Virginia
**Mendel Ackerley**
**Somewhere in the Witherlands**

The log cabin that had been referred to him was far more sturdy than his nearly underground hut back in Amoroth, yet the cold in this kingdom was hardly his forte. Ever since he'd made it past the border he'd been unable to stop shivering, and he'd already piled two furs on himself - courtesy of Kenan, he supposed. He'd need to give one to Yvaine, but for now, it was keeping him from turning blue. The blond assassin nearly kicked the door to the cabin open and stepped inside, bringing along a small flurry of snow before he shut the door. The furnishings were minimal - a small bed for one, a fireplace with a stack of logs nearby, a bearskin rug, and a candle by the bed. Mendel shuffled his way inside before grabbing a tinderbox from on top of the fireplace with numb fingers. 
"This is... Ridiculous... There should've been someone else... I'm gonna... Die...," Mendel muttered as the match trembled in his hand, but he managed to strike it and toss it into the fireplace, watching as a few aged papers began to catch fire. The man gave it a moment to grow before putting a log on so as not to snuff the flame. If he was lucky, maybe he'd be able to feel comfortable as the fire grew. He huddled closer to the flame - when was he expecting his guest? He couldn't be sure. Perhaps his brain needed to defrost, too.
Gloria
**Yvaine Aster**
**Somewhere in the Witherlands**

It was either the stifling heat of the South or the numbing frost of the North. The midlands never seemed to be her assignment unless the children were with her and they rarely seemed to be since Tristane had abandoned them for the lap of luxury. On her part she had been in the wrong, to encourage the idea of a normal family in their profession. Kanen was right, she had been stupid. 

It was rare that Yvaine completely disagreed with Kanen, and this was one of those occasions. The arrangement had been ideal, she had a chance to raise children she never had, and they had been given- or she hoped that they had been given a mother's love. Without the two bickering at her side or on Tristane's shoulders, the only company was the cutting wind against the tips of her ears as she continued in the vague direction she remembered Mendel's new hut being. A smile tugged at her lips beneath the cloak she had pulled up as she imagined how he was faring so far from the sun he usually basked in. If her ears didn't drop off from lack of circulation, she was certain he'd rant them off. 

Yvaine had lost track of time when she reached the hut, and from the wisps of smoke she could see rising, he was *Home*. She'd never use that word to his face. Approaching slowly, she pulled her frozen hands from under the cloak to push open the door. 

"I can't decide what's worse, sunburn or frostbite?" She questioned, kicking her boots against the closed door to shake off the snow and ice that had caught onto their soles.
Virginia
**Mendel Ackerley**
**Somewhere in the Witherlands**

Mendel's head whipped around, which was quite the sight. He was entirely covered in two furs, one being worn as a coat and the other just thrown over his head, the sleeves tied around his neck to keep it in place. His cheeks and nose were a rosy red from the cold, though he was slowly beginning to warm up. 

"You even have to ask?" His tone was almost incredulous. "The sun doesn't make me tremble - though I do still get that way when you're in the room," He added with a smirk as he turned back to the fire, which had grown to a decent size. It gave off a warm glow and a moderate amount of heat. "C-Close the door, you'll let the heat out." He slowly waddled in his crouched position so he could look at Yvaine while also keeping himself near the fire. "How was your m-mission?"
Gloria
**Yvaine Aster**
**Somewhere in the Witherlands**

It took her a moment to catch her breath in the considerably warmer room and it was easier still once she remembered to remove the fur collar of her cloak from her face. With the slight adjustment, her hood fell, allowing her blonde wisps to fall from the makeshift bun she had made atop her head. The stray wisps were dipped in frosted blood, it wasn't her fault that there had been a struggle. As much as she would have loved to clean up, she was far too tired to at the present moment. Instead, she sunk into the space beside him, edging closer to the growing flame. 

She scoffed at his comment. He was right in the fact she'd continue to kick his ass if they dared to spar again. "It was messy, again. Can't you tell?" Yvaine exhaled, pleasantly surprised that there was no longer a cloud of condensation when she did so. "And I hate being neck deep in sweat, so I don't prefer that either. Terresol has the best terrain, and I will fight for that fact." She rubbed her palms together in an attempt to warm up her hands faster. She never had been the patient kind.
Virginia
**Mendel Ackerley**
**Somewhere in the Witherlands**

Mendel raised an eyebrow and looked his comrade up and down once more. Upon closer inspection, yes, it appeared to have been a messier job. "Well, I suppose if killing people was easy we'd be out of a job," He said with a shrug. As the warmth began to permeate his body through the furs, he shrugged off the one that had acted like a fancy hat of sorts and draped it over Yvaine's shoulders. "Terresol, isn't that were all the acolytes are? The cults and stuff, y'know. 'Praise the suuuuuuun'," He said, making his voice a bit deeper for a more humorous mockery of their staple religion. "I've got a house in Azaria, y'know. Not that they'd welcome me back." The coloration in his face had begun to turn to normal as the blood circulation within his body began to flow, and he gave a sniffle as his nose began to run just a little. "If you want to get warm faster, you could always jump in. Reminds me of home."
Gloria
**Yvaine Aster**
**Somewhere in the Witherlands**

"Out of a job and out of a purpose. Though Kanen already rid me of the second." She mumbled offhandedly. She missed having the two little nippers at her side, tucking them into bed, making sure they ate. Yvaine had no doubt that they were well taken care of under Kanen's supervision but she couldn't help feeling slighted. After they'd been bought, the little bastards had been in her care, and she counted at least five years had passed since then. The two were reaching their teens, it was when they needed her most- or did she need them more. It was hard to decide. She pursed her lips, laughing lightly at his mockery. The Stoneclaws were travellers, they didn't care for the Gods of the masses, especially not the Terresolian masses that changed with every ruler. 
"Terresol, the land of the fish fucker. Though he's long since history, at least was the last time I was there. So, we'll check on whether they're bowing to the Sun or Half-breeds when we next check in. Though my bet is they'll find a fire chicken to put on a pedestal." She paused. "Do you believe in any of the Gods? The Frozen Ones, the bird, the shit tonne of em, the six- am I missing any?" Yvaine didn't. If they existed they were dicks and didn't deserve to see her knees, and if they didn't then there was no need for her to get on her knees in the firstplace.
Virginia
**Mendel Ackerley**
**Somewhere in the Witherlands**

Mendel raised an eyebrow at her reply. It'd be difficult to tell if he hadn't known her so well, but there was a sharp edge to that second sentence that hid quietly underneath her tone. It was bitter and pained, even a hint of anger, though all of these emotions were small in their dosage. In short, he could tell she missed the children. "Kanen's not one to abandon children, last I heard," Mendel said shortly in some sort of effort to comfort her. He wasn't good at that, usually. "The kids are fine. We should be more worried about ourselves," He said, standing up and removing the fur that still wrapped around his body. He folded it as best he could in two and laid it on the bed before crouching by the fire. Why did the coat deserve all the warmth? He pulled a bit at his white cotton long-sleeve and his brown trousers - plain clothes that he wore in Amoroth but were covered by the fur, so what did it matter? He was just beginning to feel toasty when Yvaine popped such a philosophical question. "Gods? Hmm," He paused, placing his hands on his cheeks to warm them a bit. "I don't really think about it that often. I try to do what's right, and follow my instincts. If there's a god that has the same standards, maybe I'd believe in them?" He followed it up with a shrug and an uncertain smirk. "We won't really know what's up there until we go up there ourselves."
Gloria
**Yvaine Aster**
**Somewhere in Witherlands**

"I know they're fine, but it doesn't change that they aren't here." It was a difficult situation. The children had been her calling from the moment she had been permitted to take charge. It was how she knew exactly when Annika and Alec blurred the line before playfighting and actually tearing each other limb from limb. How was anyone else amongst them meant to know that when Alec woke in cold sweat he needed a cup of cool water dashed with whiskey to help calm his nerves till morning. Or that when Annika lied, her lip twitched to the left after the sentence ended. She had raised them through the better half of their childhood, and just because Tristane had decided on another life didn't mean that she couldn't protect and train them on her own. "Mendel, they were the closest to my own children I could ever have, Kanen shouldn't have the right to decide where they stay and when, they should be with me- like they have since they've been with us." 

She watched as he moved to lay the fur over the bedding and upon examining her companion further she couldn't help but stifle a laugh. No wonder he was trembling. "No wonder you're trembling, does it look like a desert out there to you? Dress for the weather, Ackerly, or do you need Kanen and I to teach you how to dress yourself again?" It was a pitiful sight. She wore linen beneath her woolen shirt to make it bearable. "Gods may be a pile of shit, but so is your shirt. Don't tell me you don't have anything lined with wool for this frost, you'll catch your death of cold out here otherwise."