"You haven't told him have you?" Merrick asked, raising an eyebrow, before turning to Daric. "Did you not wonder why a blade like the one you're carrying is so elaborate, even by Elvish standards?"<br/><br/>"My grandfather was an Elvish king," Ariadne said, sighing. "The last to rule before my people fled to the lands south of the Great Sea. Indeed, as we speak, my brother rules there now. The story of how a princess finds herself as a ranger however is...a story for another time. Especially with the mission we're on."<br/><br/>"Alex told me you wanted a word with me," Merrick said, pulling a chair up to the table. "I can only think of two reasons that'd be, and I'm sure you wouldn't be crazy enough to...travel north..." He fell silent, seeing the look on Ariadne's face. "Ye Gods, you<em>are</em>going north, aren't you?"<br/><br/>"You're the only person I know aware of the events north of here," Ariadne said. "We need to know what we're getting ourselves into."<br/><br/>"You're not going to like my answer," Merrick said, sighing. "Do you want the bad news, or the worse news?"