Evernight

[Elle Joyner]

Optimism was a funny thing. Coming from some people, people like Thalion, to whom everything carried a heavy weight, it felt airy and wonderful, encouraging. From someone like Gregian, however, it had a sticky, tacky feel to it, cloying, even. From him, they were only words, with no real promise to them, and she could brush them off as easily as she did the snow from her shoulders. He seemed a kind man, if not a bit hollow, but he didn't know Evernight. Not the way she did and certainly not the way Thalion did. And she had reason to suspect that his desire to leave had a little too much to do with her sudden state of eligibility. From earl to duke... duke to king? It seemed an attainable goal, from his perspective...

She opened her mouth to say something about his pet name for Thalion, but before she could, she heard the snap and glanced up to see him returning, rabbits in tow. He sank beside the flames and despite his earlier protestations, she removed her cloak to drape it over his arms, like ice to touch. The fire was warm, and she'd survive a few hours without it, anyway. And there was always the chance Gregian would recall his manners and offer his own cloak, regardless... though hearing his complaints about the rabbit, she had her doubts.

A smirk rose as Thalion's threat and shaking her head, she plucked up the second rabbit, and as he'd taught her at the falls, she set to work on it, glancing up at Gregian with a small shrug, "...If you want to survive, you learn fast that this isn't Green Reach... Doyle. No one is going to clean and cook your food, no one is going to wait on your, hand and foot. There are no baths here, no mattresses... You'll wear the same clothes day in and day out and pray to God they suffice for the weather conditions you might encounter. It's not home, but if you find a way to adapt, you just might live..."
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Before he could even begin to work on the second rabbit, Minette had tossed her cape across his shoulders and snatched it up, working it clean like she had been doing it all her life. Good, he thought to himself, she was learning. She was learning all the skills she'd need to know if she ever had to stay alive without him. That made him happy. Truthfully, there weren't many thing in this world that allowed him to feel any tingle of joy, but seeing her work over the rabbit did because it reminded him of all the good he had done for her. Not yet, but soon she'd be able to live on her own, survive on her own, without him. He couldn't say why, but it felt extremely important that she learn as much as she could as quickly as she could. All in all, she was doing a good job of it and he was proud of her.

"Come here," he said, shifting the cape and opening up his arm so there was a space for her underneath it. It wasn't very big, but they could make it work between the two of them seeing as Gregian had taken quite a liking to his own, which was fine. If it kept him from complaining about the cold, Thalion was happy it let him keep it. In the meantime, until the worked out an alternative, they could make it work.

"Perhaps we shouldn't go directly north. We can't survive in that cold without prope gear for us all. Perhaps we should head East instead. I've never been that way before, not ever, but maybe we can figure something out to keep us warm." He had liked it when I had only been him and Minette. Life had been easier, and it felt like they were dragging around a useless lump, mostly because they were. From what Thalion could tell, Gregian had no marketable survival skills whatsoever. He was just another mouth to feed and body to clothe. "I haven't seen another human being he here in tears, now I run into two within weeks of each other. What are the chances?"

Pulling the rabbit from the fire, he twisted free one of the back legs before offering it to Minette, then the other to Gregian who reached out and took it with a confused grimace.

"Thanks," he muttered, looking st the food like he wasn't sure what to do with it.
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[Elle Joyner]

When he offered her the space beside him, Minette didn't hesitate. She was determined that he shouldn't freeze to death, but that hardly meant she had to, either. Shifting beneath the cloak, curling into the crook of his side, she huddled as close as she could, both for comfort and because incomprehensibly, she missed him.

There was no denying they had grown closer. Her confession aside, just the nature of how they spoke to each other, how they traveled together had transformed. And being apart from him, even for a few minutes, particularly when her alternative company was the less than agreeable duke was hardly ideal. She had grown so accustomed to him…

"East it is, then. And who knows… maybe if you've never been there, neither has Thalia…"

Taking the rabbit, her eyes flickered over to Gregian and she smiled weakly as the color drained from his cheeks. She recalled vividly how disgusted she had been when she and Thalion had first met, when he had killed and butchered the oilers in front of her. She had been so delicate, so frightened… and so haughty. If her time in Evernight had taught her nothing else it was that there was no room for self righteous behavior… The duke would, with any hope learn as much himself.

She ate, and when she'd finished she curled closer to Thalion, resting her head against his chest. The warmth was rewarding, for she was quite cold, shivering beneath the folds of the oiler skin.
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When Minette joined him like he asked, Thalion closed his arm around her shoulders to ensure the cloak was covering her entirely before turning both hands back to what was left of the rabbit. He peeled the remaining meat away from the animal's ribs and fed the strands of stringy, near-tasteless meat into his mouth. There wasn't much on one little hare, but they all had gotten enough and the second rabbit could be saved for morning for breakfast— a little something to get them moving and encourage them to press on through the thick cold.

"Is this all?" Gregian asked, suddenly having managed to shave his share down to the bone, "How do you survive on so little?"

Thalion glanced over the fire at the man who was looking back at him, unmistaken jealousy burning in his eyes that he hadn't thought to share his cloak with Minette first. Thalion offered nothing in response, merely shrugging and turning his gaze back into the flame, tossing the last of the carcass into the coals to burn the scent. The glowing embers leaped and twirled in a fiery dance, twinkling like stars in the hot swirling air before cascading to the frozen earth like gleeful little fire fiends. Minute had curled deeper against him and the heat of her body was a welcome addition, causing him to sigh out in true relaxation for the first time since they had stumbled upon Gregian.

"Perhaps," he agreed, "Though I doubt it. Something tells me she knows every rock and twig in this place, but who knows," he shrugged lamely. He had just never a reason to travel much farther East than they already were because he'd have to cross through the heart of the desert or through the vastness of the tundra and neither had sounded particularly appealing, though it seemed like their only logical option now. The Watchcrew were surely pinning them in from the South and West, following the trail they had left behind, and since North was now off-limits with their lack of proper gear… East was all they had left.

"Either way, you two should get some sleep. I'll keep watch tonight." Gregian didn't look like he could stay awake much longer and Minette could probably use the rest even more than he could.

Feeling Minette begin to shiver, he snaked his arm around her shoulders once more and tugged her into his chest, bringing the cape around so it was entirely enclosed around her. "Get some sleep," he murmured.

Gregian sat across them on the flame, looking as though he was trying hard to get comfortable. He tried lying down at first on the ground, then against a tree, but he kept thrashing around and changing positions, doing everything he could to maintain warmth and be comfortable enough to doze off, but he seemed unable.
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[Elle Joyner]

Looking at Gregian, Minette was reminded all too much of her first few days in Evernight. Despite his vastly pompous attitude, she felt sorry for the man. She knew the thoughts racing through his mind. The fears… the confusion. He wouldn't sleep. Not well, not until exhaustion denied him all other option. His stomach would begin to knot with hunger, longing for the feasts back home… for venison, fresh and gamey and parsnips in rich cream… for tarts and cakes… for crisp mulled wine and honey mead. His skin, too accustomed to bathing in lavender oils and milk would begin to itch, to prickle.

She remembered it all too well, and still, sometimes, she desperately longed for those comforts. But Evernight was cold and harsh, empty of luxury. Her form had lost it's roundness, muscles tighter, tense. Her hair was a wild mess of curls, her skin bronzed by the sunlight. Soon enough, Gregian would barely recognize himself, and for the better, because recalling home? It was painful.

As he rolled about, seeking comfort he would never find, Minette looped her arms around Thalion's strong waist, tipping back her head so she could catch his gaze, "I never understood, until now how much you did for me… taking me with you. How hopeless I was on my own. I know you don't remember that night, when that thing stung you, but you told me, before you fell asleep that I was too good for you. But I think you were wrong, Thal… I think it's the other way around. I could spend the rest of my life trying to make up for all you've done for me… and never come close to deserving you…"
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Thalion, like Minette, was watching Gregian. He seemed uncomfortable and Thalion was a little glad for that, seeing as the man had made Thalion's entire day uncomfortable. Just desserts, or something of the sort. Maybe Thalion didn't want to watch the man suffer, but seeing him squirm a little was something Thalion was not above. It would only get worse, too. Here, Thalion knew the terrain well enough to help guide them, but once they moved further East? Once they moved further East, they'd be traveling blind and he'd have to grow all the more weary. Watching out for himself was one thing, but now he had two others to worry about.

Because despite what he had said earlier about wishing they had left him behind, Thalion knew Grecian was their problem now. At least Minette had gotten to a point where she could take care of herself to some extent— she was beginning to learn her plants and creatures a bit more, and had a better understanding of the terrain without feeling the need to voice every complaint that entered her mind. At the beginning, he had strongly disliked her, but not in the same way he did Gregian. His eyes sharpened through the dark and his brow furrowed. He would never trust that man, not with his life, not with Minette's. Something felt wrong about him, though Thalion couldn't exactly say what.

Their conversation was quiet enough that Gregian couldn't make out what they were saying, but could hear the soft white noise of their voices. He frowned and propped his head up, straining his ears to listen.

"Hm," Thalion responded with his characteristic half-grunt, half-purr, before just shrugging. "I didn't do much. It was all selfish, really," he replied. "I think I knew my mother was never gunna let me outta this place— not without magic anyhow." Perhaps had he discovered his magic earlier, before Minette, things would have played out differently. Still, his magic made him uncomfortable and he curled his fingers tighter into the cloth of her shirt. "So, I just wanted to get back at her. The only real way of getting back at her? Keeping you alive, I guess." Now that he had magic, he probably could have killed her and won his mother's affections, but things had changed.

He had changed, most notably. The magic that coursed through him began to tingle, but it wasn't a blessing. It felt like a curse. Things between them had changed, as well. Suddenly, she wasn't a burden— she was more like a protege; someone he had to train to be able to handle the evils of Evernight, with or without him. His hand ran up and down her back briskly, "So, don't just judge actions, judge intentions." His eyes flicked to Gregian, who quickly laid his head down to not look like he was eavesdropping.
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[Elle Joyner]

She knew, almost word for word what he was going to say. It seemed almost conditioned into him, that he should brush aside complements, take as little credit as possible. How strange it was, coming from a world of abject hubris, where men seemed to define themselves by their ego. Pride controlling their every thought and action. It wasn't self depreciation on his part, or a lack of worth… He simply saw the world one way or another, with little room for alteration.

He'd certainly not been kind to her in the beginning, and the motives for his actions might have been more geared towards angering his mother than saving an innocent victim, but those motives didn't account for his continued aid… for training her, teaching her… for respecting her. He gave up a lot of his own freedoms to take care of her, and for no other reason than because it was right…

And through that Minette had learned to take care of herself, she had learned that there were simply more important things to life than the frivolous needs that had driven her before. She had learned that expectations could be changed and that prejudices weren't often accurate. That she could endure more than expected and that sometimes what one thought they wanted wasn't always what they needed. She'd forsaken the Prince in favor of the Brute and could never go back…

She didn't want to…

Smiling faintly, she leaned back, studying his expression for a moment, "I think, darling, that perhaps there's a little truth in both action and intention." Reaching out, she brushed her thumb across the curve of his jaw, "And I know for once my own coincide perfectly."

Her palm flat against his cheek, she leaned forward, closing the small bead of space between them, and with a breath, she pressed a feather-soft kiss to his mouth, brief… chaste and shifting only a fraction of distance away, she met his gaze, almost defiantly.
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Her lips brushed his.

She kissed him and the world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in a way that words would never be. His hand slid up from her back and rested below her ear, his thumb gently dragging across her cheek as their breaths mingled. There was no space left between them and he could feel the beating of his own heart against her chest. His heart— the last remnant of humanity that had been left in him. The last piece that had separated him from Thalia, though they were more alike than he cared to admit.

He shouldn't have been able to feel anything, truthfully, for there was so little in him left to feel with and if the soul as truly the gateway to emotions, to humanity, than Thalion lacked. Yet, for what he lacked, his heart seemed to overcompensate. Unless they restored his missing piece, he'd never know what she did. Still, that didn't change the fact that his brain felt like pieces of a puzzle— all jumbled around and shaking in the same box. They belonged together, that much was clear, but they didn't come together to create an image. Instead, his thoughts were flying off in all different directions— a confused array of processes and reflections bouncing around and off each other in a confused chaos.

He didn't really know what she was doing to him, truthfully, but he didn't bother to care. Instead, he just enjoyed the lovely heat curling within him. It took him approximately one point three seconds to realize he wanted to kiss her back and so he did. He kissed her, soft and slow and tasting like November felt, it felt like hot chocolate on stormy evenings and crisp autumn air.

His hand fell back down to her waist again, hugging her close as he fell back against the trunk of one of the trees to support his weight. "Get some sleep," he voiced quietly, "You need your rest." He placed one last kiss against the top of her head, as if to help lull her to sleep before fanning his gaze upwards. At some point, Gregian had turned his back to them and had curled up as small as possible below his cloak, his back almost pressed into he fire while Thalion began to listen…

Listen to the world around them and focus on what he heard because it was easier than trying to sort through emotions he was never supposed to have. Then again, he was never supposed to have magic, either. The tingle zapped from his fingertips like a constant reminder since their encounter with a dragon.

Perhaps weirder things had happened.
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[Elle Joyner]

She didn't know, really, what to expect. The gesture had come to her without much thought or reason, and while she couldn't be accused of spontaneity, she had rare moments when her actions weren't predictable, even to herself. She had kissed him... because it was the accumulation of weeks of tension and anxiety, because she loved him, whether it was right or wise or fair, because he had put up with her when she had been even worse than the duke... Because she had wanted to, desperately, since they had shared a moment in the pool at the falls and he had opened himself up to her.

She had kissed him, but she had never expected him to reciprocate. And when he did, her heart soared, given wings by the tenderness of his lips to her own, his thumb to her cheek. It was a moment without motion, with time... The kind of moment where memories are forged, that last for a lifetime. It was soft and gentle, tentative, but not hesitant... her first kiss, in fact, and likely his as well - but without awkwardness or discomfort, because she was determined that there had never been a more perfect time for such an embrace.

When it broke, his fingers curved around her waist and she curled into him, drawing close until she was fully nestled against him, her breath a quiet sigh, "If my whole world could exist right here... I would never move. I would never want to...". She didn't want to sleep. If she could have, she would have lived in that moment forever and never slept again. But their journey was far from over, made more harrowing by the notion that they now had another life to care for, another mouth to feed. They had to be cautious and smart and that meant rest was crucial. So with that gentle kiss to her crown, she let her eyes fall closed and to the steady rhythm of hi she heart beneath her ear, she let herself drift off into a state of slumber she had not been able to achieve in weeks.
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"Shh, shh," he cooed.

It was the same thing he used to say to her when she needed to shut up, back when she was still new to Evernight, but there was a gentle warmth to it this time, like he was trying to coax her into much needed sleep, not get her to just stop talking. She didn't bother him. At least she didn't bother him anymore, though she certainly used to. He didn't know how or when, but at some point, she had grown on him. He trusted her more than he had ever trusted a living thing before, and while her trust had been like a bridge that he had been hesitant to put his weight on at first, it seemed he had truly began to accept her as a companion, not a temporary burden.

At some point, Gregian must have dozed off because there was a sudden silence. Thalion remained awake and attentive, listening to every sound that could be heard, but nothing was out of the norm. The temperatures continued to plummet without the generous sun to heat the air, causing him to hug Minette closer to help keep her warm as she slept. The darkness was thick and the fire between them hardly lit the small space. Gregian had become nothing more than a slightly darker blob in an equally dark environment— Thalion could barely make him out, even if he was only a few feet away.

Other than the darkness and their group of three, all that seemed to exist was the chilly wind that had a harsh bite that could be felt well through the shared cloak. He could feel the hairs on his arm raise and bums tingling down his back, but it was more than a flesh deep cold. Even his bloody felt thick and syrupy and he was almost certain even his bones were shivering. All night, everything was perfectly still except for a pair of Oilers that were beginning to draw lazy circles overhead— clicking quietly and furiously.

Morning came eventually and clouds moved across the sky, kissed into brilliant pink by the first crown of sunlight. The air was still cold but the light felt welcome on his face as he shifted himself out from underneath Minette and laid her down on the forest floor, tangled up in the cloak. The clouds were continuing to dominate the sky, leaving transitory patches of sky. Though they were mostly light grey, there was a hint of darkness, a suggestion that snow may play a part in their day to come.

Plucking up the second rabbit Minette had cleaned and getting the fire roaring again, Thalion began to prepare breakfast. With the tip of his boot, he nudged Gregian's side.

"Get up," he directed, his voice icy once more. "Fetch more wood."

Gregian groaned, flopping over and pulling the cloak tighter across himself, "I say— what hour is it?"

"Time to get wood o'clock, now go."

Gregian sat up ad brushed excess debris from his hair and tunic. "You could be polite about it, sir, but very well."
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[Elle Joyner]

When she did sleep, she didn't sleep long. In Evernight, even under guard, it was never a good idea to get too comfortable. When Thalion woke and stirred beneath her, Minette was soon to follow, her eyes blinking opened as she watched the two men conversing... or rather watched Thalion dictating instructions, while Gregian whined about them. It brought a small smile to her lips to think that once, a long while ago, that had been her. It wouldn't take long for Gregian to catch on, and it was her hope that once he was able to move past the notion of immediate rescue or release from the Evernight prison, he would begin to take Thalion's instructions seriously, as she had...

Sitting up, raking her fingers through her hair, she cast a glance to the fire before she rose, nodding to the duke as she fastened the cloak around her shoulders, "Come on... I'll go with you." While he searched for wood, she could gather whatever greenery she could find. They were edging towards the tundra and there wouldn't be much in terms of plants to find. The more they could get their hands on now, the better. The good news was, with snow there would always be water, and if they could manage to find some life along the way that was edible, they'd probably get along well enough. Their biggest issue would be their lack of gear. Hunting a rabbit with a knife was one thing... hunting something larger? That would be a challenge... And sharing a cloak had worked the night prior, but they weren't exactly in the thick of the cold, yet...

But she and Thalion... they had survived worse. They would get through this, and they would find a way to get Gregian through it as well. He would learn, soon enough, that life in Evernight wasn't like life in Doyle, that there was nothing comfortable or easy going about the lifestyle he would need to live, and he would find a way to adjust, same as she had.

But they couldn't go forever. No matter how well they all adjusted. In time, they would need to find Thalia, they would need to put a stop to her tricks... Not only because it was the only way out of Evernight, but because if she had managed to take over in Doyle as well, then the whole world was at her fingertips. She'd sent Gregian there... There was little keeping her from sending scores of others as well. They needed to end her reign, before it got much worse for both worlds.
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Gregian was moving stiffly. Dark circles worked below his eyes and he looked unwilling to follow Thalion's demands, but once he heard Minette's offer, he perked up considerably and sprung to his feet like a newborn fawn. "Yes! Let us go," he said with a smile, leading her away from their little camp. His eyes raked across her and he smiled warmly, if not a bit greedily, as he hastily worked to pick up small sticks to feed the flame with. Likewise, his heart seemed to be burning for her in the same way the fire was burning in the pit. At least he was in love with the idea of her, and what was not to love?

A damsel in a dark, scary world... Lost, confused, beautiful and in need of a valiant knight to save her. At least that was the delusion he kept telling himself. Whatever was going on between her and Thalion, he either didn't notice or had chosen to markedly ignore. After all, Thalion had neither the breeding, the money, or the family to be established with someone of Minette's calibre, so dictated by propriety. "Did you sleep well, my lady?" He asked warmly, diving to pick up another stick and adding it to the ever-growing bunch in his arms.

"I must say," he chuckled, "sleeping on the ground takes some adjustment, but you awake looking as beautiful and bright as ever. I suppose a princess such as yourself has no choice but to look so stunning at all times of the day, even under such circumstances!" He babbled on some more, walking farther and farther from camp without even realising it. It wasn't until a sharp whistle broke through their conversation caused him to snap into attention.

"Don't wander any farther!" Thalion barked at him from beside their campfire, "I'll lose sight of you."

"Well," Gregian continued, not seeming to heed Thalion's warning. It was just a little forest, after all, and he saw it as no different as the forests back home. With a huff, he continued on as he was, picking up little limbs as he went. Once his arms were full, he looked back to Minette. "It is so good to see you safe and well, princes."
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[Elle Joyner]

As she walked, she could feel his eyes on her, the same look, though perhaps a little more discreet, that Fal had given her when they had visited the Antropoes. She was well aware that as far as physical appearance was concerned, she was quite lovely, but sometimes it was a bit frustrating... it had been, even in Doyle, to constantly be considered only for how she looked. That was a large part, really, of what had drawn her to Thalion. He didn't treat her like a fragile, delicate princess, fawning over her... He seemed consciously unconcerned, really, of her beauty at all... and he hadn't been afraid to let her do things on her own, to let her learn things.

Back home, traipsing through the forest, digging up plants, skinning rabbits and building fires? She'd have been chastised for the mere thought alone. But in Evernight that was how you survived and Thalion knew that. He wanted her safe... he wanted to protect her, but he also understood if he didn't give her the means, she'd be twice at risk. It was the worst thought in the world... but if anything ever happened to him, she knew she could at least survive, now. And that mattered ultimately more than a pretty face or feminine curves.

Though that wasn't to say she didn't enjoy when Thalion looked at her... Not so much when Gregian did. Frowning softly, she straightened up from plucking out the root of a particularly spiny looking plant and glancing over her shoulder at him, she shook her head, "There's a lot you'll need to grow accustomed to that you wouldn't have dreamed of back home. Evernight... it's different, and if you intend to survive, you'll need to remember that. You'll need to leave Doyle behind." Her lip twitched in a small smile and shaking her head, she shrugged, "Eventually, you do get used to it, though. It took me a while, but Thalion's a wonderful teacher, and I suppose I'm a pretty quick learner. It helps that we aren't arguing at every angle, anymore."

Leaning down to pluck at another root, she paused, considered his words, "I am well. And safe. When I first came here, when I was sent here... I didn't think it would ever get better. But there are days, quite honestly, where this feels more like home than Doyle ever did." Smiling again, she chuckled softly, "Though it would be nice if there wasn't something trying to kill you every thirty seconds... You've got enough wood there, we should head back."
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"And once you're back in Doyle, Doyle will begin to feel like home again too," he smiled warmly, stepping closer to her and switching all of his wood to one hand while his now free hand darted towards her, resting on the small of her back. There was no doubt that Gregian must have done well back in Green Reach with the ladies. He was charming and just the right amount of flirty without being offensive, and his smile… his smile was divine. His teeth were white and straight, his lips just the right amount of fullness to be flattering without being too feminine. His hair fell in a comfortable sweeping swoop away from his face and even in a place like Evernight, where he should have been greasy and gross, he maintained a certain level of exquisiteness.

His eyes were on Minette, there was no arguing that point and when Thalion saw his hand on her back, he turned away. It wasn't a competition, he reminded himself gently as a prickle ran up his spine. He already knew Evernight would be his tomb and if she could find happiness somewhere else, than he was not going to deny her that opportunity. It didn't make the uncomfortable churning any easier to cope with though, and he wasn't sure he even understood entirely where it stemmed from. While Minette and Gregian were facing new monsters and creatures they had never encountered before, Thalion was wrestling with his own demons… demons that he wasn't even sure where to begin with.

Monsters, creatures, Evernight… that all made sense to him. Emotions? They were an all new affair and he quickly shut them down and away with a hard, chiseled frown and busy hands working to cook the rabbit over for breakfast.

With his hands sliding away from her back as they returned, Gregian went to pop some of the sticks on to the flame and give it new life. Warmth spilled off its flames and generously warmed Thalion's exposed skin, and the flesh of the rabbit. With the skin nicely charred, he pulled it towards himself and divided it the same way he had the previous night. Now not quite as starving as he had been the previous evening, Gregian picked at it slightly before extending his helping to Minette.

"M'lady, you will need this far more than I will. The lady should always get the most share, isn't that right, Thalion?"

Thalion's dark eyes flickered up, "Minette is stronger than you. You should be worrying more about yourself than her right now. I know she can take care of herself. You? I'm not so sure. Now, quick, let's eat and we should go."
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[Elle Joyner]

She wouldn't fault him for being optimistic. It was grating, but only because she had been in Evernight long enough to understand the likelihood of getting home - how slim it was. She couldn't be angry with him for wanting the best out of their circumstances, and she certainly wouldn't discourage him, because in the end it was that optimism that might get him through the next several days. She was content letting him think whatever he needed to, because that was how she had survived her first few weeks.

What she wouldn't abide, though there was no animosity towards the man, was his gestures of interest. His hand brushed her back and a brow quirked as, politely, she stepped out of his reach, smiling faintly, but with an obvious edge of dismissal, "To be perfectly honest, Gregian. While I intend to do what I can to see to it you're returned home... I don't intend to go anywhere without Thalion. And if he can't leave, well... then I don't mean to, either. Doyle doesn't need me... Not to rule, not for anything. It never did. But Thalion? I need him..."

She'd said it because she knew, effectively it would get the message across, but there wasn't a minute part of her that didn't mean those words to the fullest. They might've frightened her, even a day or two ago, but not anymore... not knowing that at least to some degree, she wasn't alone in her feelings. That Thalion cared for her, too.?

As they returned to settle by the fire, Minette took a glance over to Thalion and smiled, shaking her head. He wasn't the most patient man, and she was sure that if Gregian touched on her nerves, he certainly wasn't doing much for Thalion, but he was holding himself together marvelously... and it was somehow endearing, considering her expectations.

Gregian spoke again and looking up, a brow quirked as Minette glanced from the rabbit to the duke, shaking her head with a small chuckle, "Thalion's right. Besides, if I ate more than I'm accustomed to at this point, I'd likely be sick, and that won't do any of us well. Thank you, though. That was kind of you."

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"Well, what's to say he couldn't come with? Doyle could use knights with expertise and training like your friend has," he said as they made their way back to the fire, just in time for Thalion to catch the tail end of their conversation. He glanced up a little, back over his shoulder. Maybe Minette couldn't fault his optimism, but he wanted to stab it out of the man. He couldn't take another moment of that overly positive, upbeat, sing-song tone of his because he knew, ultimately, Gregian didn't stand a chance in Evernight. He was smart and business-minded, there was no denying that, but he was flabby around the edges.

He carried more fat than muscle and in a place like Evernight, it was victory of the fittest. Gregian would tire too quickly and his senses would be dulled with exhaustion and wariness. He wouldn't last long if something didn't change dramatically. The only thing that had been different about Minette when she had come was that she had listened to every word he had told her. She listened when he told her to throw the rock and pull up the Dragonknot to distract the Halfhag and she trusted him when he told her to run, or when he told her to stay absolutely still. With Gregian all bets were off and he took Thalion's words of heeding with dismissal.

"I am not a knight," Thalion replied, kicking out the fire now that their breakfast had been cooked. "A knight should have morals and virtues. A knight should know what is right and wrong, good and bad, white and black. I've been here for so, so long, I'm not even sure I remember. You two are the first people I've seen in…" he couldn't even remember. Years? The only thing that kept him from going entirely insane were the Antropoes, with whom were closely related to humans. He could converse with them and feel some kind of connection, like friendship almost, with them that grounded his insanity. "But I guess the one thing I know that is right is that if I find an opportunity to get you two back home, I'll do it. I'll do whatever it takes."

His disdain for Gregian did not veil his desire to get him home alive. No one deserved to die in Evernight, not even Gregian, and if Thalion had an opportunity to get them to Green Reach, he would take it no matter how much Minette would have agued. She would move on with her life, he decided. The pain would subside and Evernight would become a painful, distant bad dream.

He just wanted her to be happy, and how could anyone ever be happy in a prison?

Gregian considered her words and gave an acknowledging smile. "You are very smart, m'lady. Very well," he said biting into the meat and following behind Thalion as he, once again, began to lead the way.
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[Elle Joyner]

Thalion's words didn't surprise her... not really. It seemed second nature to him to deny any decency, though it was obvious, at least to her that he simply didn't see it. Her heart was set, despite whatever he thought about her going home. Without him, there was no home, and she would fight with every fiber of her being until he understood she wasn't leaving him. She wouldn't argue with him now, however. There was no point, because all likelihood of them finding a way back to Doyle was so low anyhow. His words did the trick to get Gregian to eat, and that was all that mattered.

As she ate, she packed the herbs she had gathered into Thalion's bag. their supplies weren't many, but they would make do. They had so far, and they weren't giving up. At the very least, they wouldn't need to worry too terribly about the deadly cold and with any luck, they'd stick to a path where there was enough wildlife that they would get plenty to eat. What concerned her was the idea that there was another body to feed, to watch, to protect... and with no understanding of the creatures, the dangers they faced, he was an extreme liability.

They would, as they had done thus far, find a way, and they would make things work, but where they had finally settled into a stride, they would now need to compensate. It would not be easy, but then, they were used to the adversity by now.

Finishing her rabbit, she tossed the bones into the fire and leaning back against the trunk of a tree, let her eyes fall closed for a moment. There was no way to keep track of time in Evernight, and she couldn't be entirely sure how long it had been since her arrival, but every day it got just a little more challenging. That, she could only assume, was Thalia's plan. To break them down, wear them out, until they couldn't fight anymore. But her fight wouldn't die... she wouldn't give up. Not now, not ever.

"I don't know about smart..." She finally said, with a small smile, "But I suppose I've got more in me than Thalia predicted, anyway."
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With Minette having finished packing their belongings up, Thalion hauled the bag up and slung it across his shoulders along with the half-finished bow. He had made more progress on it, but it was still a long way from being completed. At his fingertips, his body seemed to try and be reminding him that there was a simpler way to finish it… a more magical way… but he couldn't think of it. The bow would be carved from his two hands or not at all, as now that the toxin had entirely worn off, he was back to fearing what he could have embraced. For so long, for too long, his mother had wielded magic as a tool to punish him, so how could he ever see any good in it?

All his life, magic had been a tool of destruction… for him, it felt sinful as it burned through his veins like fire. "We should go," he glanced around the clearing, ensuring nothing had been left and everything had been cleaned. The last of the rabbit was tossed in the flames, courtesy of Minette, and the flames were languished to prevent attracting predators or Watchcrew… or both. Nothing seemed to be amiss, aside from Gregian, who was wiping the grease from his fingers off on a patch of moss.

"You— don't want to touch that," Thalion explained with raised brows an a slight smirk curling the edges of his lips, "It's poisonous. You'll have an itchy rash for a few days now. Minette may have some herbs to help with that, but you'll have to wait until the rash actually forms." He couldn't help but let his smirk broaden as he just shook his head and walked past. With that, he began to walk. The trees stood starkly in the winter morning; they looked forlorn in the frigid early rays of light. Frosted air forced its way into his lungs and stung his eyes. He ended up burrowing his chin deeper against his thin tunic, hoping that his own exhaled air would be trapped around the fabric in a microcosm of warmth. Yet even then the chill seeped in and his teeth gritted against it. Yesterday's snow and rain slush had become an unbroken sheet of dark ice across the ground, making their travels dangerous on the glass-like surface. Even Thalion, who was exceptionally light and delicate on his feet proved to be slipping and stumbling.

Glancing down at his hand before ripping his palm away from the moss, Gregian frowned before scrambling up to his feet. "A rash? How dreadful! This place is absolutely despicable." His brow furrowed and for the first time, Gregian seemed to genuinely lose his optimism. For a split second, he seemed broken and dejected, terribly homesick. It crawled through him and made his chest tight. Tugging Thalion's cloak tighter around himself, he sighed, "I feel everything you've learned here, your majesty, will serve you well with the crown."
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[Elle Joyner]

It was interesting, to say the least - the differences in traveling with their new companion. The same way, she imagined, it had been when Thalion had agreed to guide her. She had been green - afraid and confused, but determined to prove herself, and stupidly cocky in that determination. She'd become aware, over time, of what to look for, of what was harmful and helpful, and she'd learned the hard way many times. But seeing it happen before her eyes was an entirely different story. A part of her felt nearly guilty over how Gregian was handling things, however irrational it was to hear him talk about going home, to hear him so sure of himself. She wanted to help him - to help him the way Thalion had helped her, but there was only so much that could be done...

He had decided already that they were going to escape Evernight, that there was simply no other option out there, and that optimism was dangerous, but she couldn't very well tell him as much - not when it had been the very same sad optimism that had kept her alive for so long. But watching him falling into the same traps she had... it brought back far too many unsavory memories. His bright spirit would crack... her own had. And it was difficult to see it from an outside perspective as much as it had been to feel it, herself. There was no way, really, to spare him that humiliation and grief, but in the end he would be better for it. He had to be... she was.

Sinking her fingers through Thalion's, needing the comfort of his strong grip, almost desperately, she looked back at Gregian with a shake of her head, "Kind as that is for you to say, you hardly know me, and certainly not well enough to make that sort of judgment call. It's nothing to do with whether or not I'm to wear a crown. I've survived here because I had no choice. You'll do the same. If you're cautious... if you focus, you'll make it through." Pausing, she released Thalion and dug carefully into her bag, producing a small handful of leaves, which she held out to the duke, "...If you apply this now, you might be able to avoid too bad a rash. For now, just be aware of your surroundings and don't touch anything unfamiliar. And don't be afraid to ask questions... It's alright not to know something."

Looking to Thalion, she smiled faintly and threading her fingers through his again, she leaned closer, lowering her voice, "It wouldn't hurt to be a little more delicate with him, you know. A little more patient? Like you were with me...?"
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Delicacy was not usually one of Thalion's strongest traits, but he watched Minette try and comfort him the best she could without over-indulging him. She was comforting but firm without being scolding, and he seemed to respond to it well. His face softened as she pulled away from Thalion and reached into her bag and extended some leaves out towards him that he took with a smile of gratitude. "Thank you, your majesty," he purred in response, splitting the thick leaves open and watching the goop seep out across his fingers. The smell was terrible—almost manure like in quality, but it had been a gift from Minette, so he didn't argue it. Instead, he crinkled his nose and forged on while stumbling.

"I might not know you well enough yet," he remarked, "But I plan to get to know you. You are quite remarkable, your majesty." Despite all the arguments, he refused to drop her formal title of 'majesty,' but he seemed harmless enough by it, so Thalion didn't make a remark. Instead, he just gently opened his fingers for Minette's and settled into a comfortable pace alongside of her. His eyes did shift to the corners though so he could glance in her direction, his brows arching up his forehead with surprise. He normally wouldn't have even bothered to entertain such a request, but seeing the way she leaned into him and spoke in a hush whisper, Thalion relented.

She tamed him, Minette did, like a lion. Despite his rough exterior and crude words, his expression always seemed to soften around her into a gentler mood. "I think he has no interest in me being delicate to him," Thalion replied in an equally hushed voice, "I think he is more interested in seeing to it that he gets himself snug in your bloomers," he snorted with a small smirk, "It seems he fancies you, but I suppose I can try and be a bit…" Thalion paused before the wrong word came out. He was almost about to say 'friendlier' but he decided he didn't want to be friendly to Gregian.

"Tolerable." Maybe he wouldn't be friendly to the poor Duke from Green Reach, but he supposed he could try and be tolerable—if only because Minette had asked him explicitly.

He was about to continue to say something when a loud crack rumbled through the air between them. It was unlike anything Thalion had heard from any creature before, so he didn't immediately recognize it. He came to an abrupt halt as the booming noise travelled below their feet and into the woods.

"What was that?" Gregian hissed in surprise, springing to close the distance between himself and the other two.

"It sounded like…" Thalion paused, "Ice breaking."
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