"Honey, there someone at the door!" The shout of a woman could be heard through the thick wood of the door. The answer was definitely more muffled, coming from farther inside the house. "I need a minute. Can you go please?"
"Must I? I'm very comfortable at the moment and I just made me a tea!"
"Please? It is impolite to let others wait in front of a closed door."
"I don't care?!" But whoever the woman was, she did move as Lanaya could hear some shuffling inside of the house. She and Rylai were standing in front of the house of the Sacred Warrior, the blond woman looking at her with raised eyebrows. They didn't expect there to be a woman in the house of the troll.
The door opened. "If it isn't something important you want, I'm going to kill you. I'm just coming from a job and I hate to be disturbed in my free time afterwards. Huskar promised to cook so make it quick." The woman in front of them was scowling, straight black hair tied back into a ponytail, arms crossed in front of her chest. Though she was wearing a black tank top and black leggings, Lanaya recognised her.
"The Phantom Assassin."
She was regarded with a glare. "What is wrong with you? Why the hell are you wearing…" she gestured at the wolf costume, "this?" She turned to the Maiden. "And what are you? The helpless girl who needs rescue from the wolf? You didn't have to change your clothes for that." She turned her head and shouted into the house. "Huskar, get over here, Crystal Maiden and Templar Assassin are here and they are kind of crazy. There is some event I don't care about going on again. I really don't want to deal with it!" Back to them she said: "Wait for Huskar, I don't even want to hear why you are dressed like that."
And then she left them standing in front of the door. Rylai looked at Lanaya. "Um, you know what she is doing here?" Lanaya didn't. The Maiden pursed her lips. "I'll ask my gossip network. Someone will know." Then they waited. Rylai was so occupied with thinking about the Phantom Assassin's presence in the house that she even forgot to be scared about the Sacred Warrior when he appeared. "Trick or Treat!" He was wiping his hands on some cloth, his hair messy and streaks of dirk all over his face and body. He huffed. "Mortred, really, and you weren't able to get them some of our sweets?"
"I don't care about all those stupid events! I didn't wait for them to tell me what they wanted. It is disturbing enough to see them dressed like that."
"Don't mind her, she's a little grumpy because her last job didn't go as well as she had planned." He smiled reassuringly (if one was assured by a smile full of sharp troll teeth).
"I am not grumpy! And don't tell others about my jobs!"
The Sacred Warrior rolled his eyes and leaned closer towards Rylai. "She is grumpy," he whispered. He looked at Lanaya, then, and back at Rylai. "So you are little red riding hood and the wolf. Nice costumes." He smiled again. "I'll get some sweets, wait a second. I didn't expect someone to show up, we get visitors far too seldom out here."
"Huskar, if you invite anyone to come over, I'll hit you!"
Lanaya could feel a shiver of fear running down Rylai's back at the words from the Phantom Assassin, but the Sacred Warrior just laughed. Then he was back with a bowl full of chocolate bars, bonbons, packs of gummy bears and so on. "Grab a handful. And I wish you happy Halloween."
"You too!" Rylai smiled at him, clearly happy about how friendly and pleasant he was. Definitely unfrightening. But, Lanaya thought, they were learning this day that appearance meant nothing. Even the Lifestealer had been friendly, and the Bane Elemental, though Lanaya would never in her whole life have voluntarily sought them out and talked to them.
"See you around." Another flash of teeth before the Warrior closed the door.
"Wow, that was not what I have expected." Rylai shook her head as they headed back to the griffin. "You think they are a couple?"
Lanaya thought about it. It certainly seemed that way. At least they were living together. Could be they were only friends. But Rylai would find everything out about them. She had a gossip network that was awesome and only a little frightening. Because sometimes the Assassin thought there was nothing that would remain a secret from them. And what one knew, the others would know, too.