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<i><span style="font-family: 'Didact Gothic', 'sans-serif'">"See? It's </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Didact Gothic', 'sans-serif'">exactly <i>as I said. The sun's almost halfway in the sky and not a single person has shown up. Who puts up </i>one singular note<i> at almost the edge of a town? If you're in such need of travelling companions that is not at all the way to lure--"</i> "I much prefer you when your mouth is closed, I've told you that, have I not?"<br/>
</span>​</div><span style="font-family: 'Didact Gothic', 'sans-serif'">Videl set his wooden tankard onto the table with an unceremonious sigh, running one hand down his face. They’d only been here for an hour or so, and he wasn’t expecting anyone to come waltzing in so soon, and despite his...companions complaints, he knew exactly what he was doing when he placed the lone notice near Evidalier’s Wampaper Gate. He kept it vague as well, with the final bit of information being to meet him here, at the Lion’s Inn, which was already starting to bustle with villagers even at this time in the morning. Videl had chosen one of the most popular spots in town, but that was only because the crowds at the shadier places tended to be, well...shadier. Speaking of, he glanced to the side, “...Keep your voice down as well. Anyone could be eavesdropping.”<br/>
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His companion, Eiris, had one leg resting over the arm of her chair, the other pulled up into the seat. She had been re-braiding a chain of jewels into her red-orange hair, but at Videl’s instruction, scoffed, rolling her eyes. <i>“Spare me, anyone in here, human or otherwise, could care less about our conversation. And even if they did care, and followed us out, it’d give me something to do. It’s not like I have anything to look forward to in regards to this little excursion. I’m only interested in the favor I’m receiving from you.”</i> She finished her braid and reached out to the plate of fruit on the wooden table, grabbing a berry and popping it into her mouth, grinning at Videl’s annoyed sigh.<br/>
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“Yes, I’m well aware of your stance, Eiris, but do me a favor and keep your opinions to yourself whenever company does decide to show up. Your personality alone may very well be enough to scare them off.” He wouldn’t vocalize it because he knew it’d lead to an argument, but if he were to set out with merely Eiris accompanying him, Siren or not, the journey would take twice as long, and be twice as dangerous. He couldn’t even wrap his mind around the fact that they were working together sometimes, even though they’d already known one another going on three weeks. Had the situation not been what it was, he doubted they’d have remained on speaking terms this long. Although, despite their numerous differences, she had proven herself reliable in the few times it really counted.<br/>
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Videl himself, unlike Eiris, had quite a bit to ‘look forward to’ in regards to the journey ahead of them, sleuthing, traversing lands even he hadn’t been to before, keeping a low profile in the places he had. There was a lot to plan for and take into consideration and each time he thought about what Lord Aeldredus asked of him he knew that, as much as he preferred going it alone, doing so in this case would be foolish unless he was purposefully trying to waste time. Optimistically the heir, having been raised with a silver spoon in their mouth, would be unfamiliar with navigating anything more complicated than a hedge garden, therefore making the act of discovering them simple, but Videl knew that was foolish to hope for. If the heir wasn’t found by the castle guards hours after the initial incident, then someone, or multiple someone's, were helping aid in the young lords escape.<br/>
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Without having even half as many worries about the journey itself as Videl did, Eiris continued to gorge herself on the berries plated between them, she even caught a barmaid walking by and tugged on her dress, jerking her head to motion for the woman to come closer. <i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(160, 115, 221)">”Get us some more fruit, pretty please? And don’t dally.”</span></i> Eiris sang softly, letting the woman go with a satisfied smile, watching as she reached over and took their plate, walking wordlessly down the steps and to the back, ignoring the other patrons that tried to get her attention. Videl watched, but didn’t care all that much; so long as Eiris never used that ability on him, he wasn't concerned about anyone else. And, plus, even if he were to try and dictate who she could and couldn’t use it on, it wasn’t like she’d listen.<br/>
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“If afternoon comes and no one’s shown up yet still, I’ll go take the note down and we can leave for the next town over. Perhaps we’ll have better luck there.” Videl muttered as he picked up his tankard, taking a small sip as his eyes scanned the room, “And maybe less people will know about the King and Queen’s assassination...perhaps it’ll make them more likely to join the two of us.” Eiris stretched, humming in acknowledgement, <i>“And maybe we’ll meet some weary traveler along the way that is all alone, and no one will notice if they go missing…”</i> She licked her lips, but upon seeing Videl’s slightly displeased expression from behind his tankard, she rolled her eyes, waving a hand. <i>“Don’t give me that look. It was only a tease…”</i><br/>
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He didn’t respond, but instead turned his attention to the front of the inn when the door opened, bell at the top chiming melodically. Eiris followed his gaze, turning some in her chair to see who’d entered as well.</span>