Once the fire was burning hot, Aldyth and I gathered over the bed to observe the contents of Taurus's pouch of coins. "Twenty-three gold banders, six silver, twelve copper bits, and twenty-seven iron pennies -- it's a miracle our elf friend hasn't been robbed in his travels," I mused as I swiped all the coins back into the pouch.

"Perhaps he was the one doing the robbing," Aldyth supplied as she stood up from the bed and went to fetch her cloak. "It wouldn't surprise me, for someone who claims to spend so much time on the road, he hardly shows any signs of wear...no holes in his cloak, no patches in his breaches," she muttered to herself as if she were convinced I weren't even listening.

"I always assumed that was just a perk of being an elf," I added as I swung Noah's cloak over my shoulders. The heavy material was still damp from the morning, although newly warmed as it was spending its free time sitting over a chair by the fire.

"Well, if what Taurus said was correct, then being an elf doesn't mean he can chase away the rubbings of life."

"Well, if what he said was correct, then he could use magic to ease said rubbings of life," I countered as I placed a large metal grate in front of the hearth to keep embers from falling into the room while we were in town. "We'll ask him later," I added when Aldyth pulled a face.

She nodded seriously and motioned me through the door as I tied the pouch back behind my cloak where it was hidden away from sight. Together we descended down the creaking stairwell back into the lobby where the innkeeper barely acknowledged us except to muttered pointedly under his breath, "Leaving so soon?"

The door out was heavier than I remembered and Aldyth had to pause in her ramblings while I lifted it back into its frame. Out of the corners of my eyes I noticed her rubbing her bare arms under her cloak. "I prefered it in the room," she noted while I continued struggling with the door.

"Ah, like this place hasn't heard the likes of that before."

The both of us turned around in surprise to find a dark skinned boy about our age grinning at my woes. He was dressed in worn farm clothes with a hat pushed low over his head. A donkey gaffawed loudly at his heels. "Having troubles there, eh?"

"None at all," I muttered under my breath.

"Don't worry about it," he replied with a laugh before running over to help me put the door back in the frame. "Some folk 'round here say this 'ere door can bring fortune to those it falls for."

Aldyth chuckled as the door creaked off the top hinge with a cloud of dust, almost knocking me to the ground. "Not very good fortunes as far as I can see."

"Never did say it was good," he tipped his hat at her. "Personally I just think it needs a new set of hinges, but who am I to judge?"

"Of course," I wheezed as I re-angled the door and pushed it back into its frame.

"The name's Simon, by the way," he followed us as we started walking down the dirt road.

"I'm Elias, that's Aldyth."

Aldyth raised a hand in greeting.

"Nice to meet you, then," bright flashes of ivory appeared every time he smiled. " 'Re you two newly wed runnin' from ye parents or somethin' of the sorts?"

Aldyth and I shared a look. I wasn't sure if it bothered her at all, but there was coming a point where these wild assumptions about our relationship were becoming commonplace. "No," I replied.

"What would make you think that?" Aldyth asked warily as she glanced back at the donkey.

"Usually the only type o' visitors we get around here. People be elopin' left an' right, running away because the older folk don't feel the badness in the air anymore."

"Oh," Aldyth nodded and kicked a rock across the frostbitten ground. "No...it's not like that. There's one other we're traveling with, and...we're just passing through."

"That's what they all say," Simon laughed. "But I don't see no one other." He continued on before either of us could utter a word of protest. "You folk look like yer on the run. Or don't ye feel the cold?"

"No, we feel the cold," I wrapped the cloak around me tighter at his word. "I don't suppose you could show us where to purchase warmer wear and some supplies for the road, could you?"

"Sure thing," he nodded. "C'mon, this way." Simon led his donkey on ahead of us, leaving Aldyth and I to follow, else find the way ourselves. He showed us to the far end of the dirt road, and motioned to wait while he tied the ass down to a stake in front of the shop."So where are you two headed anyway?" He swore at the donkey to keep still.

Aldyth shrugged when I shot her a look of question. It felt unusual telling a stranger our plans, but it felt even more abnormal to say the words out loud. "We are headed to the North Cardinal," I said as I surged forward to help him with the knots.

The donkey shot me a look of utter defiance and tried to cowkick me, in a ass-like sort of way. Simon froze when he heard me speak, leaving the animal free to shove me to the ground. "The North Cardinal?" He echoed in a voice that sounded as if he were speaking through a wall.

"Yes," I snapped as the donkey snapped at me.

Simon jerked out of his trance and together we managed to tie down his animal. "There are strange stories coming out of the Cardinal nations nowadays," he said between breaths, whipping his hat from his head.

"Haven't we heard," Aldyth chuckled. "But yes. Our guide...well I suppose you could call him a guide...he's taking us there. We're stopping in hopes of gaining rest and supplies."

"So yer really not alone then?"

"Yes," I nodded. "He's an elf."

"An elf," Simon echoed. The bones in his hands grew tight against the knuckles. Suddenly he swept forward, one hand grasping my arm while other grabbed ahold of Aldyth.

"What are you doing!" Aldyth shrieked as Simon somehow managed to pull both of us behind an old hutch.

"You can't go on like this," the farmboy suddenly seemed much less like a farmboy. "You're in danger with this elf of yours. You need to get away from him -- from here. Quickly."

A/N

I've decided not to do the quote in the beginning of every chapter, but the ones where they really matter.