Henry nodded, listening intently to the matriarch MacArthur's words; he needed to know everything about their weapons if they were going to fight them.

[b]"They used barrels filled with something to blow open the gate and the wall... I suspect now that it had the same material in. It smelt like rotten eggs afterwards, I remember now. If I remember rightly sulphur can often produce a similar aroma."[/b] It was clear that Gwen felt left out of the conversation and before long she got up to leave, clearly tired from the recent events. Before she left she spoke to him briefly, brushing his cheek. Henry didn't move in response, his mind racing, and mumbled a good night to her.

[i]Look at what you've got yourself into now, Henry. And she knows. Maybe it's just pity?[/i]

Before he let himself fall into a downward spiral of depression he resurrected the conversation with Elizabeth to keep his mind off his frailty.

[b]"Is that wise though? From what I saw, anyone could use the weapon and it requires little in the way of training or expertise... it would certainly empower the user. What if the masses gained access to the weapon and attempted to overthrow we magic users? Judging by the way Elianst and Anstarn faired from their attacks I suspect that we might lost that sort of confrontation. I think for now it best we keep our discoveries secret and let only the Queen and trusted commanders know. That is, if there are any left when we return."[/b] His mind drifted to his father but he blocked out the thought; he had known for months what would happen and had steeled himself against the event well in advance.

[b]"I feel it's time for me to return to bed. We'll all need a good night's sleep, tomorrow we need to keep up our lead and we can't do that if we're all exhausted. Good night, Lady MacArthur."[/b] He bowed slightly and then turned away, heading back to the carriage but instead taking a bedroll from the supplies and spreading it out on the ground near a campfire, staring into the flames until they mesmerized him into a deep sleep; an old trick he had learned many years ago.