."

"U-Um, Adam…" He stopped briefly and gave petite huntress just the slightest of glances, not really in the mood for talking. "Uh, I'm…sorry, about your father…I'm, I'm sure he didn't…mean to abandon you and your mother…"

"…Don't worry about things you don't need to, squirt. That was long ago…guess at least I can put some puzzle pieces in place now. But," and he gently took her hand for just the briefest of moments, "thank you."

Sio didn't say a word, only nodded slightly but with a content look on her face.

They had nearly cleared the hallway before he appeared; tall, but not threatening, wearing the white uniform and a badge whose symbol was indicative of a covenant they had just defeated.

"…You are hunters, are you not?" The man, dark-haired and dark-eyed, armed with a massive bow stood before them in the exit. He didn't appear to be hostile, but it was clear that he wasn't just going to let them pass. "I knew it; for that's precisely how I started out. The Queen…you went to see her?"

"Yeh, but I'm not bloody joining her; I've no interest in becoming a vampire," Adam answered evenly, still taking stock of this stranger who had appeared before them. "You?"

"…Beg pardon; you may call me Tell. William Tell. A protege of Master Logarius, hunter of Vilebloods." He gave a slight bow, though his expression did not change.

"…So you're an Executioner…" Adam bowed slightly as well, but did not take his eyes off this William Tell. He seemed like a good potential for an ally…or a dangerous enemy, depending on their goals. "I'm guessing you're after her then? The Vileblood Queen? If you wanna fight her, I ain't stopping yeh…"

"That is my goal, but now that you've uncovered her location, I'm not in a hurry. She won't be leaving anytime soon…but it seems, you are?" His dark eyes swept over the group, neither judging nor amused yet Sio felt herself shrinking back slightly at the intense gaze. "I was thinking perhaps as fellow hunters, we could exchange any interesting information we know…give each other a helping hand, you can say. Especially from you, Noble Vidocq. I'm surprised you left the safety of your castle…but I also expected nothing less of the heir."

The blonde grimaced slightly, though Sio couldn't tell if it was from irritation or worry. "Hmph, is it that difficult to believe that a noble is capable of combat? When it comes to knowledge, I will not be stopped by any beast or man."

"Admirable, for certain. You could very well restore House Vidocq's name to its former glory, should you kill the Queen." Though Tell had said this without any sort of malicious tone or hinting, all blood seemed to drain from the noble's face, leaving him paler than the snow falling outside.

"Y-You…what—"

"Oh? Was it something I said?" There was a look of subdued confusion from newcomer. "Ah, I see…they don't know, do they?" Tell glanced around at the rest of the party members, who looked just as confused. "You are working together with them, but you didn't tell them the truth? How odd."

"The…truth?" Sio had a feeling that whatever it was, Vidocq was not going to be pleased about being forced to reveal it. The pieces were there, in front of her…the Vilebloods, Queen Annalise, House Vidocq and the noble's own research into the old blood at Byrgenwerth. It was frustrating to be on the precipice of an answer, for she knew they all fit together somehow but without that crucial part…

Ignoring the looks of confusion and resentment, Tell went ahead anyway. "The Cainhurst Vilebloods only came into being because a member of the Byrgenwerth scholars betrayed his fellows and brought back a sample of the forbidden blood with him, to this castle. And it was then that the first of the inhumane Vilebloods were born, and threatened the church's teachings. And this traitor also went on to propagate a certain noble house." The Executioner turned towards Vidocq.

"The family that you belong to, is that not? Eugene Françoise Vidocq, heir to House Vidocq. And in doing so, you carry that dark stain on your family's history…"

Fists clenched, then slowly un-clenched as the silence continued, nobody daring to say another word as Tell and Vidocq stared at each other. So this was why Vidocq had been in such a foul mood the entire time they were here in Cainhurst…and yet was so insistent on coming here, despite the unfortunate connotations.

"…Oui. It is true, that one of my ancestors was a traitor to Byrgenwerth…and it is true that my family has hidden that fact for many generations now. However, you are incorrect on one fact, Monsieur Tell." Those blue eyes suddenly becoming fiercely defiant, a change from the cold callousness he usually carried himself with. "My goal in coming here was not to kill the Queen; I am here to gather information and add to my knowledge of the old blood and the Great Ones. And if that happens to lead me to my family's skeletons…then so be it. Knowledge is what will lead House Vidocq to glory, not some pointless murder. Besides, she is immortal; simply running a blade through her won't do anything."

William Tell's expression was still, and Sio couldn't tell if he was thinking to leave them alone or turn against them, until—

"…Heh, well said Vidocq, well said." A slow clap echoed through the stone chambers, Tell's lips curving into a small grin that seemed very out-of-place with his stoicism. "You are much different from your predecessors, that much I can sense. Perhaps you will be the one to succeed, in your own way… Very well. I shall join your…interesting group."

And without even waiting for a response—either good or bad—he fell into place aside them, casting a glance towards Adam as if to say 'well, lead the way'. The silver-haired hunter could only stare in disbelief for a few more seconds, before nodding his head towards the snowy exit. Half of him was grateful that Tell had joined without putting up a fight and adding to their strength, but admittedly another part was irritated at how people seemed to be inviting themselves into this group without any of his input. Numbers could be useful, that was certain, yet he knew from past experience that a large group could also bring more troubles.

Especially regarding the worsening issue of Sio and her ashen blood…he gave a subtle glance back, the girl now seemingly more at ease as they left the undead queen and was now talking shyly with Beckham, Hunter keeping an eye on Mirza in case the latter decided to make the young huntress his next target. His mood darkned at the thought of Mirza doing anything…suspect to her, whether or not it was intentional. The man had already developed a bit of a reputation as a skirt-chaser and something a hooligan, and that was before he even decided to go off and hunt beasts, despite his family's wealthy status. Ogura was just an innocent girl forced into a terrible situation—the battle against Logarius, and their subsequent interactions only strengthened that forbidden feeling that now, Adam was all but ready to give into. The only thing holding him back was his uncertainty of how the girl truly felt…though there were times where he swore she understood and teased him back, he couldn't quite tell if it was just her way of getting back at him, or if she was testing his feelings… His mind suddenly thought back to that almost-kiss that, in all honesty, probably would have happened if it hadn't been for Hunter's timely (or un-timely?) interruption, his cheeks turning unusually heated as he imagined what could have been. Probably soft, that was for certain—warm, maybe even passionate? Or perhaps she'd be a little clumsy, especially given their height difference and the fact that when not in battle, she always seemed to be tripping over her own two feet.

"Oy, Muirhead? Somethin' up?" He jerked his head up at the sound of Hunter's voice, only to realize that everybody else had already gathered around the lamp while he had walked straight past it in his daze. "You alright?"

"Yeh, 'm fine…let's get out of here. No point in staying around, unless anyone wants t' go back for the queen's head…" Neither Vidocq nor Tell made any indications however, perhaps satisfied that she would remain trapped there for eternity, with or without Logarius. The lamp swirled, and he fell into that strange, dreamy trance that overtook everyone whenever they traveled like this. Why was it always so strange, anyway…how the lamps worked, how they even traveled…he'd never questioned it, but for some reason this time, that odd feeling lingered even after they arrived back, all in mostly one piece.

"Ah…Muirhead? Is everything okay?" He looked down and there she was, vest still torn and bloodied from the battle but at least her wounds were bandaged up. "Do…do you want to talk about it?"

She didn't need to clarify any further; though technically speaking, they hadn't gotten any closer to defeating the beasts than before they went to that castle, they had picked up a surprising amount of information—least of all a new hunter, who was settling in as if he was already familiar with the dream. The truth behind Vidocq's family, and his own father's past…sighing heavily, he stored all his gear away and peeled off the now-dirty coat, opting to sit by the fire in nothing more than a plain shirt and worn leggings, giving a slight nod of his head to indicate it was all right for her to join him.

"Not sure what else there is t' say squirt…I mean, the queen made it pretty clear what happened…an' I don't think she's the type t' lie, despite her reputation."

"Well…I, I didn't mean to pry," her hands begin that nervous tic of poking each other, but she seemed determined to not lose her gaze. "But, just…I may not be the best at talking, but I'm a good listener…s-so, I uh, guess what I'm trying to say is…i-if, if you want to talk about…anything, I'd…be more than happy to listen." She glanced shyly at him, eyes wide but sincere and Adam felt weird tingly feeling go through him.

"…Heh, I appreciate the thought, squi…Ogura. You're very kind," he gave her a small smile, "though at this point I think a certain noble might need more comforting than I do."

"A-Ah, uh, w-well…I-I, I don't know…s, somehow, I think I'd rather…talk to you, instead," she muttered nervously, hugging her knees to her chest. "Though, I do feel sorry for Vidocq…and maybe a little guilty that I had such…harsh thoughts about him. Guess I should've known there was a reason he's always in such a bad mood…"

He clapped a warm hand on her shoulder, surprising the girl but she didn't brush it off. "Heh, well it's like you said earlier, that's not an excuse for being an asshole, right? 'Sides, he's got Hunter and the others to chat with, 'f he wants to. Though, from what I can gather, don't think he's th' type to talk about his feelings. If I were you, I'd probably just leave 'im alone for now. Likely he's feeling ashamed about hiding such a secret, especially after that Tell fellow just spilled it out so casually."

"True…speaking of which, I wonder why Tell joined us just like that?" She cast a curious look over at the tall hunter, who was busy sorting his weapons and it seemed, getting ready to inscribe a new rune. "I don't sense any bad vibes from him…but then again, we've only just met him."

Adam shrugged. "Who knows; I've been doing this long enough to know that sometimes, it's just best not to question others' motives. Could be he wants the strength of a group, could be he just doesn't want to travel alone." There was a rustling sound as the girl next to him produced a small packet of white pills, Adam's brows furrowing as he watched her down close to a handful, grimacing at the taste all the while. "Hey…you feeling all right? You worried about…that?"

"M-mm…w-well, I've always been worried about it…" She took one last swallow of water, swishing it to wash out the taste of the antidote. "Damn…I'll need some more soon—" she stopped in surprise as he handed her his own supply of antidotes.

"Just take it; I hardly get poisoned, and you need it far more than I do." And before the girl could protest, he reached over and tucked it neatly into her pouch. "…Is it worsening? You've been going through these pretty quick…"

At that reminder her maroons teared up, nose scrunching and Adam regretted bringing up her illness. "…Y, Yes…I-I, I'm…doing okay now…b-but, like you said…I've been having to increase the dosage a lot more, lately—" A sudden cough racked her petite frame, causing him to scramble for water, the girl finally calming down after a few seconds. "Th-thanks…"

"You sure you're all right?" The hacking cough was greatly alarming, as the symptom was indicative of the disease's progression. "Sure you don't want Hunter to take a look?"

"N-No…I'll, be fine, really…" Still, she seemed much weaker all of a sudden, as if the cough had drained all her energy. B-Besides, what else can he do? We all know…what'll happen, eventually…if I don't…find, the cure…"

"Get some rest; that was a hard battle and a long trek." He laid her head in his lap, and the girl closed her eyes without a single protest. "Just sleep; you'll feel better when you wake up." Finger absently ran through her silky hair, Adam nearly falling asleep himself from the fire's warmth and the girl's weight in his lap. How could this be so wrong…this comfort that she brought him, soothing all his doubts and actually strengthening his resolve to make it through the night. He knew they were starting to grow short on time; not just with the beasts, but her blood sickness was progressing faster than he'd thought…

'Don't you worry, Sio. I promise, I won't let you turn into a beast.' His fingers stopped just short at the nape of her neck, gently brushing the smooth porcelain skin that was far softer and more delicate than he'd ever imagined.

"She's a pretty little thing, isn't she?" If it weren't for the fact that Sio was asleep in his lap, Adam would've already drawn his weapon. "Ho, no need for such alarm, Muirhead…I was merely making an observation."

"What do you want Mirza." He didn't even bother trying to be cordial with this man—he was up to something, that much was for certain. Shit, how could he have been so careless as to let his guard down—Hunter's teasing jabs were one thing, but Adam knew that Mirza was not one to be taken lightly; despite his seemingly lackadaisical exterior, the man's mind was cunningly sharp, and his eyes missed no detail that could be used to his advantage.

"My, someone's in a foul mood. Still wound up about your father? At least you can rest knowing it wasn't entirely his fault for being seduced by the queen…she does have a certain method, after all." To Adam's immense displeasure, the man did not take his leave, but instead took up a spot next to the fire. "How's the girl?"

"Piss off already, why don't yeh?" Though normally Mirza's words would have earned a glare at most, for some reason right now, with her so vulnerable and his own skeletons being exposed, Adam was not in the mood for niceties. Even if it would mean more complications down the road by crossing this man…he'd cross that bridge when they came to it. "What happened to my father is none of yours—or anyone's business. It's all in the past, long before I even became a hunter…it wouldn't have made a difference whether or not I found out the truth."

"Hmm…how typical of you. Always looking at the pragmatic answer, and pushing aside the emotional one. Ah, but save for one…hmm?" Before he could elaborate further however, Hunter came striding in and Mirza inexplicably got up—though it wasn't to make room for the surgeon.

"Just remember Muirhead…I have an eye for pretty little things…especially ones who are more than they seem…"

A cold fear ran down his spine, though Adam willed himself to not react to Mirza's foreboding parting words. The womanizer aspect was not new—everybody knew of it—but the way he hinted that Sio was more than she seemed…

'It can't be; he's aware of her condition…?!' To what end Mirza would use that knowledge was still unknown, but knowing him, it wasn't likely to be good. Blackmail at best, and at worst…he didn't want to go there.

"Oy, how're you two holdin' up?" Hunter glanced down at the young huntress, who had fallen into a deep sleep. "Ah, restin' 'ey? Well tha's good…truth be told, we could all use it. No cure's greater than a good night's sleep…well, 'cept the blood treatments maybe, though can't say the same for the associated risks."

"Hunter. Is she…do you think…?" Emeralds gave a concerned glance, and Hunter's own gaze turned a little grimmer.

"Well, not gonna lie; ye know as well as I do that there's no real cure; all we can do is keep givin' her medicine and hope it'll stave off the effects long enough until the hunt ends. But failing that, we may have to start looking into blood ministration…risks or not, soon the antidote won't be enough anymore. She's gettin' worse, isnae she? She had another episode during that fight with Logarius…"

A slight nod, Adam unable to bring himself to voice the answer. Hunter gave him a pitying stare, before sighing and patting the girl's head himself. "Poor thing…she dinnae deserve all this, 'specially one so young."

"…No. But I won't let her end up like everyone else; I swear, we're going to end this nightmare before that happens, or so God help me," Adam whispered, aware that Hunter could fully see the way he held her protectively but he no longer cared. "My biggest concern now is keepin' the others at bay…'specially Mirza. Not sure why we agreed to let him come with us…"

"Well, I didn't make that decision—but would you rather turn him loose? You know what they say—keep your friends close, your enemies closer. Though, I'm surprised you'd suspect him, of all people."

Adam gave a snort. "The others are all fairly easy to read: Geronimo's a Hunter of Hunters, Beckham's your standard huntress, and Vidocq's just some noble trying to redeem his family's dark past. I can't say about Tell since he's just joined, but I don't sense anything immediate from him. But Mirza…he's always been a sly bastard. Never could quite tell what he's really thinkin'…"

The surgeon nodded in agreement. "True; though he's never outright done anything, so I think if we just keep an eye on him, should be alright. In any case, I highly doubt he'd try to pull something wit' you around. He's not stupid enough t' take ye head-on."

"Let's hope not," Adam muttered darkly, casting a surreptitious glance around—the aforementioned was now mercifully gone from the room, likely outside in the gardens or the courtyard. "I don't need anything else to deal with. Still, this blood ministration you mentioned…if it really came down t' that…we'd need a source, wouldn't we?"

A slight nod. "Yeh…that we do, Muirhead. But anyway, let's not worry 'bout it now. The lass seems t' be holdin' up alright…an' when that time comes, you leave everything t' me. I'll figure sumthin' out."

"Hunter…" Though Adam was aware that the surgeon had always been more altruistic than most, the gesture touched him nonetheless.

"Aye, th' lassie's quite dear t' me as well. Ah, but don't worry, 's not th' same level as ye, I'd wager." For once Hunter made that remark without any teasing hints, but rather a more nostalgic tone. "Should go without sayin' at this point, but I damn well hope you know what yur gettin' yurself into with Ogura, Muirhead."

"Don't remind me…" He muttered, leaning back slightly so Sio was lying on her side. "Don't even know half the time what the hell I'm doin'… I'm surprised you're not more against it."

The doctor shrugged, but it was without malice. "Eh, normally I would be, but I've seen enough to know when it becomes futile to protest. 'Sides, I trust you, Adam. An' if there's anybody in this fucked-up world left who has a chance of makin' it out alive and then some, it'd probably be you an' Ogura."

"…This is all theoretical anyway, I don't even know if she really wants to—let alone with someone like me—" It wasn't like he had exactly been welcoming when they first met; memories of their early days were filled with arguments and clashes, the two of them butting heads so often that Hunter retorted even the packs of monstrous dogs that roamed the streets of Yharnam had more order than the two of them. Yet somehow he'd come to see her as an equal, more than just a bumbling newbie who had no idea what she was getting herself into; and just now that last battle had more than proven that she could hold her own, and then some at that.

"I think you don't give yurself enough credit, Adam." He blinked at the surgeon in surprise, as Hunter's comments towards him tended to be either reprimanding or else sarcastic remarks about how he was going to get killed before his next birthday. "Oy, I'm being serious here! Sure your manners could…use some work," a raised eyebrow at the generous leeway Hunter had given him, "but at the ver' least yur a decent man, and unlike others, actually keep yur word. An' well, ah…forgive me fer soundin' a bit cheeky, but I think you an' her make a good match."

Despite the lingering concerns, Adam couldn't help but blush, having to turn away from Hunter as the other thumbed his nose in amusement at his reactions. "Th, thanks…I guess…" Though it was a bit reassuring to know that at least one person had their back, and that he wasn't completely insane for thinking that pursuing Ogura was actually possible. "Just keep this to yourself, alright? Don't want to make her nervous and get the wrong idea…"

"I wouldn't worry too much about that, Adam. In any case, that's your job, not mine."

"Hn…I suppose so."

"Mmm…huh." Her maroons opened to the flickering flames, and the reflective shine of the Stakedriver's blade. A warm cloak was neatly tucked around her body, its scent as familiar and comforting as the lap her head was resting in. It took a few more seconds before she realized that she was resting in its owner's legs. If it had been any other time, Sio would have sat up immediately and fled in horrifying embarrassment, but this time it felt so natural and…right. One of his arms had been gently draped over her waist, and the weight was comforting, as if she was being shielded from any and all harm. In spite of herself, Sio felt her mouth curving into a smile, but it froze in terror the second she caught sight of a pair of glittering, dark eyes, their reflection staring very intently at her in the Stakedriver's blade.

Mahesh Mirza. That strange man whom Adam had found in the woods, back in Hemwick Charnel Lane…even though both he and Hunter had assured her that nothing would happen when they were around, still there was something about him that made her extremely wary around him. Though he was polite enough towards her, just the way he always seemed to be watching her, leering whenever she was by herself and speaking in a way that made her not trust those honeyed words… The huntress remembered when they'd first met, how he so boldly kissed her hand without any warning and then claimed how she seemed too fragile for a hunter's life.

From this angle, there was no way he could see that she was awake and watching him in the Stakedriver's reflection, or at least she hoped so…Sio wanted to just squeeze her eyes shut and return to that pleasant dreamland she was just in, but something inside told her to keep watching, as he observed her. Strangely, that seemed to be all Mirza was doing; simply watching her, though not in the curious way the Doll sometimes did, but it felt predatory…like how hunters stalked their prey. The hidden staring contest continued, until after what seemed like an eternity he finally turned away, off to do whatever it was he did in his spare time.

"…Squirt? You feelin' better now?" She turned towards his voice, staring into a pair of half-lidded emeralds. "Oy, what's wrong? You all right?"

"H-Huh?"

"You're shakin' like a leaf…did you have another nightmare?" He peered at her worriedly, smoothing a hand along her back as she willed herself to stop trembling.

"Oh…n, no, it's not…that…" She hadn't even realized how shaken she'd been when she was lying awake, staring at Mirza as he watched her. 'Maybe I should tell Muirhead about Mirza…but I don't want to cause unnecessary trouble in the group either…' No, she would just keep a cautious eye out for now; besides, she had no real proof that Mirza was really out to cause trouble, even though both Muirhead and Hunter agreed that he wasn't the most trustworthy person.

"Ogura? What's wrong? I promise I won't make fun of yeh," he attempted a reassuring smile, to which Sio could only vaguely return. "Still worried?"

"Y-Yeah…b-but, I'm…feeling a little better now…thank you, Muirhead…" His touch was soothing, calming her down from her own anxious thoughts. "You know, at first I thought I'd made a mistake just coming to Yharnam so foolhardily…but then again, I was able to meet people like you and Hunter…so, maybe it wasn't all that bad." She burrowed shyly into the edge of the cloak, especially as she heard a low chuckle from the man.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. You're not half-bad yourself, squirt. I'm glad that you joined us." Was it just her or did he sound more self-conscious than usual? She didn't have anymore time to contemplate his odd behavior though, as the sounds of the others' voices started filtering back in. "Anyway, if you're feeling better, we should probably discuss where to head next. I've heard talk of taking a closer look at Yahar'gul…I know it's not your favorite place, and frankly it isn't mine either…but given what Hunter says they saw the last time we were there, I think it's worth checking out."

Sio swallowed thickly at the name—'Yahar'gul'. That dreaded place where she'd been captured and thrown to her death, had it not been for Muirhead and Hunter's quick actions. "Yeah…makes sense. You don't need to worry about me, Muirhead. I can take care of myself, even like this."

"Hah, that I have no doubt at this point. And also, uh, you…don't need to call me by my last name anymore. 'Adam' is fine, now…"

Even without looking at his face she could tell he was blushing; it was uncharacteristic of the usually stoic man, but Sio found it a rather adorable change. "Well Adam…I'd be more than happy to oblige, but only if you stop it with this whole 'squirt' deal. It would be nice to hear my real name more often than just the rare serious moment…"

He laughed, a genuine sound of joy that surprised her. "All right, fair enough…Sio. That sound better to you?"

Despite her efforts to maintain a stern front, Sio couldn't help but laugh back herself. "A lot better than squirt, I can tell you. Though I suppose I wouldn't mind too much if I heard it once in a while…you know, on the occasions where you slip up. I know it takes time to get used to it."

"We'll just see about that, squi—I mean Sio—blast it…" She just laughed at the silver-haired man, as she slowly got up and started putting on her armor and weapons.

"Don't worry Adam, practice makes perfect." She grinned saucily at him. "Yahar'gul, huh? Guess we should prepare ourselves then."

If the other noticed any change in demeanor between the two, they didn't say anything. Still as they grouped around the headstone, she felt better than when they had been at the castle, even though the sickness was definitely progressing. Though it had taken her longer than she'd wanted, it seemed at last they had earned a mutual respect…and perhaps even more, if that fluttery feeling in her chest was anything to go by.

'No…come on Sio, you already said you didn't come here to look for a husband!' But it couldn't hurt to just entertain the thought a little, could it? 'Though I wonder what my parents would think if I came back not only a successful hunter, but with a man to boot…'

"All right, everybody ready? We're going back to Yahar'gul, so make sure you've got what you need." Adam adjusted his new coat, still stiff until he broke it in. Yahar'gul would be even more difficult than the castle they'd just left, he could sense this. But somehow, Adam also had a feeling that they would make it out all right.