"Please, sit down," said the man sitting at the desk, his voice cold and absolute.

Alaric sat down while he gestured for Elinora to stand beside him. She felt the nervousness rise in her stomach, but she didn't want to show her embarrassment. She needed to stand strong and calm beside the duke.

"You know why I came here so get to the point quickly. Do you have what I asked for?" asked Alaric coldly.

The man smiled faintly and pulled an envelope from the desk drawer. 

"Of course, Your Grace. Everything you want to know is in that envelope. But know this, it wasn't easy to find this information."

"Don't worry. Your fee will be generous," Alaric said and took the envelope.

The man laughed out loud.

"I know, Your Grace. You've never let me down."

After that they said nothing more. Alaric stood up and shook hands with the man.

"Come again whenever you like. We're always open to customers like you," the man with the rough face said as he walked them out.

Alaric ignored him and walked out. Elinora and Ronnik followed him, waving at the man.

As they stepped out into the icy streets, Alaric exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The meeting had gone as planned, but the weight of the envelope in his pocket felt heavier than it should. 

Elinora was very confused about what had happened, feeling her curiosity growing. She was afraid to ask, she didn't expect Alaric to answer her anyway. She followed the two men as they went to retrieve the wagon from where they had left it.

Ronnik stayed in town so he said goodbye to them and left. Alaric and Elinora were left alone in the carriage which had started. 

"You don't talk much," Alaric said, breaking the monotony of the carriage ride.

Elinora, startled by her thoughts, looked toward him. "I did not realize you preferred conversation, Your Grace."

"No, but the silence on the road gets tiresome after a while" his lips smirked slightly.

"Then what would you like to discuss?" she hesitated before speaking.

"You're my aide, Jaden. Surely you can find a topic of conversation."

Elinora thought for a moment.

"About the weather? It's cold here in the North, but the weather has been milder the last few days," she said and smiled.

She laughed softly, a rare sound that caught her off guard. 

"Spring is like that here. Nature blooms and the trees come vaguely alive, but it's still pretty cold."

"When I first came to the mansion it was colder," she said to back up her opinion.

"It seems to me it's always cold here," Alaric said with a bitterness in his voice.

"Don't you like the cold, Your Grace?"

His thoughts overwhelmed him so he was slow to answer. 

"On the contrary, I like it very much. The cold makes you more resilient. Mentally and physically."

The silence that followed was not awkward, but instead seemed charged with an unspoken understanding.

The wheels of the carriage rattled on the uneven road. 

"What do you miss most about your homeland?" Alaric spoke again, more gently this time.

Elinora blinked, surprised by the sudden change in tone. 

"My home?" She asked him.

"Yes. You must be missing something."

She hesitated, thinking about the life she'd left behind. She was trying to find something positive to say about the "home" she left behind. 

"The garden," she finally said. "There was a small one near my window. I spent time there whenever I could. It was a quiet place that only I knew about."

"A quiet place to escape to."

"Something like that," she admitted, leaving Alaric questioning.

The return journey continued without incident even though it was already getting dark. Elinora, tired as she was, closed her eyes for a moment but quickly fell asleep.

Alaric just stayed looking at her and thinking.

My first impression of him was disappointing. I thought he was a spoiled, small and scared boy who wouldn't last a day around me. I thought he would leave like the others. But Edmund Jaden is much more than that. He's smart and learns very quickly, doesn't ask unnecessary questions and works hard to do as well as he can. Since he came to the mansion every day has become more alive.

Elinora slept soundly and her head went back and forth. He couldn't help but notice and began to laugh softly.

He never complains when he is tired but he sleeps in front of his boss.

She continued to sleep until there was a sudden movement from the driver and Elinora fell out of the seat. But with quick reflexes Alaric was close to her and caught her before she fell. 

He's too skinny, he thought, and helped her lie down on the seat by pulling her legs up.

He took off his jacket and covered her. The rest of the way he told the driver to slow down and watched her so she didn't fall.