Karen
**Alastair Provost**
**Road to the Sea, Astoria**

A few carriages back, Alistair sat with another servant Queen Durkhan had employed along with the luggage taken on for the journey. The array of crates, chests, and trunks did not leave the two with very much legroom for the journey. Alistair sat in mostly silence during the bumpy trek to the sea, taking the time to catch up on some long overdue reading. Supposedly, this Council was to be a meeting of rulers from all over Marin to deduce some sort of solution for the plague ravaging the land. 

Alistair allowed for a very faint smile as he turned the page. Surely many of the members who would form the council must have had ulterior motives. There was simply no way any self respecting power grabber would miss such an opportunity. Ah well, what did he know? After all, he was but a servant in the employment of royalty. 

"This is certainly a whole occasion, now isn't it? All the most powerful people in the world at the same table. That'll be quite the show, although it's unlikely we will be in attendance." Alistair said to the other servant, not looking up from his book.
Daniel
**Elias Armin
Road to the Sea, Astoria** 

Elias finally relaxed. Their conversation had become more casual and Anya's words had finally assured that his original caution was not needed. He could speak his mind fully and it even seemed to him that it was what Anya wanted. 

"No, I hadn't thought of this as an opportunity to learn trust. You must remember that I know much more about you, or of who you were, at least, than you do of me." He spoke, thinking back to the other members of the guard that had been assigned to watch Anya. Many days they had not had much to say, but as they talked it painted a picture of who she was that Elias had not yet forgotten. 

"And, no, it does not bother me to ride with you. It is a good idea, actually. I just had not thought about it in that way. I have only served under one other crown, and, as you know, he was very different from you."
Joseph
**Anyanka Durkhan
Road to the Sea, Astoria**

Something about hearing that Elias knew more about her than she did of him was unsettling, and she felt a prickle along the back of her neck as goosebumps rose on her flesh. She tried to ignore it, but her mind kept circling back around to the statement. 

"What do you mean that you know more about me? I don't remember the Eclipse taking an interest in me, but to be fair I don't remember much of my time in Kath before leaving the palace." She looked to the driver, and deciding he was fine on his own she moved to stand, climbing in carefully through the opening of the carriage into the back where Elias had been riding with her personal trunks. She found her footing, clutching the man's hand for a moment as she found something to sit upon, and then released it just as quickly as she had taken it. 

"Were you even around when I was young?"
Rena
**Ginevra Cohen
Road to the Sea, Astoria**

Ginevra sat across from Alastair, finally turning away from the passing scenery and riders, towards the man as he spoke. Whereas he was reading, her eyes were constantly on the watch outside their carriage. Taking in the journey, the other attendants, all while her mind churned with thoughts regarding the upcoming council. Her curiosity, as well as her finely tuned awareness was on display for anyone who gave her a second glance. Hands folded in her lap, occasionally worrying at a fraying thread at the cuff of her black gown. Her somber dress did nothing to quell the riot inside her mind, and it was only her fellow servant addressing her that snapped her from the thoughts racing within. 

Finally, after a few brief moments of weighing her answers, she responded in a measured, soft voice that could have been made of silk and a nighttime breeze. "I do not think our duties will be within the chamber itself. Her Highness will need her wits about her in there. And our wits about us outside of it."

She paused, eyeing the book, before glancing away outside the window. "You are a literate man, I see. Mister...?" Ginevra trailed off, letting the unspoken question hang between them
Karen
**Alistair Provost**
**Road to the Sea, Astoria**

"Alistair. Alistair Provost." He responded, looking up from his book. "Of course we will not be required within the meeting chamber. It simply would not do for servants to be present during such a *Vital* Meeting" There seemed to be a little hint of edge in Alistair's voice as he said this, his grip slightly increasing on his book, but only just. Letting that moment pass, he continued; "Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. It is unfortunate that I seem to never have enough time for literature nowadays" 

He sighed and shut the book, setting it to the side. He brushed a bit of dust off his own grey uniform, the gold crest of Durkhan on the breast pocket
"I do not think we have been formally introduced, ma'am"
Alistair said cordially, putting his hands on his lap.