They bid Tino a farewell as he headed off to Sanice's house.

Nikolas waited until Erwing was distracted and whispered in Tino's ear, "I've got the things!" Then he said louder, so that Erwing was not suspicious, "You should come and visit me."

"And spare you the bar fights? Of course I would!" Tino agreed and gave Nikolas a very... discrete wink.

This interaction was entirely missed by Erwing and Nikolas was very glad of that for he was certain Erwing would take the gesture in an entirely different direction. The man was extraordinarily cheerful on the way back to Faila's camp. Positively bubbling with excitement, Nikolas observed, it made him look years younger. Like Aldeim did, except Nikolas could not quite remember when his father had been this happy.

"I didn't know you had it in you, boy! Why didn't you say so?"

There were several loose cobblestones and Nikolas barely managed to step over them. He cursed under his breath, rearranging the packages he was carrying so that he could properly see his feet.

"Say what?" he asked, hoping that his voice didn't sound irritated or snappish.

"You know, how you just took that Robertz by the collar and—" Erwing made an imitation of what Nikolas did with his hands.

The imitation was poor, Nikolas observed wryly. Mainly because Erwing had bought food, and drinks for the rest of the group and had unceremoniously shoved them into Nikolas's hands as he did so. There were five packages, and Nikolas fumbled with them, his hands already full with three of the heavier ones. Erwing had bought all of it from the barkeep, though Nikolas suspected that the other man had been more than generous with his prices, and the selections he allowed them to pick from. He had spied a two cuts of preserved meat, some earthen jars of pickled things and several packages that smelled strongly of dried herbs. They were not cooking herbs, he knew, because there was the disastrous time Viola had wanted to try her hand at cooking and begged Brytha to get her the more rarer spices. It had resulted in a series of very expensive mistakes, Nikolas mused, chuckling upon reflection.

Maybe this was a thing in Prebovna, that barkeeps sell things they would not use in their own taverns? It was odd, certainly, wouldn't Erwing rather go to a merchant? No, that was none of his business, so Nikolas decided it was best not to ask anyone. In all likelihood Faila had some sort of agreement with the barkeep, something like her troupe would play at his wife's tavern or something along those lines. He should not pry, Nikolas told himself firmly, he had done it once for today and while it was funny then, his humor had dried up now. This is precisely what Aldeim told him not to do, get the attention of such an up-start.

"It was nothing," Nikolas muttered, thankful that after his impromptu demonstration, Erwing took back the packages.

"No, no, it was something, I believe you've got decent potential!"

"At what?" This made Erwing pause, and Nikolas smiled, because he knew the old man was struggling to think of a word that wasn't Rytsar.

"You should try your hand at the Camairan arts!" Erwing said and his eyes were alight with excitement. "Griuflo would say you're a natural!"

"How so?" said Nikolas, and he tried to keep his voice down. A natural? Him? At what?

Erwing grinned, and made a shushing motion with his free hand, "I'll tell you tonight. Remind me to, why don't you?"

"Right," Nikolas agreed. Erwing had a rather odd way of saying things, and when he was excited he melded his words together so it sounded something like 'ill tellu twoight'. A Llandrian accent, Nikolas guessed, Erwing sounded like the songs he heard floating through his wagon last night. Not that he was paying much attention. He had to speak to Jozin first hadn't he.

Ardich had a kotek, he remembered and his hands trembled in excitement. He had a kotek and maybe that kotek could be convinced. His friendship was Jozin was very solid after all, and he could save some of the cuts of meat for it. It wasn't fish but it might do right? Unless some of the dried meats were actually fish, no one in Nikolas's family was particular to it. Perhaps once upon a time, he thought, maybe one of his siblings had been. But as hard as he tried to remember who it was, their faces at the dining table were all a blur to him. Of course they would be a fog, he thought angrily, when was the last time everyone in his family had sat together by the table.

"You want to see Griuflo?"

"We can?" Nikolas raised an eyebrow, "Where?" He had not heard of Camair while Senice was giving out her introductions.

"They're not living here," said Erwing. "They do not do singing or dancing, no, the Camairs are by the healers' wing. Very expensive part of Prebovna that, though Griuflo does come down here every so often."

"To hear Jaufre?" Nikolas said, and he let a teasing note into his voice.

"No, to hear Faila," said Erwing, and he looked pensive.

"Is he courting her?"

He was only guessing, because the troupers had odd customs compared to his own. They sent their men out courting instead of the women visiting the man's house for a prior introduction. None of his sisters had courted anyone. The closest one who had the money to was Brytha and she had expressed her disdain about the whole matter every time the topic had been brought up. When it had been Richan's turn, well, he could only guess that Richan had been courted at whatever academy he went to.

Erwing raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "She's rejected him for years by now, but by the Goddess, I suppose I can't fault him for trying." He had a very far away look in his eyes. "She has such a presence on the stage. She's a natural."

"You don't?" Nikolas said before he could help himself. Then he hastily added, fumbling all his words and knowing his face was turning red, "I mean, I didn't see you dancing or singing last night and you're in her troupe but you draw so—"

"No, lad, what I meant is I have tried to capture her radiance on the stage and I've never managed to do so. Somehow the light turns out all wrong, or the shadows are either too soft or too dark."

"That sounds interesting."

"Oh, right, you did say you were interested. I could show you, if you'd like."

"I would, thank you!"

There was a pause from Erwing and he said, "Keep that cheerful tone with you, lad, enthusiasm has to be genuine in these parts."

"It did not sound... genuine before?"

"Just a hint from an old man," Erwing said, and he, to Nikolas's surprise, gave him a wink.

What was that for, Nikolas wondered, and hoped Erwing would not ask about it later that night. Tino was his friend, and nothing more. Then he rolled his eyes and decided that if Tino wanted to be subtle, there were more ways than such an obvious wink and nod.

"Erl!" Anni was the first to greet them, hoisting up her skirts so she could run faster towards the two of them.

"Wait, wait!" Mae was stumbling after her.

They were dressed in rather interesting costumes, skirts that seemed to hold their form by the wooden hoops beneath them. He could hear the clitter-clatter of the wood as they knocked against each other.

"And what are you then?" said Erwing.

"We are Vi lie," said Mae, with the utmost seriousness.

"Vily," Anni corrected sternly, "and we're going to steal away Posilo!"

"Steal away?"

"Oh, you know," said Erwing, and he carefully held out non-breakable things for Mae and Anni to coo over and clumsily bring back to the camp. It left him with less packages than before and Nikolas had to curse his genius. "Wait, do you not know?"

"Vily are capricious," Nikolas recited. That was all he knew of the matter because the only one in the family with fondness for fairy tales being read aloud had been Richan.

"Precisely."

"I still don't understand what it has to do with Posilo."

"Ah, never you mind then, you will come to one of our rehearsals and you will see," said Erwing. "But for your own reference, if a vila ever invite you to a vily party, or any party for that matter, you're to say no. Politely mind you, the last thing you need is a vila out for revenge."

"Why did the vila take Posilo then?"

"A vila can take anyone if you accept their offer for a dance," said Erwing. "And they all look like beautiful women so I suppose it makes sense that many men are entranced by them. That's how they get you. Never wander away from your troupe when you're passing through a forest or a river or a cloud is passing over."

"You are joking."

"I am not."

He opened his mouth to say that he had seen worst things than vily, those poor souls wandering the forest, but he knew himself well enough that if he talked about the shambling, skinless people he would blurt out that his necklace had done something about it. Given them peace, he hoped, but even in his mind's eye now he could see the face of that little girl and how she had smiled at him before disappearing.

"It's fine to be afraid, you know," said Erwing, shifting the packages to pat Nikolas's back. "Just in moderation, as with everything else in life. You don't want to be the idiot that waits for a snake to bite you."

Being under Erwing's wing meant being submitted to all sorts of sayings. At least this one made some sort of sense. They were by Faila's campfire, and for the first time everyone in the troupe was there.

"However did you get these things?" said Faila, her eyes wide.

"Oh you see, Nikolas has a way with—" Erwing made a motion with his face, up and down. The wrinkles in his face must all have some meaning that only Faila could discern for she turned her eyes to Nikolas.

"You don't mean to say you came across Robertz Lione?"

"Lione," Nikolas repeated dumbly. It should sound familiar to him, anyone with an animal in their name meant something. That was a cheat Brytha had taught him when he struggled over the impromptu tests his father had given him over breakfast.

This cause Jaufre's attention and he leaned in, "She used to be one of the Tsarina's closest, the Posadnitsa Lione."

Jaufre, for the first time he'd known the man, looked very serious. It was even even marred by the hat he wore. This one didn't look like a bird's sacrifice but an embarrassment of several chickens. Seeing this, the other members also came closer as well, so that they were all cloistered together around the campfire. Like children telling tall tales, Nikolas thought, but this one had a rather ominous feeling to it, especially by the way the light moved across their serious faces.

"She was doing little projects you know, with the previous Tsarina," said Jaufre and Eldis let out a little gasp.

"Projects huh?" Owall sounded grim, and he was twining his scarf around his fingers, again and again. Almost like a noose.

"We shouldn't talk about such things now," Faila said firmly, glancing up and waving for Anni and Mae to come over. "It is not wise to think about what was—"

"— we must think about what is to come," said Erwing, and he reached for a pipe that Owall offered to him.

There conversation swiftly moved on to Faila's very loud complaints about the absolute state of lute strings, and how horrible the results of the commissions had been. Eldis and Philipa soon chimed in with recommendations for a new luthier. Then Jaufre commented that it wasn't the luthier's problem sometimes it was just the lutenist being unable to play. This remarked earned him several scoffs and a playful smack on the thigh.

"I'm telling you, they would love the Tsar Lutenist! Not the vely story! No one likes the vely story!"

"Tell that to Anni she's been wanting to play as one for months!"

"She can wait!"

Even he had to grin at the antics. As he leaned back, accepting the food Owall offered to him, Erwing leaned in to whisper in his ear, "If you have any questions I have just the thing to answer them with in the wagon."