A few farmers waved in greeting as Rowan and Maddox made their way through the fields. As usual, they were already bustling with activity. Most Orthians were up at the crack of dawn. It was in their breed to be. Maddox was different, however. He liked to sleep in and he hated physical labour. He only did it because Rowan made him, and he had grown up that way.

The pair turned down a short, cobbled pathway to a house made of mud. Rowan was first inside, patting Buttons on the snout and asking her to wait outside. A moment later, there came a cut off scream and Maddox sprinted the distance between himself and the doorway. He was relieved to find Rowan swatting her very happy looking, much older brother, who had apparently startled her. "You ass!" she was pouting, arms crossed and lip being worried between her teeth. Maddox chuckled, clapping the older man on the back, "Hey, Midas."

"Maddox! Look at you, you never stop growing," Midas gave him an unexpected hug, which was happily returned after a brief moment of surprise. "What constitutes the sudden visit?" Rowan broke in, wiggling her way between the two taller individuals. Midas' smile immediately faltered, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck, which he only did when he was nervous. "Well," he cleared his throat as Rowan and Maddox looked up (down) at him expectantly, "It's trade day. And remember how it's your turn to take the goods?"

They nodded in unison.

"It's going to Blencalgo."

Silence followed the statement. Of all places, it had to be the one they hated most. Although neither of them had ever been there, they had heard stories of how terrible it was; how desolate and lazy. Few from Ecrin ever agreed to go there, but this time they must have had something pretty valuable.

"Okay," Maddox finally sighed. Rowan whipped on her heels to stare at him, "Okay? Not okay! We can't go to Blencalgo!" The big guy shrugged, shouldering past her to get to the wash basin in the corner, "I don't see why not. It's for trade." He wrung out the rag sitting in the water (collected that morning) and began wiping the sweat from his body. Rowan paused, momentarily distracted by the droplets curving over her friend's abdominal muscles, following the 'v' created by his thighs, and disappearing into the waistline of his trousers.

Someone coughed. Someone who turned out to be Midas. He was almost laughing, for some reason, and Maddox tilted his head curiously in that cute way that he always did. Rowan huffed, averting her eyes elsewhere and shaking her head. "Why do you do that, Maddy?"

"Do what?"

"Agree. Give everything the benefit of the doubt," Rowan's arms flapped at her sides as if to emphasize her point. Maddox didn't seem to get it, shrugging again and going about his business of cleaning up. Rowan blinked, "Can you do that later?"