<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> Almost forgot today. -LurkingWolf ___ <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> “Should we begin?” Balrog suggested. “As has been said already, the longer we wait the riskier this business becomes.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Lucy nodded. “Yes, you’re right. We’ll need most of the floor area for this; Julian and Nathan, if you would be so kind as to move Lois and the table to one side? I need to discuss the enchantment with Balrog.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Julian kept an uncertain gaze on Balrog for a few moments before nodding and walking to the table to pick up the small cage where Lois was trapped while they worked. He set it onto a nearby chair, and returned to aid Nathan as he lifted the table and shifted it to one of the walls.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Lucy and Balrog stayed to one side, the young girl quietly discussing her idea for what sort of enchantment they would need as her companion listened. The lutin stood beside her, quietly considering her ideas as she spoke. Alex watched them, clearly impressed by the lack of hesitation shown by his party’s mage. She stood beside the lutin as though he had never lowered his illusion, speaking with him on thoroughly civil terms. While the lynx had spoken up on Balrog’s behalf a few moments ago, he still had no doubt that actually conversing with him in such close quarters would still be difficult.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Balrog was hardly a bystander in the conversation either. Every few moments he held up a hand to forestall her speech and suggested an alternative. Although he could not understand their discussion, Alex could read Lucy’s body language well enough to see that almost every suggestion that the lutin made was a good one.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Nathan and Julian remained by the table once they had finished moving it, the ermine in the cage to their side watching them in confusion. Although neither had moved, however, neither had decided to strike up a conversation with the other either. They stood there, Julian eyeing the lutin still, and Nathan glancing around the room with no certain focus. Alex caught Julian’s attention and stepped towards the door, away from the prying eyes and ears of the rest of the room. There was no need to take the trouble, though; Julian again raised a shield against eavesdropping as he joined his commander.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “You surprised me,” Julian admitted as he faced the lynx. “I did not realize that your trust extended to lutins as well as strangers.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Alex absorbed his newest companion’s quiet criticism without reaction. He wanted to decide the direction of the conversation. “I know that you are used to Nasoj owning the allegiance of every lutin in the North, but that rank is nothing but pretension at this juncture. Many things are changing; surely you must know the extent of Nasoj’s weakness more than most.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Only the man’s allies are weak,” the moondog cautioned severely. “The man himself has lost none of his considerable power. I tell you, some may run from him now in fear of another failed engagement, but at the first word of a battle cry from the north they will turn back as quickly as they did at the first. The fear he command is the truly dangerous thing about Nasoj, and the man is more than aware of it. He will allow you to seek out allies among his subjects without comments, because trusting them will make you hesitate to cut them down when they rally back to his banner.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The conviction behind the moondog’s words shook Alex’s confidence slightly, but he was acquainted with the responsibility of command, and knew that he could not show it. He stood his ground, intentionally waiting to give Julian some time to calm himself. The moondog tried to maintain eye contact, but he glanced away after a few moments of heavy silence. He shifted uncomfortably where he stood, putting his paws on his hips.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “I believe you are earnest in your concern,” Alex assured him. “You know far better than I do the strength of our enemy. Although that may be true, however, I trust these men. If they wished to harm Lois, they could have done so at any time over the last day. They have provided real help in your investigation. Now, Balrog reveals this secret, which he knows could mean his death, without being prompted or suspected of anything.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “He might have been concerned that the attempt to save Lois would have put him under scrutiny. It could all be a gambit to keep our trust.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “You do not think I have considered that?” Alex asked pointedly. “I have decided to trust them for a variety of reasons, but not the least of those is that I trust you and Lucy to make quick, decisive decisions should a threat present itself.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “That is why I drew my blade,” Julian insisted.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “I never criticized you for that,” Alex pointed out. “I merely took the time to assess the situation myself and decided that he was not threatening us. You have done exactly what I wanted you to do so far, but there is danger in remaining so clearly suspicious of him.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Julian snorted and shook his head slowly, but his downcast eyes were focused beyond the floor as he considered. “You want me to make him feel comfortable,” he mused to himself.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Exactly,” Alex replied. “I am aware of the possibility of danger here, but I am also aware that Lucy knows what she is doing. Many hands make light work; even if he does intend some trickery, Lucy will be able to see it coming. Until such an attempt is made, I trust her to make use of a second enchanter to accelerate the process.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Julian allowed himself a thin smile. “You’re harder to read than I expected,” he admitted.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “This is not my first crisis,” Alex pointed out. “Be careful, but don’t be obvious about it. For now, strike up a conversation with Nathan. Talk to him about anything, but keep his focus on you. If something happens, I will need you to fight him on your own. As Balrog can sustain a powerful illusion for an extended period, I would be helping Lucy if he tries something.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Julian nodded. “Does Lucy know what you are planning?” he asked.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “I haven’t told her about it specifically, but I trust that she knows to be careful. I may not have worked with her for very long, but I know that it is dangerous to be on the receiving side of her ire.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Very well,” Julian muttered. “I will go to my assignment. I do not know how comfortable I can seem alongside a lutin, but I will do my utmost to be convincing.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Good. If all goes well, perhaps we can teach you that not all lutins are out for your blood.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The two men ended their meeting, and returned to the room. Nathan was now sitting on the chair where Lois had been placed earlier, having moved the cage to sit on the table once more. He looked up as Julian approached, giving a small smile to acknowledge his presence.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Alex took up his post beside the door. With an undisguised lutin standing in their midst, he didn’t want any visitors to enter unannounced. Balrog himself had moved to the center of the room alongside Lucy, both of them holding a small rod of chalk in their hands. Lucy had already sketched the central circle, and was instructing Balrog as to the pattern of curves the man’s hand would need to trace to join their halves into a working whole. The discussion was brief, and soon the two were meticulously fashioning the enchantment with careful hands. Alex stretched. Hopefully, the process would not take terribly long. <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 14"> <link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CNathan%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml">  <link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CNathan%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"> <link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CNathan%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml">  <style>  </style> </body> </html>