Will leaned forward, forcing chuckles; they felt unnatural, though she knew this was something she'd usually say. She didn't see the pair of emerald eyes on her, "Well.. What's taking him so long with Corny?"

...

"He takes our very life force.." A woman shook her head, tutting as lightning cracked the darkness of the sky over Prince Phobos' royal castle. Blunk stood in the shadows to listen, gossip about the Prince might be payed for by Caleb or a rebel.

Another woman; behind the food stall, smiled sympathetically, "They say the true heir has been found.. All our troubles could be over if by Kanénas!"

"I hope for paidión mou sake that it's true."

Blunk knew his cue, walking out with his large backpack, rumaging in it for the pair of white items he'd found in the Hale's family home. 'Apartment' she'd named it, he remembered, as she threw him out. "When troubles over, have feast! Cut food with these: feet knives!"

...

Cedric bowed down as he listened to Prince Phobos, who sneered out, "It's the guard Vathek. He's left the castle."

"The guards are allowed to patrol the village.." Vathek was a close ally of Cedric's, and the Lord knew that Phobos had not been happy for days. He was looking to punish someone.

"He left his weaponry and took a days food I believe." Prince Phobos sounded almost gleeful to kill off Cedric's only other true accomplis. "He'll take what he heard today to the otherside. He was listening to our conversation."

"The guardians will not know, they mustn't before I am ready to take her!" Cedric did not want to give away his concern for Vathek, so anger showed on his worried face.

"Relax.. He's large and slow. Follow him and take the larveck." Cedric gulped. The larveck. Vathek had no chance; traitor or not.

...

"Slices! Dices! And.." Blunk flew over the melon, chopping it up before the crowd, then flicking a peice into his mouth, "Diathétoun to dikó piroúni!"

Blunk bowed to the cheering crowd, but knew that few bids would come for the item - few had money to spend anymore. A large man came up to him and bowed down, wearing a rich coat that disinterested many of the people; they'd have rare chance to beat his bid. "I have news for Kanénas, I need you to find a portal!"

A portal was expensive. Blunk's lucky day. "Blue thing's lucky day! Blunk have a portal special!"

...

"Elyon! How come you told Hay Lin, but you didn't tell me!"

"I ran into Hay Lin."

"Well how come you didn't run into me!"

Cornelia was whining and Caleb could hear it from the other side of the room; he sighed heavily, pulling his notebook out of his apron-pocket. "What'll it be ladies?"

"Caleb.. Right?" He was glad the girl seemed to have forgotten him, she'd been almost as bad as Cornelia 'pre-boyfriend'. In some ways she'd been worse. "You're working here?"

"I'm actually raising money to help fight-" Cornelia stood and clamped her hand over his mouth, a combination of heavy perfume and soap which seemed to cover Cornelia filled his nose and mouth, the taste sickening.

"Gingivitus!" Cornelia laughed, "His father's a crusading dentist!"

Caleb rolled his eyes at the fib and pulled up a pile of dirty dishes left by previous customers, he barely got through the door of the kitchen before he was tackled by Hay Lin. "So.. What did you hear about Brian?"

"I didn't listen!"

"You 'didn't listen!'?" She sounded appalled and Caleb growled, why was he nice to them? Oh right, a redhead who'd verbally and physically assaulted him too many times to count altogether.

"It's bad enough I have to hang a towel from my pants and ask if they want extra apricot sauce!" He shoved the plates onto the counter and went to wash his hand for the sixty-somethingth time that day, Will posing as a catalyst to his frustrations. "I am not going to further demean myself by jotting down the ramblings of some lovestruck girl."

"If you hide behind the mandrine tree and take notes.. I do your next shift!" Caleb slowed his frantic scrubbing, considering the free-labour and the extra money for the rebellion's food stock.

He smiled at her, "Interesting.."

paidión mou - my children's

diathétoun to dikó piroúni - come with own fork