Janius remained neutral up until Julan described the way Aurana was treated by their parents. He lowered his brow and gave Julan a look. Then, his head turned to Aurana. "Is that true?" He said, surprised.

"Yes, that's almost everything he told me," Aurana said, holding the cloak tight around her shoulders. "They don't let me out of the house. Not unless it's to court. It's boring there."

"That's odd." Janius looked at the ground ahead. "They didn't care much for where I went. They didn't really care about me at all." Janius glanced at Aurana again, realising himself and exhaling. His face turned neutral again, keeping to the road ahead.

Aurana tilted her head to one side. "That doesn't make sense. They always look a little sad when you come up in conversations. They hardly tell me anything about you."

"Look, Aurana." Janius raised both his hands and bowed his head. "I did not even know you existed until tonight. I am caught between what to even say and do, and thinking of how I am feeling. I will...I have to think. Let us go back to the keep first. Before anything else."

"Okay," Aurana said softly. She turned her eyes ahead and to the ground.

The group quietly paced on. Fendros reserved his judgement of the boys until the matter could be clarified in Janius' company, while Rhazii was too ashamed to speak himself. He could tell that all that was evidently weighing so heavily on Janius right now was his and Julan's fault.

Fortune panned out that they crossed paths with Jatinha, the young khajiit maid, once again. They noticed her first, and Fendros waved her down.

"Lady Aurana! Thank the moons you are..." Jatinha closed the distance to give Aurana a hug. Her ears immediately flattened. "Oh, you're hair. You are soaked!" She pulled back, holding Aurana by the arms. "What happened? We must get you to a fireplace before you catch a cold."

"Jatinha, wait," Aurana declared. She looked to Janius. "I have to go to the keep tonight."

Jatinha's face contracted into worry again. "Whatever do you mean?" She followed her gaze and suddenly realised the shape of the face looking at him, Julan and Rhazii besides. She was still and speechless.

Aurana looked down and up to the maid. "Look, Jatinha, do mother and father know I'm gone yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Then you can come with us. We will not be gone for more than a few hours, I think. We can be back home before mother and father even realise. Even then, I can say that you were there to make sure I was fine, okay?"

Jatinha finally pulled her eyes away from Janius. "They will not be happy."

"I don't care," Aurana said flatly. "They be as unhappy as they like. I need this."

Jatinha slumped, defeated. She let go of Aurana and turned to Janius and Kaleeth. "I had my suspicions, but I could not know that I would see you again under such circumstances. I do not wish to be a burden, but Aurana's mother and father would see it as a dereliction of my duty if I did not at least chaperone my lady. May I join you tonight?"

Rhazii tugged at Fendros' arm. "She seems okay. She can come, right father? Mother?" He asked, oblivious to the potential danger to their alibi that she might pose.