The tavern was lively and warm. It had a cosy atmosphere and was built by the owner herself. She stood behind the bar, flirting and tending to some of her patrons who sat on stools in front of her, drinking their cheap beer and strong whiskey.

The tables were all made out of oakwood and each chair had a handcrafted cushion over the seat. The fireplace was large and always had a warm fire burning. The floorboards creaked beneath their feet as Lysithea and Tristan walked towards the Shahermerites' table where Adrian and Cadmun sat, together with a man who wore a cream coloured shirt, top art untied, with brown trousers and heavy steel boots painted in gold and silver. 

On the table lay his large pauldron, shimmering in a deep orange and yellow colour. The rest of his armour was located, together with Adrian's in the corner upon a large cupboard. He had blonde hair, a sharp nose, piercing blue eyes, sun kissed skin and a strong chin and a long hawk-like nose. 

Evander had just reached them and slammed his helmet onto the table, making the tall jugs of beer shake and slosh. 

"How dare you do something like this without telling me?! I was out there in the cold, dying of boredom and thirst!"

"We thought you might have needed some time to reflect." Cadmun said, still wearing his helmet and full plate armour.

"It builds character!" Adrian piped in with a laugh, but as Evander swiped his beer off the table and took a long swig of the contents his laugh instantly died down and he got out of his seat in an attempt to take it back.

"Ah. Lysithea and Tristan. Good to see you both." Cadmun nodded and then gestured towards the man sitting between him and his companions. "This is Lysander Evans, he's travelled all the way from Voidatia. A rare treat. Take a seat with us." 

The blond man nodded his head. His strong gaze burned holes all the way into Lysithea's soul as he looked upon her.

"Pleasure to meet you both. Please, sit, allow me to buy you a drink." He snapped his fingers and looked towards the barkeep. "Kelly! Two drinks for the newcomers. What will you both have?"

"Whiskey." Tristan said as he pulled up a chair and sat down. 

"I'll just take water with some honey, if you please." Lysithea bowed her head deeply and sat down next to her friend just as Evander placed himself down beside her, still holding Adrian's drink.

"Hmrh. I'll have another beer, please Kelly." Adrian huffed and slumped back into his seat.

"A whiskey for me! Make it double, sweetheart." Evander chimed in, giving the barmaid a smile as she turned back towards the bar to pick up her new two orders.

"...I didn't mean to buy you all drinks." Lysander said, his voice had a slightly annoyed twang to it. Evander looked towards him and winked.

"But it's so kind of you to change your mind!"

 Kelly walked over and placed a tray of drinks in the middle of the table. "Can I get you folk anything else?" 

"This is all we need for now, thank you." Cadmun gave her a nod as he leaned back in his seat and opened up part of his helmet to take a long sip of his ale and as he placed the tankard back down on the table he closed it up again.

Lysithea placed her hands around her glass of sweetened water and stared down into it while she listened to the buzzing of the tavern as well as the loud chatter of her own table. She smiled, faintly. 

"This is nice." She mumbled as she took a sip of her drink. No one seemed to have heard her but it mattered little. She was happy nonetheless. 

"I've heard from Adrian that you had a run in with the vampire, the new child of the Redferne's." Lysander looked towards her sternly and she sat up straight as if she had been told off by a teacher. 

"I did, yes. I've been-... been trying to figure a few things out about him."

"There is nothing to figure out. He's a night creature and exists only to make us all suffer. He is to be put down. Me and my companions are here for that exact purpose."

"I thought you weren't staying for long?" Adrian took a drink from his beer as he watched Lysander.

"No, I'm not. I have business elsewhere. Luckily, DeLaine isn't the most active of monsters at this point in time, so me and my troup can focus on the werebeast for the time being." The blonde man swirled his whiskey around in his glass before downing it. "I'll still come and go, to make sure I am here once I am truly needed."

"DeLaine?" Lysithea said, placing her glass back down on the table as gently as she could, to not make a single sound.

"Yes. DeLaine. It was his name before he became a vampire and a true member of the Redferne family."

Her eyes almost sparkled and she quickly pulled out her notebook where she scribbled down the name on the first page. Lysander watched her in judgmental silence as she wrote before he broke it.

"Did he bite you?"

Lysithea looked up nervously and opened her mouth to answer but Adrian interrupted her.

"She wasn't bit, but an ash skinned woman named Yria was." 

"I see." The golden knight snapped his finger again. "Another whiskey, Kelly if you please, and an ale."

"I'll be right there!"

"Why do you seek this beast?"

"I-... I want to help him. When I saw him he seemed almost-... almost scared."

"He's a monster. He was only manipulating you."

"Maybe but-... but I believe everyone deserves a chance to-... to change and prove they can be good. Everyone has the ability to be." 

Lysithea shuffled nervously in her seat. The atmosphere around the table had grown awfully tense and the mood heavy, but with a hand on her shoulder Evander lightened it, like he always did.

"You know. Talking about monsters and who became a snack is fun and all but I would prefer not to discuss work for once. If you guys don't mind."

"Of course, I apologise. Let's enjoy ourselves tonight, dour conversations can continue in the morning." Lysander agreed and he rested his arms on the table as his drinks were placed in front of him.

Despite the topic changing to a more jovial one; of women, gossip and parties. Lysithea felt the piercing blue eyes fall on her from time to time, so brief that when she came to meet them with her own Lysander had already turned his attention elsewhere. 

"All I'm saying is that it's surprising how folk around here won't stop talking about who is dating who, when meanwhile the world is acting as if doomsday is coming." Adrian said as Lysithea finally managed to regain her concentration focusing once again on their chatter.

Evander waved a hand dismissively with a grin. "Who cares! Let them have their fun. Just because the world is ending doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying yourself."

"The world isn't ending, it has always been this bitter and harsh." Cadmun added, matter of factly.  

"You know what I mean!" Evander waved his hand in the air and hid his face behind his large jug of beer before he slammed it empty onto the table. "Kelly! Another please!"

"Yes, yes. God, I might as well leave the whole barrel with you people.”

"We always pay, and with interest to support your business." Cadmun said and Kelly gave him a sly smirk, hand on her hip before she turned, her long red braid swinging over her shoulder.

Tristan peered over towards Lysithea who continued to look rather uncomfortable and he placed a hand over her own, as it rested in her lap.

"Don't worry so much Lys. Just enjoy the moment. It's nice to be surrounded by friends."

She looked up at him and gave him a gentle smile.

"You're right. It is-... is very nice."

Her eyes then met with Lysander's and he wouldn't avert his gaze this time. Instead he rose from his seat. "I will order some food. Lysithea, would you mind joining me?"

"Of-... of course not."

Lysithea quickly rose from her own chair, so quickly in fact that if Tristan hadn't noticed and caught it, the chair would have fallen backwards with a bang.

She quickly followed the golden knight as he walked towards the bar. He was so much taller than her, with broad shoulders and long legs.

He leaned one hand on the bar top and grabbed a leaflet with the other, reading the menu. Lysithea stood nervously beside him, her fingers knit together in front of her person, close to her frame.

"Why are you looking for this man?" He said, glancing sideways at her before his eyes went back to the list of food.

“Looking for-... for whom?” Lysithea said, confused, but as Lysander raised an eyebrow at her she blushed heavily and her eyes fell towards the floor.

"Oh… I merely wish to speak with him. Ask-... ask him some questions." She said in a hushed tone. 

"You can't hold a proper conversation with such a creature. He will do nothing but manipulate you with sweet words, give you lies and attempt to enthral you."

The man spoke with confidence and Lysithea felt like a child standing in front of a scolding father when caught coming home after curfew.

"I have-... have heard as much but I still think he deserves a chance to tell his story. Don't you?" She asked carefully.

"No, no I do not. He deserves to have a stake through his heart, head cut off and thrown to burn in the sunlight."

Lysithea placed a hand over her neck and swallowed hard as she watched him. He placed the menu down on the bar top and gestured to Kelly with one finger.

"Roasted lamb for my party, with the pepper sauce and smoked root fruits." He looked towards Lysithea. "Do you eat meat?" 

Her eyes darted between Lysander and Kelly, over and over before she opened her mouth to speak. "Sometimes. I-... I prefer to not know what kind of animal I'm eating if I am left with no choice-... but one can't be too picky--"

"A no then." He interrupted and turned back towards Kelly. "The grilled cabbage and root fruits for the Lady then."

"Sounds good! I'm so happy to have you back Sandy, it's always such a pleasure."

"You're only saying so because I'm good for business. And don't call me Sandy."

"It's all the same to me!" She laughed and scurried away towards the kitchen.

"Lysander, I'm sorry but-... could you tell me some more details about DeLaine?" Lysithea asked nervously. The man eyed her up and down as he pushed himself away from the bar and walked past her towards the table.

"No."