After he had finished his activities for the the day, EvilClown had faithfully travelled from his home to what he now considered their spot under the tree near the cave, just close enough to the fountain to hear the soft splashes of the water as it cascaded downwards. He'd waited all day to hear of Claudine’s adventures in Shinewood with Lyle, but found himself mystified and disappointed by her absence. He'd travelled from the other continent across a great ocean from Medenia which is where he called home in order to see her that day.

 

Hunting through his bag for some parchment, he scrawled a quick and untidy letter asking what had happened to make her miss seeing him, but he knew he wouldn’t receive a reply until morning, so decided to rent a room in the Mileth inn for the evening. 'Maybe she will be at their usual spot tomorrow afternoon.' His slumber was a peaceful one in comparison to the troubled dreams that haunted the bard that night.

​

The sun shining through the open window, a cold breeze tickling his face, and the song of birds woke the gladiator who felt rather refreshed. Sitting himself upright on the messy unmade bed, whilst he was pulling his blue sandals onto his feet, he heard a tap at his window. Pulling the catch open wider he was greeted by a large pigeon with something tied to its’ leg. This letter looked lighter than the notes he usually received. Untying the crimson coloured ribbon holding the small scrap of parchment together he exhaled loudly as he recognised whose handwriting it was. Well then, this letter explained somewhat where she had been. ‘Well at least I’ve heard from her, this is worrisome though. Something upset her so much she went straight to her bed last night.. I wonder what Lyle managed to do'. His growing frown turned into a wan smile. Her letter simply said,

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Something happened in Shinewood yesterday, I was so upset I went straight to my room.

I didn’t get a wink of sleep, I’m sorry I left you though.

I’ll explain later today, I will be by the temple in the evening.

​

The pigeon had been waiting patiently with its slim leg held out for a letter to be tied to it, as recipients of letters usually wrote a reply. EvilClown pulled a small scrap of parchment from the drawer of the chest next to the wooden bed. Grabbing a quill, hastily dipping it into some ink, he simply wrote,

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Claudine, I’ve just woken. I’ll meet you there this evening

​

He rolled it up, retying her ribbon around the his scrap of a letter, and sent the bird off with its’ prize to find its way to the bard who would be busy studying Rucesion law documents as she did every moon.