[center][h2][color=#b3ccff]Esben[/color] and [color=#8fbc8f]Halvor[/color][/h2][/center]
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[color=#8fbc8f][b]"A village hit by the beasts that badly? Good heavens, I know it's gotten [i]worse,[/i] they're even being seen on the main roads these days, but still...That near the border, it may be...Hmm, that may be madam Durbin's land, though I've no clue what happened to her that she can't keep her own..."[/b][/color] Halvor trailed off and paused again, peering once more at Rudolf. [color=#8fbc8f][b]"Is [i]that[/i] the trouble you mentioned? That seems..."[/b][/color] He gazed more closely still at the three of them, before rushing over to look out a window, peering out at his manor grounds for anybody that looked out of place. His eyes drew to the west instantly, where the remaining Kirins could be seen gathered at the edge of the smithy.

He turned back, staring as though he was taking in every detail of the scarring on Rudolf's face, eyes turning downward and focusing in on his left elbow for moment, before falling back on Éliane, frowning at how stiffly she sat on the couch, finally sliding back to Esben.

[b][color=#8fbc8f]"A full day, yes,"[/color][/b] he spoke slowly, turning back towards the door as though he was about to chase down his servants himself. [b][color=#8fbc8f]"A full day at [i]least,[/i] with the state you're all in. I shan't put you back out on the road like this!"[/color][/b]

[color=#b3ccff]"Halvor, please—"[/color]

The viscount faced Esben with a withering glare, enough to shock even him to silence. [color=#8fbc8f][b][i]"No,[/i] Esben, I will allow no argument on this. It'll take time enough to resupply you all for whatever other travel you need to make, and I have need of [i]one[/i] of you regardless."[/b][/color] At that, his glare fell on his supposed 'ward' for a moment. [color=#8fbc8f][b]"It's all the better for me that I have both of you here. Beside that, though, I can hazard a guess that whatever you dealt with was beyond the capacity of some border town to fix, yes? You can take the time to rest and take advantage of some proper treatment, then, before you all run off somewhere nobody has heard from in ages!"[/b][/color]

[color=#b3ccff]"We can't just stay here on a whim, Halvor!"[/color] Esben protested, this time withstanding the glare that came back his way. [color=#b3ccff]"This isn't [i]our[/i] decision to make—"[/color]

[color=#8fbc8f][b]"Of course it isn't, because it's [i]mine,"[/i][/b][/color] their host interrupted back. [color=#8fbc8f][b]"If this is Director Lambert's business, it can wait, and if I have to I can deal with her temper. She's too careful to plan something so urgent that it can't withstand some reasonable delay, and I daresay that if I let you all run off and get yourselves hurt worse or killed she'd be much angrier with me—not to mention your families! Two nights. You'll have my leave to go the day after next, and I'll take stock of what you actually have on you and see if there's anything else I can do to help."[/b][/color]

Perhaps this was why the 'mercurial northerner ward' had been sent to stay with the good viscount; he seemed every bit as prone to erratic moods himself as the word could imply. He strode to the door, turning back once at the trio in his sitting room. [color=#8fbc8f][b]"Esben, you know where to find me if you need, I'm sure you can tell the rest. You're dismissed."[/b][/color] With that final bid, he left them, heels clacking down the hallway.

Esben watched the viscount's retreating form silently, more than a little perturbed at the show he'd just been given. [color=#b3ccff]"I hate when he reminds me he was [i]competent,"[/i][/color] he grumbled with a sullen frown. [color=#b3ccff]"He's easier when he doesn't pay attention."[/color]