A shriek of pain erupted to Guiche's rear. Head whipping around, the young earth mage noticed that the mage leading the rear group of bandits had been similarly disarmed by Captain Wardes by the simple expedient of removing the man's entire hand with a wind spell. The bandit mage clutched his wrist, struggling to staunch the bleeding as one of his companions hurriedly began tying a tourniquet. After eliminating the threat posed by the mage, the Viscount had taken to calmly brandishing his focus to cow the commoner bandits. Realizing what he ought to be doing, Guiche did the same for the group at the front.

Midori gave Wardes a dark glare to which the Captain simply shrugged. "You said you wanted to minimize casualties." Her expression became neutral once more and she nodded once.

Finding themselves so suddenly outclassed, the bandits looked to one another, and then, reluctantly sheathed or cast aside their weapons. Slowly Midori stood and with a small flourish, returned her blade to its scabbard. "I'm thankful you've all seen reason."

"Thi-this is impossible!" The bandit leader shouted as he looked at his surrendering men. "Just a gel. Just a little gel! How?!"

Midori sparred the man only a brief hateful glance. "I don't correct the mistakes of murderers and bandits." She said coolly as she stepped back and glanced to Guiche and Wardes. "Now then, we'll be on our way. Guiche, you're an earth mage, right?"

Guiche set up in his saddle, mouth working idiotically before spilling out his reply. "Y-yes! Yes that's correct. How may I be of service?"

The swordswoman gave him an odd look. "Just . . . fashion some restraints so these bandits can't make a nuisance of themselves. We'll report them to the city watch when we arrive in La Rochelle."

Nodding as if a waif of a girl hadn't just destroyed four mages before they could even respond, Wardes spurred his Griffin forward past the shocked bandits. "As you wish. Mister Gramont, see to Miss Midori's horse, and close up this road when you're done with the restraints."

Guiche obeyed his superior's instructions, quickly taking the reigns of Midori's horse and leading it past the rest area where the swordswoman remounted before turning around and setting to work. A series of simple cantrips served to summon up bronze chains around each of the bandits. The men looked displeased but did not resist with the threat of the swordswoman and Viscount still so near. Then, with a short invocation, Guiche caused the cliff face beside the road to stretch outward, blocking passage back down the mountain. A second invocation of the same spell served to bottle the bandits away. Of course, they could attempt to escape by scaling the cliff, if they got free of their chains, but even if they did it would take time. By then, the city watch would be summoned.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Guiche glanced over to the swordswoman. He barely noticed the distant look on her face. Slapping his cheeks Guiche nodded, here was his opening. "Miss Midori, your swordsmanship was exquisite! Truly the beauty of your technique only serves to complement your own."

"Reach." Midori murmured.

"Hmm?" Guiche grunted, still smiling politely. This was generally where the girl swooned at the complement. Though with a little thought he realized it would be ridiculous for Midori to swoon after her display against the bandits. But perhaps a small blush?

"My swing was off." Midori said softly to herself. "I need to adjust." The young woman fell silent as she spurred her horse back into motion.

Wardes nodded slowly. "I must agree with Mister Gramont, your skill is quite exceptional." The Captain's eyes narrowed slightly. "Though I am curious what that sword style was. It didn't resemble any I've seen before."

"My sword style?" Midori asked and seemed to give the question some thought. "It is a sword art of the Far East."

"From Rub Al Khali?" The Viscount asked with surprise. So she really was from the Eastern human kingdoms, Guiche thought.

Midori's lips twitched it what might have been a faint smile. "Farther than that." The hint of a smile faded away and the girl grew quiet. "Tell me. What will the watch do with those bandits?"

The Viscount quirked an eyebrow. "You show striking concern for the well being of people who meant to do you ill."

"Humor me." Midori said. "They've made their choice, I'm simply curious."

Wardes regarded the young swordswoman. "I can't say with any certainty. But the crime of brigandry usually confers either a life sentence in a labor camp or simple execution. The Gallian nobility naturally prefer the former to the latter as it provides a steady supply of cheap manual labor."

"I see." Midori said and then grew silent as if satisfied with this answer.

"Are you concerned that your efforts to spare their lives were in vain?" The Viscout asked, his eyes narrowed. "I could have sworn that you handled yourself like someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill."

With the sun sinking below the peaks it was hard for Guiche to be certain. But if only for a moment, it appeared that Midori's expression had grown ashen. When she spoke again, there was the faintest hint of a tremble in her voice. "That is . . . none of your concern, Viscount."

"As you wish." Wardes said, turning his attention back to the roadway. The strange exchange only left Guiche with yet another mystery. To be so collected in the face of danger, and yet to hesitate at the mention of killing. He puzzled over this strange combination nearly all the rest of the way to La Rochelle until the port city at last came into view around the bend of the mountain.

Sitting atop the highest peak of the tallest mountain in the range that bordered Tristain. La Rochelle was a curtain of mage crafted stonework, ancient castle walls, and glittering lights surrounding a massive ash tree that sprouted from the very peek of the mountain. Among its branches, dozens of ships were docked like birds at nest. The Port Tree's sheer size made that comparison apt and Guiche couldn't help but draw parallels with the World Tree of the Fae.

Naturally, the World Tree was much larger. Rooted at sea level, the crest of the World Tree would easily reach the same level as La Rochelle, dwarfing the port tree like a sapling. Guiche had heard once that it took Yggdrasil Ash tree's a millennium to grow to their full size. Just what did that say about the World Tree?

"That's a big tree." Midori said. "Any reason you didn't tell me about that?" She turned to Captain Wardes.

The Captain shrugged. "As you said. You didn't need to know." The beautiful young woman gave the Viscount an annoyed expression and absently blew aside a stray strand of hair.

By the time they reached the city walls, the sun had fully set. After stopping briefly to confer with the city watchmen and inform them of the bandits skulking on the back roads, the trio made their way up towards the port. La Rochelle was arranged concentrically around the Port and from the sky would have resembled an immense spider's web draped over the mountain side. For reason of defense, only the main road followed an unbroken path from outer curtain wall all the way to the port through three layers of successively more ancient fortifications.

La Rochelle was a wealthy city by virtue of its trade connections and could afford the best oils for lighting its streets. The main street was lit well enough by oil lamps that Guiche found he could easily read the signs hanging above countless inns, taverns, and shops advertising wares and services that would appeal to sailors returning to port after a long journey.

At the base of the Port Tree, they found a kiosk where they could book passage. There would be several ships leaving for Albion the next morning. This seemed to agitate Midori for some reason and she had pressed for if their were any earlier departures.

"I'm sorry Miss." The Clerk had apologized sincerely. "The Captains are refusing to make the run on Albion unless they fly together. There have been too many Pirate raids since the war started." The man raised his hands helplessly. Midori had backed away from the Kiosk to allow Wardes to finish the transaction. Shortly, they each received a stamped receipt to be offered to the captain of their ship, The Lady Gallant, before departure.

The vessel wouldn't be leaving until sunrise the next morning which left them with need of accommodations for the night. In the end, they had settled on one of the smaller hotels near the port which catered to the lower nobility and the rare wealthy commoner. At a place such as this, they would draw little attention.

They had dined in the hotel restaurant before being lead to their rooms for the night by one of the hotel valets. "Is there anything else I can get for you, Sirs, Miss?" The man asked, head bowed respectfully to the three.

"If you could have a bath arranged." Wardes requested.

"Of course sir." The Valet nodded. "There is a bath room at the end of the hall. I'll have the maids draw a bath immediately."

"Miss Midori." Captain Wardes said.

"Hmm?" The swordswoman looked up, she had seemed distracted ever since they had found themselves delayed overnight.

"I was saying, you should take the first bath." The Viscount said.

"Oh." Midori gave a faint scowl but nodded. "Right."

"Mister Gramont. Would you be so kind as to go down to the stables and make sure that my Griffin is being attended to. I wouldn't want him getting loose during the night."

"Of course!" Guiche gave a quick bow and hurried to see to the task.

Being suited for a more respectable clientele, the hotel possessed stables fit even for dragons. The Viscount's Griffin and Guiche's own precious Verdandi had proven no difficulty. The bear sized mole sniffed happily as its master came, receiving a tender stroke on the head and the offer to lick his hand. Deciding that Guiche hadn't brought any food, Verdandi sniffled unhappily and turned around in her pen, settling so that she didn't have to look at him.

"Verdandi! Don't be that way my darling! Did your meal disagree with you. I must say, ground meat surely is no substitute for proper earthworms but we must all make sacrifices for the good of the mission!" The mole snuffled indignantly. "I do believe I remembered there being an empty lot beside the hotel. Let me finish here and I'll let you out to scavenge for some after dinner treats." Guiche said.

Verdandi snuffled again as if to say -Really?-

"Of course my darling!" Guiche promised." Just let me finish with the Viscount's mount and we shall go. The mole trundled back fearfully. Verdandi and the Captain's Griffin . . . didn't get along.

Guiche found the Griffin resting quietly in its own pen. As he approached the animal let out a small, menacing, cry before returning to the meal of raw meat left for it by the hotel staff. The sound of meat tearing and bones crunching created an unpleasant noise. Guiche checked by visual inspection that the Griffin was adequately tied down. Being a trained mount rather than a familiar, and a temperamental beast to begin with, the Griffin was much too dangerous to have loose without its master.

Having done as requested, Guiche unlatched Verdandi's pen and led his familiar outside into the cool night air. Enjoying the mountain breeze as he his familiar began to happily burrow her way into the earth. The poor thing had been forced to walk above ground on the mountain path all afternoon and she'd be stuck aboard ship all of tomorrow. Guiche hoped his lovely familiar would be alright.

Turning his eyes back to the hotel. Guiche notice steam rising from a window at the end of the third floor and suddenly was reminded of the bath. Ah yes, a nice bath would certainly help after a long day riding. The young Gramont son then remembered a more important detail. Midori was bathing first . . . Being a man of the Gramont line, Guiche considered himself to be a great admirer of beauty. Flowers, exotic beasts, and naturally, women.

Surely there would be no harm if he were to peak. No of course not! Beauty was meant to be admired, though naturally a pure maiden would seek to conceal herself from unworthy eyes. That was but the challenge! Glancing about furtively, Guiche stole back across the hotel grounds and through the rose garden beneath the bath window, pausing briefly to admire a lovely rose bush before moving on. There was no one around this late at night, but servants kept odd hours as they attended to their tasks. Whistling softly, Guiche drew the attention of his familiar. Verdandi trundled over, oblivious to the need for secrecy and gave a small snuffle of attention as she sat down before her master.

Guiche raised a finger to his lips. "Verdandi my pet, keep watch for your master. Just as we do at the Academy." The mole snuffled again before waddling down the side of the building. She found what she was looking for soon enough. A servants door and proceeded to block the doorway with her considerable bulk. Guiche would be alerted if anyone tried to exit and would have ample time to steal away into the night.

Now, to get up there. He thought. A trellis had been affixed to the side of the hotel, covered in vines. Sizing it up, he decided it would be enough to support his weight and would put him about where he needed to be. The climb was easy enough, all of those school vacations spent being run across the the Gramont estate by his father had not been entirely in vain and Guiche soon found himself at the half opened window. Taking a breath, it was all about presentation, naturally one couldn't just stare, the beauty of a girl needed to be drunk in gradually.

Slowly, Guiche leaned over so that he could see inside. The air was hot and humid both from the bath water and the lamps that dimly lit the room. Moving in the water, one pale foot emerged enticingly. Guiche's eyes worked upward as the water lapped with each movement. Between the shadows and dim light he could only make out vague outlines as his eyes adjusted, following the line of calves and knees and then the shadow of narrow hips beneath the water. Midori's flat somach and surprisingly broad chest, and that handsome beard . . . wait.

A brief burst of conjured wind issued from the window and blew away the steam, revealing the occupant of the bath to be Captain Wardes. Guiche starred silently. Captain Wardes starred back.

"Mister Gramont?" The Captain asked slowly as he adjusted his hat.

"C-Captain." Guiche replied awkwardly. Yes, most definitely Captain Wardes.

The Griffin Knight betrayed nothing. "May I ask what you're doing?"

"Ah, that is . . . " Guiche stumbled. "Wasn't Midori bathing first?"

"She finished up rather quickly." The Knight said. "I can't imagine why."

"Oh." Guiche said blinking a few times. Well. I see. Yes. I'll just be on my way then, and . . ." There was an ugly cracking pop from above. Guiche looked up as the pop turned to a wooden groan and then another pop and another in rapid succession. The trellis shook softly and Guiche felt a strange lightness as if gravity was no longer fully asserting itself. "Well then Captain." Guiche said as the Trellis slowly parted company with the hotel. "I shall be leaving you to your bath." And then Guiche felt the exhilarating sensation of descent.

There was a loud crashing sound followed by a rustling noise.

"Mister Gramont? Are you alright?" Wardes called out the bathroom window.

A soft moan rose from the ground below. "Quite good. The bushes broke my fall . . . the rose bushes."

"Just make sure to fix it before morning. We can't be held up." The Griffin Knight called before sliding his hat back down and kicking his feet up onto the rim of the tub.