"Right, right, Dras, first I need to know what you need." It took me a few moments to put all my thoughts together, then into words.

"Well, help mostly." He seemed to think that was obvious.

"Duh, what I mean is what specifically do you need? Are you trying to leave, get food, what?"

"Looking for information, and any info on where kingdom's army is."

"Well the army is gone Dras, the kingdom is gone. Looks like the government has changed, at least here. Not sure what else there is to say about that. Where are you?"

"Shit, and I can't say."

"Yeah, so, new regime. What do you need now?"

"I don't know."

"I don't either Dras. If you want to surrender to the new soldiers that's probably easy enough, and you'll be safe."

"We'll be safe!? Alana they invaded the capital, they took the city! Do you know how many people died?"

"I do, and I also know that no more need to. You could also go to the temple district and stay there for the time being, but you'd have to swear not to get involved in the fighting anymore, and they'd hold you to it. That's what I did with Kala. I'm sorry that I couldn't bring you along on that but there was no time. A lot of things happened." I opted for the moment not to tell him that my family was with the new owners of this city, mostly because I was afraid of how he'd react.

I knew that Dras would eventually learn about my family, but there was no need to rush that. I hoped that he would forgive me, but first I needed him, and whoever he was with, safe. Was that a bit hypocritical? Yes. I was not going to force him or trick him too much though.

"I don't suppose you could help us get there?" Dras asked on the other end.

"How many of you are there?"

"Fifteen."

"Dras, I can't invisible that many people, and I don't know the undercity as well as you. I'm afraid that I am not too much help here. I also did take the promise not to get involved in the fighting anymore for now. I doubt the temples will look kindly on me helping you that way."

"Can you at least let people know we're coming? I'd rather not show up unexpected."

"That I can do."

----------------------------------------

It was decidedly something I wasn't supposed to be doing, but I took a bit of time after lunch the following day to write a note explaining to my dad that I was fine and would be back shortly. Hopefully he wouldn't find it while I was out. I was more than tired of his over-protectiveness and decided to do like every decent bard would have and go for a bit of a break.

As I was setting up all the spells I would need for this I wondered briefly if the propensity for making a break for it was from being a bard, or if that propensity is what made you a bard. It really did seem to be a running theme among the lot of us and there had to be something more to it. I'd also noticed that all the priests tended to fall into the same basic mold, same with wizards. Someone surely had asked these questions before and I'd have to look up the prevailing theories if/when I ever got back to school.

A few minutes later my door opened and I began a brief discussion with the guard. It was mostly on the timetable for my family getting home, which I knew he didn't have. Also requesting for dinner to be pushed back just a bit so I'd have more time to get back to my room. I walked down the hall as my illusion finished up, closing the door with a simple movement spell.

Once I was well out of the vicinity of my room I dropped the invisibility. They certainly had some form of defense against that and I was known to at least some of the people here. It might be hard to come up with an explanation if any were too curious about what I was doing, but that seemed unlikely as long as I kept my head up and forward and looked like I was going where I was supposed to be.

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Of course I ran into a small snag. A man whom I didn't really recognize stopped me in the hall.

"Hey, you're the girl General Verren sent us after, Alana right?"

"Yes sir, did you need something?" I smiled lightly and looked him straight on.

"Yeah, he told us who you were a couple of days ago, don't worry, we'll keep it secret. That said, me and the boys were wondering how you managed to keep casting after the silence spell?"

"Oh, you don't have to make noise to cast, just perform. As soon as you hit me with that I started dancing."

"Dancing? I've heard of elves doing some dance magic, but that's an odd one."

"Yeah, they taught us Atali Dance. Our professor talked about the basics a few times. I was also nearly done with the spell."

"Regardless, you caught us all right off guard on that one. Mind running us through some of the info on it later?"

"Not at all, just send a letter to 'the general' or Mystien." I almost asked him to send it to me, but if he did that too soon it would cause issues. Better to punt the problem onto dad.

"Thanks, see you later."

Once I was past him it was a straight shot to the exit. In pretty much every place I'd ever been on either world public buildings like this seemed to follow the same design. Labyrinthine back areas that I only knew because of a few outings and their numbered doors and big, open, obvious public ones.

Security was minimal since I was leaving, not coming in, another oversight on somebody's part that I was not going to complain about. Those coming in were thoroughly checked and identified. There was no chance of me coming in as easily as I was leaving, but I'd burn that bridge when I came to it.

The streets were, unfortunately, packed to the brim with snow. I'd been inside so much I hadn't even thought about it being winter right now. The main roads had at least been cleared, and a spell kept me from getting cold. I did stick out a bit in my 'sit around the house' outfit, as I'd neglected any of the thicker clothes or shawls that most women were wearing right now. There was also almost nobody around, which didn't help either.

About halfway there I heard a crunch of snow beside me. Turning around I found Charles, who seemed to be just about everywhere in the lower city nowadays.

"Hi." He was wearing a newer looking outfit, a dark gray tunic and pants with matching cloak.

"Hi Charles, did you need something?"

"Is everything okay? I got the feeling you were being kept like a caged bird there."

"I broke out, don't tell anyone." I made a shh motion with my finger, which got a smile.

"I see, mind if I join you? The old man asked me to keep an eye out."

"Sure, I'm just going down to the temple district for a bit though."

"Not planning on running away then?" He asked as we began walking again.

"Nah, just going for a walk. Dad means well, but he can be suffocating sometimes."

"That I understand. When I first got back my mom hardly let me out of her sight for awhile." He had the same calm, quiet voice, but this had to be the most words I'd ever heard him speak.

"What did you do?" Perhaps he had some advice to help with my own problems.

"I made it clear that I could take care of myself, and that she needed to stop."

"You make it sound so simple."

"It is simple, but simple isn't always easy."

I spent some time going over that last statement in my mind. I kind of understood why dad was being the way he was, but clearly needed to put my foot down. I'd lived on my own for several years and just putting me in a room was not going to work for long. He'd know that I'd left when I came back, so hopefully that would put an end to this house arrest.

Soon enough we made it to the entrance of the temple district, and while I wanted to go in I was now very connected to one of the forces in this city. I could of course enter, but I felt that it would send a bit of a mixed message, and I doubted Charles would be able to follow. He seemed to be staying out of the fighting, but that didn't mean that he didn't have a side he was on.

Once there, letting them know that a group of fifteen was coming, and likely had multiple casters was trivial. I also asked for a note to be sent to Kala telling her to use the thing I gave her (Specifically unspecific) if and when she got time. We could at least have phone calls if I wasn't going to be seeing her.

On our way back a Kala came on the radio.

"Hey, didn't you say not to use these around people?"

"It's probably fine, and if it isn't you can heal any damage it does." She laughed, and from there we chatted until another voice joined the call.

"How does this thing... wait, I hear someone. Alana, is that you?"

"Mystien? Where did you get the earpiece from."

"Lucien gave me his obviously. The better question is who you're talking to, and why you neglected to tell me about these."

"Hi, I'm Kala."

"Um... one second." I put a silence bubble over the receiver and looked at Charles. "Didn't you have Lucien's earpiece?"

"Gave it back after we found you."

"Great." He smiled at my obvious sarcasm.

"Um, well Mystien it slipped my mind."

"Oh is that so? Well, we need to have a chat. I'll be up there to see you in a moment."

"Up where?"

"Your room obviously." I noticed that Kala had decided to sit this one out at this point, probably for the best.

"Oh... I'm not there right now..."

"... Alana, where are you?" I could feel the displeasure through the very sound of his voice.

"I... went for a walk."

"A walk? You went for a walk?"

"Yup. Wanted to deliver a message personally..."

"Hey, Alana, we're nearly there is everything good?" Dras could not have possibly had worse timing.

I could hear the sigh from the other end. "Why hello there newcomer, nearly where?"

"The temple district..." Dras seemed to hesitate as he too was picking up on the frustration.

"Alana."

"Yes Mystien?"

"How many of these exactly did you make?"

"Four."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup."

"Good, come back immediately. We need to have a talk."

After that declaration the conversation between everyone died. Dras seemed to smartly decide that he should shut up and be quiet. Kala grasped the same situation earlier and both gave a quick goodbye, which I guessed meant they took their earpieces out. I did the same only a few moments later, if for no other reason than not wanting to get in any more trouble.

"You know Charles, I'm reconsidering running away." I said to my quiet companion.

"I'd rather you not." That seemed sincere, and caused me to look at him briefly. Honestly I'd been a really terrible friend to him over the years. I should change that.

"Fine then, I'll go back. I think Mystien is going to skin me though."

He quirked an eyebrow but said nothing. I was a bit surprised when he followed me all the way to the headquarters. Even more so when the guards there recognized him. He had to go through checks, but so did I. They were also expecting me, and were even so generous as to send an escort along to make sure I made it back to my room with no chance of getting lost, how helpful.