Alanna opens her mouth and then closes it with a frown, her brows furrowing in annoyance as she looks into the fire.
“I don’t think she knows what to make of the girl,” Desmond’s hard voice chimes in, “nor do I.”
The Prince sits back in his seat with a look of quiet astonishment.
“Well now I’m properly intrigued. She’s even silenced you, brother?”
“Somewhat,” Desmond nods, “she’s polite enough but doesn’t give much away, which makes her hard to gauge. I agree with Alanna’s assessment that the girl is a bit simple when you first meet her, but there’s something else there, something that’s captured father’s interest. That’s what has me confused because I’m trying to figure it out.”
“What’s her surname?”
“Deveren,” the Master Informer frowns just as Alanna shifts in her seat.
The Prince grimaces, “a common surname in Woodlands. What about the men who travel with her? Are they from Woodlands too?”
“No,” Desmond shakes his head, “they’re all from Knowledge. The Discerni twins are quiet and mostly keep to themselves, but they’re always aware of where the girl is. I know they’re both loyal to our father, though I don’t know the nature of that relationship or how they met him. One is skilled with a kedge and I have half a mind to challenge him to a duel when we reach Gaumond. If he’s as good as he looks, that only adds more confusion as to why our father would put a severely skilled Discerni in her presence. He obviously thinks she needs protection…”
“And the other twin?”
“The second hangs around her more often. The two of them seem comfortable with eachother.”
“Comfortable how?” the Prince asks with narrowed eyes.
Desmond brings what looks to be a small glass of whiskey up to his lips as he looks at his brother.
“They were alone for a short while through the orange fields outside of Bartley. It was a casual ride that couldn’t have amounted to much, but we do always find them seated next to eachother at meals. Both of them seem comfortable in each other’s presence and I can tell that he cares for her. As does she. But I don’t know if either of them have feelings that go beyond that.”
“Interesting dynamic for a Discerni and human of Knowledge,” the Prince brings a hand to his jaw in thought.
The Master Informer nods and leans an arm on the mantle over the fire.
“Any weapons on him?”
“He keeps a bow but I’ve yet to see him use it.”
“And the third,” the Prince continues, “the human?”
Alanna takes a sip of her own drink while Desmond looks at his brother. “Have you seen the man?”
Keane gives a small nod, “he’s hard to miss. He’s the fighter from Knowledge that no Warrior can beat?”
“The best in Disce,” Desmond scowls, as if the information bothers him, “she is perhaps the most friendly with him. The two are very cozy around eachother. He plans on sharing her tent once we cross the border.”
What the fuck.
How in the Ancients can he possibly know that?
Prince Keane stills his hand in Alanna’s hair, his voice turning serious. “We can’t have that, brother.”
“I know,” Desmond agrees, “it’s why I’ve been setting her up with Alanna for the past two nights.”
“What of her then, Alanna?” the Prince turns to the woman at his side. He gives her a playful smirk that matches his fingers now skimming against her shoulder.
The blonde Discerni shrugs again.
“Like Desmond said, she doesn’t give much away. We do know that she’s gone early in the mornings. She wakes up before dawn and is always ready before the two of us start our day. Other than that, she really does seem content with herself and happy not to keep much company, though she will enjoy the company when its offered, nonetheless.”
“Unless it’s from you,” Desmond laughs quietly.
