It was about time to get out of there for the day. Waiting to arrive early for supper, she packed up her stuff and unlocked the door with a final glance at the room. Turning, she headed out into the main library room and walked briskly towards Mrs. Nenharma's office. Opening the door, she poked her head in and asked, "Did you get those notes on the properties of the specific spells I wanted and is there any luck on that book yet?" The woman's sigh was all the answer she needed. Shaking her head to stall any excuses or apologies, Saber cut off the older librarian, "Never mind." Turning, she left.


Archer and Silver decided to head back. Silver had done a little hunting already but Archer wanted to clean up before supper. He didn't want to scare Saber already more than Silver had at that morning. They turned and headed towards the encampment. He couldn't see more than the tops of the Stone Castle, but he was sure that Silver had no trouble seeing at least the outline of the tents and crude buildings that the army had set up at the beginning of the war.

Reaching the encampment, they landed in a flurry of dust. Unbuckling the tack from Silver so that he was free to do his own thing, Archer stepped back and watched his friend leave. Turning, he went to put them up for an attendant to clean. With that done, he headed into town. He had full plans to make use of the bathing facilities the Stone Circle offered on his last night of freedom.

"Why didn't you give that girl what she asked for?" Mrs. Nenharma burst into Finn's office, making him drop his fireball.

He stomped it out quickly, but it still managed to leave a gaping hole in his carpet.

"How? The notes she left here-- carelessly-- were destroyed by some idiot," Finn said, ticking off the problems on his fingers. "The book she wanted-- stolen, and nothing I have tried has brought it back. She asked for something else today, but she never told me what books she wanted information copied from or what information she needed."

Mrs. Nenharma sighed. "Why didn't you ask her?"

"I tried!" Finn said, making a fist with his hand to concentrate and then eliminate his frustration. "But every time I asked her for specifics on her work, she got angry with me and told me she couldn't tell me anything. Mrs. Nenharma, I understand that you respect this girl, for whatever reason, and I want to help her just as much as you do, but I can't help her if I don't have anything to work with!"

Mrs. Nenharma looked livid. "Finrod, I am sick of you continually disparaging our patrons. That girl is a hero and beyond that, a fine, respectful young lady. If she says you have been less than helpful, then I am quite sure you're up to your usual antics of antagonizing innocent people."

Finn closed his eyes and counted to ten. "Mrs. Nenharma, I am sorry to have caused you frustration. Please, tell me what information she wanted copied. I will have it done within the hour."

"I gave you a note with that information days ago!"

"Mrs. Nenharma, you gave me a note that said, 'Falcon rider needs more information.'" Finn recited. "I can't copy every book in the archives!"

Well, technically, he could, but he'd probably put himself into a coma.

"Look, I'll try to figure out what she needs and have it ready for her tomorrow. I got a good look at the books she was working with today, and maybe I can ... I don't know, cross-reference them with the books we have in the archives. Are you absolutely sure--" The door to his office slammed from the other side. Clearly, that was enough for his boss.

Finn finished his sentence for the empty room. "--she didn't tell you what she was working on?"

*****

Elemmire left the hospital tent the very second the healers told her she could. She lifted her face to the sunlight, breathed in fresh air that didn't smell like sickness, and realized she should visit Gwen.

The healers weren't exactly thrilled to see her back so soon; she may have alienated one or two of them during her convalescence. Still, they brought her to Gwen without protest. Most people who'd met her before did.

((Awww... poor Finn))

Saber stopped by the barracks and went into her room. Freshening up and making sure her hair was brushed out, she looked in the mirror willing the day's stress to leave her. She would be a normal messenger instead of investigator. That would be a good thing. Sighing, she splashed her face with cold water. Leaving her research by the bed, she turned and headed out again.

Walking down the street, out of the fortress' walls and into Carlin, Saber started to feel more relaxed and happy. Smiling, she stretched out her arms and wondered how such a beautiful day with blue skies, bright sunlight, and blooming flowers could hold anything but good tidings. Getting through the checkpoints and to Serozi's took some time but eventually she walked in. Saying hi to the waitress, she was seated at a table in the middle of the room and left to look over the menu.

Glancing up and seeing that everyone was preoccupied, she pretended to be interested in the appetizers and got up to look at them. Reaching out, she rearranged the arrangement that was on display so that it was in a simple code that said, "The first to eat me will regret ruining my planned look." It was amusing and with a smile she returned to her table, grateful she had shown up before 4.


Realizing that the time was nearing 4pm, Archer silently cursed and began drying off from his shower. Rubbing a towel through his hair and going to the mirror to apply his hair gel and facial lotion. Another bane of being a dragon rider. Dry skin. Quickly patting his face down, he headed to his dresser and opened it to pull out a clean set of clothes. Black with a red cape was his going fashion and he saw no need to change that now. But perhaps sleeveless would be good as that would allow some sun time without fear of a burn.

Finn ended up being about fifteen minutes late to dinner. He'd gotten caught up in his research-- he was grateful his own investigations into the mysterious spy he'd been noticing and the work Mrs. Nenharma and that girl required of him coincided-- and completely lost track of the time.

He wasn't sure, honestly, that he wanted to spend time with-- what was her name again, Eleanor? Elemmire. She had not looked terribly pleased to see him at the army compound the previous night. Still, Anras had seemed really nice, and he'd given his word.

It would have been nice to have time to dress up a little, at least. Instead, he ended up at Serozi's late and covered in dust from the afternoon traffic, wearing the same clothes he'd picked out the day before for their comfort, not their style. He didn't know whether to be grateful or worried when he didn't see either of his dinner companions inside.

*****

"Do I really have to wear this?" Elemmire whined for the thirtieth time.

Anras stopped, stepped in front of her, and looked her up and down. "Yes."

"But I look ridiculous."

"You look charming."

"I'm not supposed to look charming; I'm a soldier and an officer." She scowled. "And that boy had no business being on the army compound yesterday, and I want to find out how he got there."

"You're still hung up on that? Come on, El, he saved your life."

"We don't know that."

"He got you to a healer's."

"Anyone could have, and besides, it was only a flesh wound-- which is ill-protected by this ... silky contraption."

"What if that dragon rider is there?"

Elemmire flushed. "He won't be."

"Ah, but what if he is? What if he thought you looked nice in this, as I do?"

"Then I suppose I'd have to stab him."

Anras laughed and opened the door to the restaurant, waiting pointedly for Elemmire to enter first. She stuck her tongue out at him as she walked inside; it was their long-standing joke.

Saber sat quickly, eyes scanning the menu in a bored fashion. She already knew what she wanted. When more people entered, she looked over her menu to see if it was Archer when to her surprise, the librarian guy who had said his name was Carl walked in. She blinked at him in shock before hiding once again behind her menu. Silently she prayed he wouldn't sit near here.

*****

Archer jogged down the street and rounded the corner. The door to Serozi's was just closing as he reached it. Grabbing and opening it back up, Archer almost ran into the soldier lady from two days earlier. "Wow, hi!" He grinned sheepishly as he slid past her and the new guy she must have cornered this time. "Good to see you again miss, why you took my breathe away." Even though that was in truth because he had jogged, but he didn't mind lying a little if it made things fun. Not stopping to chat but waving as he headed on towards Saber's table, he yelled back, "She likes guys who talk to her, so dude, talk to her." Grinning over his shoulder at them, he reached the table and pulled out a chair only to be met with raised eyebrows staring over the menu at him in mild amusement.

Elemmire's face grew a shade of red Anras had never seen on her, and so he grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "What did I tell you?"

She ducked her face and looked around desperately. "Let's just sit down so we can eat and forget about this whole blasted thing."

Anras laughed. "We are definitely not forgetting this. And you are definitely wearing that dress again. It really brings out your eyes."

Elemmire punched him right in the kidneys, and he doubled over in pain, still laughing.

"I will kick you in the testicles," Elemmire said. "I will kick you with these ridiculous heels, and you will feel it 'til next Sunday."

Anras clutched his bruised side with one hand and held out the other in surrender. "Fine, fine, but--"

"No 'but's," Elemmire said. "This is not a negotiation. Now stand up like a brave little soldier and find us our dinner companion."

*****

Finn saw Anras come in with a woman he didn't recognize. Surely, she couldn't be the soldier-- but whom else would Anras bring here?

If it was her, it was an incredible transformation. Her hair was long and soft, falling in gentle waves down her back. Her dress was obviously quality, a lovely royal blue number that hugged her curves in all the right places. She looked impossibly tall and graceful, like she danced for a living. Surely this wasn't the soldier.

Finn's mouth grew dry before he realized it had fallen open. He closed it hastily and began to make his way over. Before he could say hello, a tall, good-looking man with white hair crashed through, and Finn winced as Anras doubled over in pain.

Okay, yes, he could see the "soldier" part quite clearly now.

Saber put down her menu and tilted her head as she looked Archer over. He scratched his fingers through his white spiked hair sheepishly before apologizing, "Sorry, it is kind of an inside joke. I've run into her once before."

"Well go invite the hellish, I mean happy, couple over..." before she could finish, she saw Carl walking over towards the two that Archer had talked to. Oops. She started to say "just kidding" but Archer didn't give her a chance.

He slapped a hand on the table in agreement, "Sounds like a plan." Turning he waved his hands to get their attention. "Yo, you all come on over here. Pull up a table."

Trying desperately not to slide down into her chair, Saber felt her back stiffen and chin come up slightly even as she forced herself to smile in their general direction while adverting her eyes hastily back towards the menu. Great. Noisy and incompetent himself would have every reason to come over now.

Anras was, of course, all for going over to sit with the gregarious stranger. Elemmire, not so much. Finn didn't seem to mind, though-- the larger the group, the less he'd have to talk-- and so Elemmire let herself be dragged over to the table.

Then she noticed the girl that the dragon rider was sitting with-- it was the messenger she'd never thanked. "Oh, hello!" she said, summoning a smile. "It's you! I meant to find you after, and thank you. I'm so sorry I didn't have a chance earlier."

Finn was staring at the same girl in fascination. What was she doing here-- and what were the odds of her coming? Was the man she was with in on it, too? Was she using him, or were they together? Were they together together? That is, of course, where Finn's thoughts stopped. As soon as the wait staff moved the table over, he snatched a chair and sat down, lost in thought.

Anras watched his best friend and the boy who'd saved her sit down uncomfortably and grinned as he sifted through lighthearted topics to discuss. He'd never met El's dragon friend, but he could read her blushes rather well after all these years. He was going to do his level best to keep this one from getting scared off before he got to know her. As for the boy-- he seemed to have his own thing going with the pretty little gray-haired girl.

Anras couldn't have planned this better if he'd tried.

Saber shrugged is off, "I was more in the way than anything else. I should be the one thanking you. You protected me with your shield."

Smiling warmly at the others, Archer intervened, "You remember me, name is Archer, from last time we met."

Grinning, "And my name is Saber. Nice to meet you in a more casual atmosphere. I think I met all of you under... less than normal circumstances."

Elemmire smiled at Saber in reply but didn't quite know what to say. Finn's eyes looked somewhat glazed over, as though his soul had gone on vacation. Anras let his charm take over.

"Well, I'm Anras, and although I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you before, I'm sure we'll all get along like a house on fire! I'm an archer, and a good one, if I may be so arrogant. This is Elemmire, a fine soldier. She's a little out of it today because she doesn't know how to people as well as I do and because she's been convalescing all day. On the end over there, we have Finn, whom I do not know well but who rescued Elemmire, so he can't be all bad."

Anras picked up a menu and made a pretense of studying it with the same intensity with which Elemmire and Finn regarded theirs, looking up from time to time to see whether their new companions got the joke.

Saber stared at Finn. He had introduced himself as Carl. What was this? Some kind of joke? Saber thought she was the quiet sort, but every single time this guy got in her life, she was anything but. Not wanting to ruin what appeared to be an amiable afternoon, but having not sure she wanted to let this go, she jokingly said, "Well Finn, I met your twin at the library." Adding a note of sarcasm to her voice, she added, "I believe his name is Carl?"

Finn armed himself with a cheesy grin. "Oh, you've met Carl, have you? Yeah, he's a jerk."

His smile never wavered as he continued. "Although I do have it on good authority that Carl would probably be much less annoying if he got specific requests for help rather than people just saying, 'Copy down something from these books.' He's a researcher, not a mind-reader. And he's actually pretty helpful, if you give him the chance."

Casting a quick glance around the table, he decided to add in one more thing. "What were you working on at the library, anyway? So few people go there these days."

*****

Elemmire tried to follow the conversation but found her attention continually being drawn back to Archer. He wasn't even doing anything, really, but some part of her just knew that he would-- and that it would be interesting-- if she just watched long enough.

Anras caught her staring, poked her until she looked at him, and waggled his eyebrows. She kicked his shin hard enough to bring tears to his eyes.

Saber narrowed her eyes at him, "You know an awful lot for not being a mind reader. What I do at the library is my own business. You are just as nosy as your twin... so much so that it is almost as if you are him." She glared at him, her cool starting to slip. It was the same guy, it had to be.

*****

Archer raised an eyebrow and leaned back to cross his arms. Turning, he saw Elemmire glare at Anras hard enough that it appeared to make him cry. Smothering a laugh, he turned back to the drama his new friend Saber was bringing to the table. This looked to be creating a situation worth acting on.

Finn's smile faded a little. "We're twins; we tell each other everything."

He laughed, but there was no mirth in it. "No, honestly, there is no twin. I'm Carl. It's a middle name. Well, a shortened version of it, anyway. But you really should know that I'm good at my job. I'm the assistant to the head librarian for a reason-- many reasons, actually. I'm organized, I get things done, and I'm great at assimilating information. But I can't use those skills to help you with your research because your requests for help are too vague to act upon. I can't just copy down entire books for your reading pleasure. And to be quite frank with you, I'm not even sure that I should."

Finn's eyes widened with horror when he realized what he'd said, but he managed not to clap a hand over his mouth. She already didn't like or trust him enough without him revealing his suspicions about her. Figuring out whether she was a spy would have been much easier if he'd been able to make her feel comfortable around him.

"I'm sorry. Work's been tough lately. There are missing books, and -- look, I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I was out of line. I'm sorry."

*****

Finn's rant broke through Elemmire's distraction, and she watched, fascinated, as he dug himself deeper and deeper into an unnecessary hole. He certainly had a way with the ladies. If she'd heard right, he'd stopped just short of accusing Saber of something absolutely ludicrous.

She was beginning to feel better about her own people skills, though her hand-squeezing contest (the first to yelp in pain lost) with Anras under the table would suggest otherwise.

Her face draining of color and then turning red, Saber couldn't believe what she was hearing. Here she was putting her life on the line and trying her darnest to keep others out of it so that they wouldn't get hurt... and he said what? Clearly struggling to control her anger, she seethed back at him, "You have no right. No right..." Her voice began to increase in volume even as she stood to glare at him with her hands clenched at her side, "I wrote down the exact list of which book I needed, which page numbers I needed, which magical formulas I needed information on, the info I specifically needed on dragon's developmental stages... I'm putting my life on the line to save our dragons, I'm doing everything in my power to keep others safe since I don't know who the belonged to the shadow in the library... and you dare accuse me not only of not being specific when I gave your boss a very specific note but also of being the very person I am trying to not get caught and killed by!!"

*****

Archer had stood up and stepped towards Elemmire to ask her to step out with him a moment, but the mention of dragons brought him to a complete standstill. He wanted badly to play the gentleman and not allow another lady to witness this debacle but the idea of having Silver in danger in some way bothered him. Dragons were involved. Now he stood there uncertain of anything but the dread in his stomach and the anger slowly building towards whoever would harm his companion.

Finn didn't know why he believed her, but he did. "Mrs. Nenharma gave me a note," he said, quietly, all the anger and frustration gone. "It said, 'Falcon rider needs more information.' That's all. I'm used to her not giving me enough to work with-- she's always been a little lazy-- but I don't see why she'd--"

A picture was coming into focus in his mind, and he couldn't quite stop the elation bubbling up in his stomach. He loved solving puzzles, and he'd never liked his boss. "She's in on this. She has to be."

*****

Elemmire wasn't sure what to believe anymore.

"Saber, you say someone is trying to harm our dragons?" She couldn't help glancing at Archer. "Why?"

Saber looked at him helplessly, then turned her gaze to take in the shock and seriousness on the others' faces. The place had become dead silent. She turned and saw the other patrons as well as the serving staff staring at her. What was she supposed to think? To do? Suddenly she wanted nothing more than to go back to her family farm and the task of training the young gryphons that were living there. Something simple where codes didn't lead to life and death situations. For in the end, she could only feel that her life was in danger for her impulsive decisions to one, see this through, and two, make such a scene in such a completely public place.

Looking down and biting a lip to hold back something that could only be threatening tears, Saber edged backwards away from the table. "Look, I don't think she could be in on it. She has always been very helpful to me..." Was she now also getting another innocent person blamed for a heinous crime? Unable to look up or deal with what she was certain were accusing glares in her direction, she tried to make a run for it.

Already standing, Archer leaped to block the exit and grab Saber in a big hug. Keeping her from public view by turning his back to the rest of the restaurant, he asked, "Anyone know a more private place we can continue this discussion?" His worried eyes rested on Anras', Finn's, and lingered on Elemmire's.

Finn nodded, then shook his head. His place wasn't that close.

"I do," Anras said. "Elemmire's sister lives nearby."

Elemmire nodded wordlessly. Nellas wouldn't mind.

Archer looked at Elemmire thankfully, "My dear, I will write you a sonate and put it to a melody sweet enough to sing under your window in the moonlight. But the thanks can wait, please, lead us on." He kept a firm hand on one of Saber's shoulders and he let her go, and reached to pull the door open for everyone. Looking back in the restaurant, he saw one of the waiter's slipping into the back as if on an errand. "Hey Finn, or Clark, or whatever you want us to call you. I think you better go get those notes sooner rather than later. You might not have much time."

Saber still looking at the ground mumbled, "Don't suppose anyone has a secret copy of "Dylan's Codebreaking Methods" or a pass to the library at the Stone Circle in order to get their hands on it?" She felt bewildered and couldn't face their eyes. Eyes that surely could see her very soul. She wanted very much to hide in Falcon's feathers more than ever, but at this rate, it seemed more likely that she wasn't going to be flying today.

Anras saw what Archer had seen and quietly excused himself. He knew everyone who worked at this restaurant, but he'd never seen that waiter before. He wasn't the best at hand-to-hand combat, but at this moment, he was better than anyone here. Elemmire hadn't quite healed from her injury, and he definitely didn't want to risk her in a fight-- and who else knew where Nellas lived? Plus, he always had a couple throwing knives on him.

Elemmire shoved down her annoyance at Archer's random and inappropriate sweet-talking and at his assumption of command. Who was in charge wasn't important. They just needed to get to somewhere private. Reaching down and slipping off her heels, she tied a quick knot at the hem of her dress, called out, "This way," and ran. Her freshly-healed side throbbed and threatened to tear open again; she used it as a reason to run faster.

Finn scowled at Archer and stayed with the group, struggling to keep up with Elemmire's pace. He'd never considered himself unfit, but he definitely wasn't as fast as a woman who'd marathoned in heavy armor. He didn't bother to explain that he'd checked out Dylan's Codebreaking Methods himself, and that he'd just finished reading it. Finn had always been good at memorization and was gifted with a near-perfect eidetic memory. He was confident that he could provide the information they needed without going back to his apartment.

If he had his way, Finn wouldn't go back there again. Some part of him couldn't help feeling sure that Mrs. Nenharma knew the instant he began to suspect her.

Ignoring that no one took his advice, he simply ran with the group while making sure Saber came along. Once she realized she could trust them, she wouldn't try to run away again. Still, Elemmire should not go too quickly. This running had to be hurting her as well as drawing attention. "Elemmire, darling, slow down. We are drawing attention to ourselves and making it memorable to which direction we are going if questions are asked." He decided to leave out that she was injured. That might only make her try to run faster and he didn't want to goad her that much.

Saber was used to running, but only as a sprinter. She kept up well with Archer and looked back looking for Anras. He had disappeared and she was worried. So she voiced it, "Um, where did Anras go?" She turned at looked at Elemmire since he has appeared to be her friend. Only a friend would drag someone into public dressed up fancy when they were not used to it and not get whacked.

"We're here," Elemmire said, coming to a full stop and pretending she hadn't heard Archer at all. "You wait here; I'll talk to Nellas." With that, she replaced her high heels, opened a door, and walked inside.

Finn leaned against a wall, panting. He hadn't run like that in a long time. With effort, he opened his eyes and looked around. They were in a very nice part of town-- quality architecture, no trash on the streets. Interestingly, he could see no people around except for Archer and Saber. He wondered where everyone was.

*****

When Anras stepped into the kitchen, the waiter was gone, and a quick look into the alley behind the restaurant showed that he was much too late to track him. He stepped back into the kitchen and put on his most charming smile.

"Hey, Stefan, who was that new guy you hired? I don't think I've ever seen him before."

Saber quietly leaned against the wall next to Finn, keeping her eyes on the ground. She still hadn't gotten up the courage to meet anyone's eyes. To have spoken out like that, to take her bad day out on another person, was just humiliating.

Archer looked over at Finn and grinned, "You okay there buddy?" The poor boy must really be a bookworm who never got out.

"The streets," Finn said, working hard to control his breathing and failing utterly-- meditation exercises be damned. "The streets are empty."

He closed his eyes and considered a spell he could use to slow his heartbeat a little. He hated using magic in front of strangers, though, and he was tired. He forced himself to breathe in for several seconds, pause, and exhale just as slowly.

*****

"We just need a private place to talk," Elemmire tried, surprised at Nellas's refusal. "It's for the war effort."

"Elemmire, you can't come barging in here whenever you want," Nellas said, walking to the window. "People will see."

As usual, Nellas was dressed like a statue and moved like every second of her existence was a painting. Elemmire suppressed a groan.

"I wouldn't ask you if it weren't important."

Nellas turned keen dark eyes her way. "I see. And just how important is it to you?"

Archer nodded with sudden understanding and slipped an arm under the smaller man's shoulder to circle around in order to support his weight, "Well you weight like nothing, come on." He glanced at Saber, "Let's go in," and reached down to take her hand with his other hand. She hesitated, the walked forward and opened the door so that they could all basically stumble inside.

Saber's eyes on the floor, she closed the door behind them and leaned against it. Archer let for of her hand to supper Finn better and while looking with concern at Finn's face said loudly for Elimmire, "I don't think we are safe in this part of town. Something is wrong."