"But you don't understand Vel, I HAVE to be there! Everyone is going to be there! He'll be there!" Alyssya whined. Usually all she had to do was pull 'that' face, all forlorn with her big eyes and pouty lips to get her way, but never worked on Velandra.

"Well go then! I'll even lend you my hawkstrider to get you there if it's that important to you"

"Do you have any idea how crass it would be to turn up alone at one of Lord Saltherils parties? I'd be the laughing stock! Oh why can't you get Suntouched to take me? Or you come with me? Please Vel!" She pleaded with her friend, making large eyes that usually got her way.

"You know very well Alyssya that I'm far too busy here and Suntouched has been summoned to the royal court this evening and can't even get that delivery done himself. And fel-knows how I'm supposed to get that down to the event myself. Look I'll see what turns up, if it's a quiet night I might pull in one of the girls to cover for me."

"Fine..."

Alyssya Dawntreader sank into her chair sulking. Her pretty face screwed up in stubborn self pity about not being able to go to the party, and not being able to attract the eye of one of the most eligible men in Silvermoon. She had had it all planned out: To arrive with the well known Vinemaster Suntouched, she would be wearing the palest sea blue chiffon dress, embroidered with silver and darker sapphire threads, the shoulders held together with silver cord so that the dress itself was backless to show off her slender waist, she would wear her ebony hair curled up and studded with gemmed pins in the style of stars, and she was going to dazzle the Lord and make her the envy of all the girls there. But now it was in ruin, she wasn't going and wasn't able to impress anyone. It wasn't fair! She swirled the wine in her tall glass and sulked over the remains of her shattered evening.

It wasn't the flashiest of inns within the city, nestled in the backstreets. But the mood was one of comfort and familiarity. The hostess was no longer a young girl, but was still beautiful in her prime, the wine was good and the chairs comfortable. Where someone could quietly come and drink in peace, or pull up a chair to a local and talk the night away. It was one of the few places in Silvermoon where class rarely came into play – all were equal under Velandra's watch at the Silvermoon city Inn. The name was uninspired, but their wares were legendary as this was the place of business for the cities most popular vinemaster, one Master Suntouched. Many an envoy from the noble houses was sent to procure supplies for feasts and the like. Because of which, Velandra's small yet comfortable establishment was privvy to all sorts of information, often split by the envoys who, naturally were given a free 'gift' from the barmistress for their efforts. There was very little that could go on in and around Silvermoon without her knowing about it, or who, or where. It was because of this control she could shelter some of the select few from the harshness of life, or ease them in the right direction. She surveys the population of her inn as a lighthouse scans the sea, ever vigilant. A couple in the corner courting on their second bottle, his hand strokes her long blonde hair while she giggles at the attention naively...he will probably make his move soon and request for one of the rooms, again. The older weathered man by the book case, the usual suspect – he will order two more cocktails ('lightwells' seemed his favourite -a heady mix of spirits and fresh peach juice) swiftly followed by a strong coffee to aid his meandering way home at end of hours. Her slim friend with long black hair curled into an elaborate style who pouts as she plays with a ring, watching people come and go before flouncing upstairs. The two young lads at the end of the bar, one with a chestnut ponytail always drawing in his book while his blonde friend chatted about the day and bemoaned the guards teasing. Belil was the blonde elf's name, he was a good sort, gullible but a good heart. She chuckled to herself, poor Belil had often been tricked into some manual labour for the good of the inn. She was sure he knew, but never minded, or even enjoyed the fact he was being useful. Those two were frequent visitors to the inn. Both obviously had their reasons for hiding out here, most people did. But these two were reliable, always willing to keep the peace and turf out any undesirables, they were useful to have around. Plus they made her laugh. Her emerald eyes watched them carefully as she polished glasses and put them back in their holding racks.

A low whistle escapes Belil's lips.

"...So you're heading out then? Well best of luck friend, is all I can say. I've never gone further than the Eversong river myself, and that was years ago." He quaffs the last of his drink. "Hey, Velandra! Another two over here!"

The proud looking woman swathed in purple silks brandishes a broad smile to the pair and uncorks another dusty green bottle, her elaborate bangles jangling against the glass.

"You boys celebrating tonight then?"

"Of sorts. Roth here is leaving us for the wild yonder" He claps his friend heartily across the back causing Rotharians pencil to leave a thick black coursing though the page in his ever present notebook.

She peers over the bar as she refills the goblets. "Sure thing darlin'. What you drawing there?"

Rotharian adds a few more quick flecked line with his pencil to the delicate butterfly design before hooking an errant lock behind his ear and looking up "It's the dagger I recently made for my youngest sister"

"It's really pretty, with that narrow wavy blade, very delicate."

He smiles appreciatively "I was thinking of adjusting the design, making the blade short, straighter..here.. and here. Perhaps some more weight to the pommel. More functional for throwing and the like. Although she'd never use it like that, but I like veratility"

Belil sticks a curious head over and casts a wary eye on the design. "Hmm.. never really a fan of daggers, too underhanded or girlish for my liking." He quaffs deeply from his glass and directs his gaze to the barmistress "but you'd be hard pushed to find a finer jointed breastplate than those made by this chap. Seriously! That last piece felt like I was hardly wearing anything at all, not like that tray Bermarrin tried to pass off."

Rotharian grinned at his friends praise "Now Bel, Bermarrin's gear is fine, he was pushed for time -and he's the only one supplying the guards at the moment."

"Well he wouldn't be if they let you do it"

"I can't. It's not right for me to do so." He changed the subject back to armour, uncomfortable with the way the conversation was leading "Anyway, the jointed thing just made sense to me. Our fighting styles are completely different to that of the Brutish Orcs Emissarys we've seen. Their armour is to compliment their tactics – heavy, bladed, their entire body is an extension of the great-axes they carry. Now ours – lithe, supple with light blades that have slit an opponent when weakness is ..."

"Yea yea.." Belil cuts in with a jovial dismissive wave "We don't need to know why! Just be happy we think it's just good! Still, it'll be a shame to lose your skills to a hungry Lynx or worse, so be careful with that head of ideas of yours" He ruffles Rotharians hair roughly laughing

"Ah get off me!" As they mock fight, making the bar decidedly noiser. Velandra laughs with them and recharges their goblets once more. "So then, where you leaving us for then?"

Chestnut hair fell over his face as he traced his butterfly design lightly with the tip of the pencil, he didn't want to broadcast anything about his family, Riselles disappearance or Ravharas strict lessons, so deeply had it been ingrained not to speak of anything – so he never said more than he had to "there's... there's someone I need to find."

She raises her eyebrow and flashes a knowing look to Rotharian "Someone... and you need to find her eh?" He looks surprised and quizzically at her, he didn't mention a 'she' did he? "Don't look surprised sweetness. I see things, I hear things and I think you and I might be of help to one another" She takes a sip out of his glass knowingly.

"How do you mean 'help'? Last 'help' I heard you needed, you roped Belil here digging you out a new room in your cellar for free." He cautiously provokes, covering his question cleverly, Belil nodding furiously in agreement, unaware at the conversational undertones.

"Ah that's not true" She sweetly drawls "that's paid off his wine tab"

Belil splutters "Wait.. what? That was supposed to be for last months rent!"

She chuckles and strokes Belil's chin affectionately "No, no, sweetness, however, I *do* have that new stove to be fitted in the kitchen". He mutters and pushes his glass forward with a sulky face

"Well, if I've already paid for it I'll have another! It was surely big enough cellar." Belil mutters into his glass half heartedly. They all knew he liked 'helping' Velandra out, it was a strange symbiotic relationship they had, but it worked.

Rotharian swirls his own wine "So, what's this favour?" He could almost hear Velandra purring in victory, as if she were about to play a winning chess move.

"Well, Lord Saltheril is hosting another of his infamous parties, the vinemaster was supposed to deliver the wine for this splendid affair to keep the mood and spirits high, but alas master Suntouched is far too busy to attend..."

"And delivering this wine helps me how?"

"Well dear boy, only the best socialites and elite go there. If there were to be information about a certain lady and circumstances, it would be at that party"

He mused on this. She was right though, and he no real leads right now other than Riselle was not anywhere in the city. "But aren't those sorts of things invite only, to keep the ..erm.. undesirables out?" he gestures to himself "I'm hardly the talk of Silvermoon highest circles." A slight understatement on his part, he had endeavoured to avoid all such gossip in the past. But needs must this time, and he had already extracted himself from his Fathers domineering clutches. As long as he didn't mention his name, the family could still be kept 'clean'. A nagging thought constantly reminded him to keep low, the less people knew of him, the easier it would be to find Riselle.

"And that is where you are helping me, I could get anyone to deliver this wine, but I need someone 'special' to escort my friend who was dreadfully disappointed that she wasn't going to be able to go tonight"

"Seems simple enough.. what's the catch?"

Velandra winks at him playfully "Oh, there's no catch... although the party is due south of the city, and reports coming in are unclear on how large the rising threat may be. At its worst, my friend might want you to change your shirt, or not wear one at all..."

His eyes widen slightly, and Belil choked into his wine laughing. Velandra sauntered towards the stairwell and calls up

"Alyssya! Come down, your evening is still on!"

The black haired girl skitters down the stairs excitedly "You'll go Vel?"

"Not me... him"

The girls eyes fall upon Rotharian and squeals in glee "Really? You got him to go with me?" She is beside him before he can even blink, her green eyes dancing as she eyes her prize top to bottom pinching his muscles, clearly unashamed at her lecherous ways "Oh Vel, how did you do it? This is perfect! Do you still have that wonderful black shirt of yours I've seen you in? Oh Felicity is going to be green when I turn up!" She gushes turning to her friend.

"He is isn't he?" Velandra lazily purrs at Alyssyas elation "Well, the crates are loaded into wagon with some extras to keep Lord Satheril sweet."

"Oh I must get changed! I'll meet you outside before sundown!" And with that she practically skipped up the inn stairs, ecstatic that the evening had been better than resurrected. Slightly stunned by what had just occurred, a momentary pause between the three of them was broken by Belil snorting out loud with laughter.

"Oh my... wow... hahaha.. That's not quite what you had in mind, was it when you wanted to get out the city. I guess you will have to be careful of hungry creatures – just not the lynx! ..." He trails off muffling his giggles into his hand. Velandra gives the boys a reassuring look

"Now, don't spoil this chance, Alyssya is a very dear friend of mine so look after her..."

Rotharian rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh and a smile "Ah, it's on my way anyway. Is there anywhere I can scrub up? "

"... you'd best wear your armour Roth! ..." Belil chirps in, they all laugh as they finish the last of the bottle, toasting to the next time they meet.