Price of Friendship (Elly)

[Angmor]

He couldn't say how long and far he ran. Time and distance were meaningless. His senses had receded, as if a thin veil had fallen on the world. He felt as if he was a detached observer from within his own body, studying some clinical specimen.
Blood-loss, probably, this absent part of him thought. After all, he'd had experience with blood loss, having spent much of the past year experience some form of it.
Just then, the air behind him was filled with an angry whistle. Before he could even begin to react, something struck him hard in the lower leg, sending him off balance. He collapsed forwardly limply, skidding to a halt on the hard snow.

For several moments he lay there, unable to do much besides gasp like a landed fish, pondering his position like a drunkard. Very slowly, he turned on his side, looking for the object that had sent him here. He did not have to look far before he found himself looking down at a long arrow, fletched with what looked like a turkey feather. There would be nothing inherently alarming about this, if it was not for the fact that the shaft was embedded in the muscled portion of his left calf. As tired as he was, he could not quite start to register alarm at this, although it would probably begin to hurt pretty soon... He almost didn't notice as a scruffy, tough-looking man emerged from the trees, bow in hand. Teiris immediately recognized the face of one of the bounty hunters.
This is the second time this man has shot me, he thought to himself, the slightest trace of anger stirring in his chest.
Upon finding his prey lying helpless before him after a long and arduous chase, the hunter did what any man would; double over, gasping.
"My... You..." The man managed eventually, moving a bit closer. "By the blood of Nyx herself... I can't believe that you ran this far with one of my stingers in you."
At the man's words, Teiris felt himself snap back into reality. His body ached all over, and there were now lines of fire arcing through his leg. His limbs felt like they were held down with invisible ropes of exhaustion. He fought it, gritting his teeth, waiting...
"Oh come now boy, don't be so upset. You can be proud of yourself for getting this far."
Teiris waited.
"By the gods, you are a young thing. They keep putting out bounties younger and younger these days. But still, a man's got to make a living..."
There. As the man's voice came closer, a face appeared in Teiris’ vision. This was what he had been waiting for.
Summoning all of his strength into one savage blow, he locked on the face and kicked it as hard as he could.
The man's jaw clicked, and the head snapped back. All feral rage, Teiris kicked again, this time to the stomach, sending his opponent stumbling against a tree. The bow dropped from the man's hand, groping for something on his belt...
Knowing he had to beat the forthcoming dagger from its sheath, Teiris scrambled to his feet, ignoring all of his body's protests with a snarl. Summoning every last reserve of strength, he threw himself toward his opponent, both feet first.

Crunch.

As his feet connected with the man's neck, something gave sickeningly under the impact, like a snapped twig. Unable to catch himself, Teiris fell hard on his back, totally spent, unable to move again. He stared up at the bounty hunter, waiting. Strangely, the man made no move to avenge himself. The gloating expression had been replaced by one of complete and total surprise, then increasingly alarmed. Suddenly his body went limp, falling on Teiris, who found himself staring straight into the man's wide, panicked eyes, his throat making little urking sounds, growing ever more feeble. Finally, they stopped altogether, the eyes growing unfocused, the body going limp. Teiris could tell that he was dead.
There was suddenly a profound silence in the wood, disturbed only by the sighing of the wind across the snow. Coming back to his wits, Teiris cautiously rolled the body off him, pushing away the horrid, staring eyes. This done, he collapsed onto his back, staring up into the darkening orange sky as it was blurred by his tears.

Teiris came awake gradually, rising out of a dark morass of sleep. The first thing of which he was aware was the feeling of the straw tickling the back of his neck, and the warmth of the sun on his face. Frowning, Teiris at last opened his eyes. Ah, of course. The dungeon, the citadel, Teirm. Still where I was when I laid down, he thought. Some comfort, I guess.
The cell around him had not changed much. The same four walls, the same ten paces between, the same straw pallet on which he lay. The late morning sun streamed from the barred window grate on the upper walls, bathing the grim room with an incongruously cheery radiance. As he sat up, Teiris found his eyes and face were wet. His frown deepening, he swiped away the tears and glanced at the cell door, hoping Rikuto or a guard hadn't seen him. It would not do from them to see him in such a weakened state, especially for an event with which he had already come to terms. He had killed that hunter because he had no other choice, pure and simple. Of course it saddened him, but it no longer slowed him. Besides, it was the event that had led him to Meeting Araseth, and all of the amazing revelations that had entailed. He had learned how to shoot a bow from her, although he was out of practice after selling his bow and arrows for food a month ago. He sighed. It all seemed so long ago now, so far away. He was older now, stronger, more focused, even it was only a little over four weeks ago.
A lot can change in a month, He decided, wiping the last of the moisture from his eyes, Just as a lot can change in a single day.

He had been in the cell for three days now, since his fateful run-in at the marketplace that led him into the clutches of Count Genji Lantieri. Much had changed on that single day, as well. He had been exposed to a new language, a new culture, a new way of thinking. He had made friends, he had made enemies, and a few who couldn't seem to decide. And, perhaps most significantly, he had developed a plan to escape from it all, and the belief that he could pull it off. Of course, little had changed since then. Time hadn't been totally wasted, of course. He had learned as much as he could, even through the insulated walls of his cell. He had learned a bit of the servant's schedules, memorized the rotation of the guards around the dungeons, and theorized that the Count was distracted by preparations for something important. But after the initial frenzied rush of adapting to a new surroundings, his chief adversary had been boredom. Mind-numbing, eye twitching, heart slowing boredom. Most of his time had been spent sitting against the wall with his eyes closed and hands laced behind his head, poring over his mental library of every book he'd ever read. Oddly enough, it had proven quite exhausting to spend so much time in isolation and keep his more painful memories locked firmly under the surface of his consciousness, eventually tiring him to the point where he could no longer resist. It was then that he slept, fitfully and uncomfortably, until at last the dawn announced it was time to start the process over, now for the fourth time.
He sighed, pushing the heels of his hands against his forehead. He wasn't sure why, but doing so seemed to ease the unnatural headaches that were usually left behind by a vivid memory. He knew nothing of how it could possibly work, but it almost felt as if his mind was not meant to handle such clarity for long periods of time, and so was left in pain.
Gods, I have got to get out of this place. If only just to escape my own thoughts.
He couldn't do that yet, of course. His plan still required a few items before he could proceed, items that he could not easily acquire.
At least, that he could not easily acquire.

Just then, the sound of a rusty hinge echoed through the dungeon, indicating the guard-post door had been coerced into opening. Ah, perfect timing. If the routine held, that would be Gregory with his breakfast tray. Gregory had been the bright spot in Teiris' boredom over those past days, although the boy had never been able to stay longer than a minute or two. Teiris desperately hoped that part of the routine would change, partly to ease the monotony, and partially because the child was his only potential link to the outside.
Which meant he only had one chance.
Gathering his thoughts, Teiris shut his eyes and waited, listening to the echoes of the boy's padded feet against the stone, drawing slowly closer.

[/blockquote]

Gah. That... was awful.

[Elloria]

Gregory hums a little tune as he bounces around the kitchen. He can’t believe he’s actually done it. He has somehow, miraculously, awesomely convinced Count Genji to listen to him! How amazing was he? After hearing about Mister Solus not really being Solus, but some escaped slave named Teiris, and Count Genji’s reaction…well, Gregory had been a little upset. Okay, he’d been really upset. Mister Teiris was a nice guy! He couldn’t possibly be responsible for killing someone! Count Genji was being really mean about the whole thing – he had told the man as much. It had been the first time in Gregory’s life that he had actually defied anyone in anyway. Lady Mami had not been pleased about it, but Count Genji had looked at him with that piercing look he got whenever he was thinking.

After all, what person wouldn’t want to escape slavery? Gregory knows that sometimes he wished he was free. But he hadn’t expected Count Genji to really listen to him about it. So he had been as surprised as anyone else when he had been summoned to the West Wing – in broad daylight, no less – to have a little chat with the count. If that hadn’t been surprising enough, Count Genji had then made Gregory Teiris’ personal attendant…or at least that’s what it had sounded like. Now, he is supposed to bring Teiris food and make sure he is doing all right. Miss Rikuto usually doesn’t let Gregory stay in the cell for very long, but each short visit has been more than enough for Gregory to realize that Mister Teiris was bored. And the young boy cannot think of a crueler existence than a bored one. So he had talked to Count Genji yesterday during the count’s afternoon snack.

And he can NOT wait to tell Mister Teiris about it! Gregory just knows Mister Teiris will be excited to hear this.

“Gregory! Quit yer bouncin’ about and get this tray down to the dungeons. I ain’t got time to be messin’ with yer excess energy!” Gregory freezes mid-bounce, resulting in a less-than-graceful landing. Crystal sighs and shakes her head as the boy picks himself up off the floor with a wince. Miss Rikuto has just arrived, which was obviously what prompted Cook Crystal to yell at Gregory. “Tha’s wha’ happens when yer so careless, boy. Pay better attention, wouldja?”

Gregory nods timidly as he adjusts his goggle-hat and takes the covered tray of food from the head cook. He follows Miss Rikuto out of the kitchen in a far more reserved manner than he usually did. But as they make their way to the dungeons, his mood gradually lightens as he thinks of what news he’s going to give Mister Teiris.

A grin plasters itself on his face as they finally arrive at Mister Teiris’ cell. “Try to be a little less obvious about your delight, Gregory. Prisoners really should not be receiving such kind treatment,” Miss Rikuto murmurs as she opens the door. Gregory scrunches his face at her, but enters the cell slowly and with a bit more somber attitude. It feels so weird being so serious. Didn’t anyone know how to have fun? And really, Mister Teiris is a nice guy. He deserves to be treated nicely!

His footsteps make muffled echoes in the quiet cell and it’s kind of scary. But that’s okay. Soon, this cell will only be for the nighttime. He struggles to not grin crazily as he stops beside Mister Teiris and carefully sets the tray down. He’s glad Mister Teiris is up…at least, he thinks that’s the case, since Mister Teiris is sitting cross-legged on the floor. The man’s eyes are closed, but his breathing’s not deep like if he was asleep. Gregory clears his throat to catch the man’s attention. “Mister Teiris? Breakfast’s here. I’m…not sure what it is, but it’s probably all right. Cook Crystal doesn’t make icky food. I mean…she’s kind of icky and all, but her food’s always really good. Which I guess kind of balances things out, huh?” The boy plops down on the floor and mimics Mister Teiris’ pose, the tray sitting between them. “So go ahead and eat up!” he exclaims, following it up with one of his brightest smiles.

[Angmor]

Teiris listened, comparing the sounds he heard against his memories of past days. What he found was interesting. Gregory was walking a bit faster today. There was also a subtle swishing sound in the background, like moving cloth. That was probably Rikuto, although it was very difficult to tell. All of the Itasan bodyguards moved the same way, almost as if they were required to. If not for the echoing tunnels of the dungeon conducting the sound, he probably would not hear her at all.

Finally, the footsteps stopped just outside the door, and the bolt slid to with a creak. There was a whisper that Teiris didn't quite catch, followed by the padding of Gregory's feet murmuring across the walls. Whatever Rikuto had said, it was apparently enough to sedate Gregory's pace somewhat. Teiris kept his eyes closed, taking another moment to steady himself.
One chance...
He forced down the thought. Yes, his plan required that he and Gregory become friends. But from everything he knew of the child, that feat would not be difficult, and would actually be quite enjoyable. What would come after... That would probably be much worse.

“Mister Teiris?" Gregory asked, his high clear voice seeming to brighten the cell. "Breakfast’s here. I’m…not sure what it is, but it’s probably all right. Cook Crystal doesn’t make icky food. I mean…she’s kind of icky and all, but her food’s always really good. Which I guess kind of balances things out, huh?”
As bright as he usually was, something had changed in the child's demeanor. The voice carried a quivery undertone of restrained excitement, as if he was sitting on a great secret.Teiris opened his eyes, taking in Gregory's shining smile as he set a covered tray on the floor between them, before settling crosslegged across from him. “So go ahead and eat up!”

Teiris mimicked the smile as best he could, already feeling his mood lifting to match. "Well, good morning, Gregory. I guess Cook Crystal thinks food tastes better with surprise," He joked softly, his fingers brushing the trailing edges of the cloth that covered the tray. "Thanks for bringing this. I was just beginning to wonder if Count Lantieri would still allow you to come down here." He paused to smell the food through the cloth before looking back up at Gregory. "Hm, I'm not too hungry, think I'll savor the surprise a bit longer. In the meantime, how are you? You seem... excited. Is there a festival coming that I didn't know about?"

[/blockquote]

[Elloria]

Mister Teiris seems much happier now that food has arrived. He’s even making some jokes! Such an improvement already over his attitude yesterday. That just brightens Gregory’s smile even more. He likes nothing better than making other people feel happy.

“Thanks for bringing this. I was just beginning to wonder if Count Lantieri would still allow you to come down here.” Gregory gives a quiet chuckle as Mister Teiris leans down to smell the food. “Hm, I'm not too hungry, think I'll savor the surprise a bit longer. In the meantime, how are you? You seem... excited. Is there a festival coming that I didn't know about?”

Gregory laughs aloud and claps his hands. He just can’t take it anymore. “No, Mister Teiris! Count Genji doesn’t really do festivals and…well, I’m not much for festivals either, to be honest. That’s when the bigger boys like to cause mischief.” He stills for a moment as a thought passes through his mind. His mama had died during one of old Count Felix’s summer festivals. He shoves the thought aside. “But that’s totally beside the point.” He bounces a little on his butt, once again excited beyond words. “You’ll never guess what Count Genji told me yesterday. Just guess!” He grins at Mister Teiris, knowing the man will never guess, but hoping he’ll play along anyways.

(OOC: Short and uninspired, but I needed a little Gregory in my life. ^_^)

[Angmor]

Well, I guess that figures, Teiris thought behind his eyes, the knowledge slotting in with everything else he knew about the Count and his entourage. Perhaps he was looking at a very narrow sampling of the culture, but gaiety and frivolity did not seem to be a very Itasan sentiment. It was interesting to think back to the party that had been thrown the day he had first arrived, but that he supposed was a purely political move to please the nobility. And if Teiris' bruised back was any indicator, the Count did not enjoy those gatherings, either. Still, it was a pity. In just the way that Gregory talked about, and indeed, Teiris' own childhood associations, a festival would have provided the exact right kind of chaos he needed.
Ah well. I was never much one for celebrations, either.

“But that’s totally beside the point,” Gregory went on, bringing Teiris' attention back to him as he bounced up and down with an excitement he could barely seem to contain. “You’ll never guess what Count Genji told me yesterday. Just guess!”
Teiris chuckled at Gregory's expression, casting his eyes to this ceiling as he made a show of thinking it over. "Well, let's see then..."
His uncle, of course, would not have have approved. Teiris had been told many times; think and plan, but never guess. Of course, he had nowhere near enough information to make an educated decision on what Gregory was about to tell him. But this of course was a 'game,' designed for 'fun.' Teiris highly doubted that either concept had featured prominently in his uncle's life, so he pushed aside the voice as best he could.
"Well, after considering all the factors," Teiris answered after a moment, grinning. "I have to say that... Count Genji promoted you to Head Steward and gave you the keys to the family treasury."

[/blockquote]

[Elloria]

Gregory squirms as Mister Teiris seems to consider playing along. Mister Teiris is one of the harder ones to read. His eyes are too creepy and dead to be of much use and the man has got expressionless down pat. Every expression seems to be an effort to make, as if Mister Teiris is totally unused to it. Kind of like Miss Hiroshi. But that gives Gregory hope. Miss Hiroshi is always genuine when she manages to smile or laugh, strained as it always looks. And Gregory gets the feeling Mister Teiris is kind of the same way – mostly business, but the emotion is always genuine. That would be a nice change.

Mister Teiris grins. “Well, after considering all the factors I have to say that... Count Genji promoted you to Head Steward and gave you the keys to the family treasury.”

Gregory’s jaw drops and his eyes become the size of saucers. And then he splutters a bit. Does Mister Teiris just not even know what kind of an honor that would be? That Count Genji would never give such an important task to an Alagaesian ever? Heck, that Count Genji barely lets his bodyguards have that honor? And for that matter, does Mister Teiris know how much work that would be?!

The boy does his best to restart his shocked and frazzled brain. “I…gosh, Mister Teiris, I wouldn’t even be down here if Count Genji did that…And slaves would never hold that kind of position. Servants, maybe, but not slaves.” Gregory blinks, trying really hard to rein in his shock. Holy smokes, Mister Teiris is strange. “I’d be too busy!” He shakes his head. “I’d have to tell Count Genji very politely that I wasn’t interested. I’m only eleven!” Eyes still wide, he stares at Mister Teiris. “Uh…guess again?”

[Angmor]

Teiris gave an honest laugh at Gregory's genuinely stupefied reaction to his joke. It had been so long since he had dealt with children who were not urchins and beggars, forced from an early age to live by their wits. Gregory had been spared that, at least. He was still innocent, still joyful, could still appreciate humor. With how dark the world had become, it was rare the child who could still smile.

"Guess again, huh?" He said, "Well, you're going to have to give me some more time to think."
Apparently oblivious to Gregory's tension, he tapped his chin, eyes to the ceiling. After a moment, he finally turned his attention to the tray before him, and the savory smells coming from it. Of all the inconveniences of living in a dungeon, the food he had been given almost made up for it. Cook Crystal seemed to be the type who enjoyed making things that were wonderful to eat, no matter who she was making them for. As he dramatically swept aside the cover of the tray, it seemed this morning was no exception. His breakfast consisted some kind of porridge, its center an island of small dried grapes. Aside from that was a small chunk of bread, he presumed for dipping, and a cup of fresh milk. Giving a sigh of contentment, Teiris picked up the spoon and tried a bit of the porridge.

"Ah, now I have it," he said, swallowing the warm food with obvious enjoyment. "Cook Crystal has reached the pinnacle of her skill, so she's retiring to Aroughs and leaving you with all of her recipes."

[Elloria]

Gregory blinks. Cook Crystal…retiring? “Pffffffft…” Gregory wraps his arms around himself and laughs. The very thought was more ridiculous than Gregory becoming the Head Steward! He laughs for several long moments while Mister Teiris savors his breakfast. “Cook Crystal…retiring?” he gasps out in between gales of laughter. “That’s…that’s…oh my goodness, Mister Teiris!” He eventually manages to quiet his laughter and sit up. That had been a good one. He snickers and then grins at Mister Teiris. “Cook Crystal wouldn’t retire if you paid her to. Not while Count Genji’s around, anyway. Count Genji’s one tough cookie, but there’s nowhere in Alagaesia that pays better or takes better care of its workers. And you’re basically guaranteed a job for life!” He snickers again at the thought of anyone willingly leaving the Citadel. He shakes his head and looks at Mister Teiris. “No way, mister. And no, that’s not my news!” Gregory bounces up and down again, thrilled that not only has Mister Teiris played the game but now he gets to share his big, big news! “Count Genji said that, so long as we have guards with us at all times and you behave yourself and I still manage to get my work done, you’ll get to walk around the Citadel grounds with me! Won’t that be exciting?!”

[Angmor]

The amusement he'd felt at Gregory's laughter was instantly overshadowed by his surprise. After all of the Count's posturing, he had agreed to let him out of the cell? That was...
"That's wonderful!" He said, and meant it, his voice perhaps even showing a hint of enthusiasm. "Gregory, you have no idea what that means to me. I have been so tired of staring at these same four walls all day. It will be wonderful seeing more of the citadel. And I'm sure you know all of the best places to visit."

While the alleviation for his boredom was the most welcome, it would certainly help to see more of the layout. the more knowledge he could gather, the easier it would be to get around once his plan was in motion. Of course, the guards would be all over him, and he was sure Rikuto would be watching him like a hawk would a mouse, alert for the slightest hint of his trying anything.
It was a good thing, then that he didn't plan to.

[Elloria]

Gregory continues grinning like the happy fool he is often called. He knew Mister Teiris would like this. Life is so incredibly boring inside the Citadel sometimes. And that’s even with the limited freedom Gregory has. But being stuck in this dingy grey cell all day, every day? That alone is a special kind of torture Gregory hopes he is never subject to. Warmth blooms throughout his entire body at the thought of having saved Mister Teiris from this horrible fate. The Citadel grounds offer a lot of fun and interesting things to look at and explore. And it’s thanks to Gregory that Mister Teiris is gonna get to experience it all – with Gregory as his guide, no less! Gregory laughs, overjoyed at the prospect. And maybe…maybe they can even be friends because of this. That would be so incredibly amazing…Gregory can’t even imagine the extent of its awesomeness. An actual friend that he can talk to and play with. Someone who’s not gonna make him be the elf in the war games because he’s so much smaller than them. Someone who might actually listen to him at any time at all and not just when it suits them. Yeah. That would be nice.

Gregory pulls himself away from those sad thoughts, though. It doesn’t matter if they become friends or not. This is about making sure Mister Teiris – who is definitely a good and kind man – doesn’t suffer too much while he’s here. That’s what matters. So long as Mister Teiris is in good shape, everything else will be okay. Even if it doesn’t make them friends. Because you don’t let the good people in this world suffer if you can do something to help them – that’s what Momma had always told him. So he widens his grin and says, “So if you want we can go for your first walk after you get done eating breakfast. I’ll have to run the tray up to the kitchens first and Miss Rikuto’s gotta find some guards, but then we’ll be out in the sunshine before ya know it! Whatcha think about that, Mister Teiris?”

[Angmor]

In the seconds after the initial pleasure wore off, Teiris had to consider what exactly the count was trying to pull here. After all, the last time they had spoken, the man had threatened to sell him back to his pursuers in exchange for personal favors from the Hand. And now he was, being nice to him? What kind of stunt was this? Maybe he's decided I would be more useful as an ally than a bargaining chip... The thought made him pause, sending a chill down his spine. Could the count have guessed at his eidetic memory? If the dread reached his face, it did not stay longer than the barest instant. Teiris recovered instantly, offering the child another smile.
"I think that sounds positively wonderful, Gregory. Much as I want to do justice Crystal's cooking, I think I'll eat quickly."

As he ate the masterfully prepared porridge, Teiris found he could not concentrate on the food. Since his escape from the Hand, his memory had been about the only advantage he had, his ace in the hole, as a gambler might say. Much as he hated the nightmares and the headaches, it was very useful to be able to spot faces in the crowd, or remember tricks that he had only seen done once. He could only imagine what possible use the Count's devious mind could think of for such an ability, and Teiris doubted he would like any of them. But how could they know, when not even the Hand did, the very people that had given him the ability in the first place? But then, they had guessed so much about him already...
I'll need to find out, he thought, sipping the last of the milk. Somehow.

A few minutes later, he gave a satisfied sigh, wiping his mouth. He had consumed every last morsel, and he had to admit, despite most of his treatment, he really did eat well here. "Well Gregory, if you have to run this back to the kitchen, see if you can give Crystal my compliments."

[/blockquote]

*Sigh*

[Elloria]

Gregory immediately bounces to his feet as Mister Teiris finishes his breakfast. The man is definitely excited and happy about the idea. That’s not surprising – he’s been stuck in this gods-awful dungeon for the past couple of days and that couldn’t possibly have been any fun. He hurriedly picks everything up. “All right, Mister Teiris! I’ll be back lickety-split and then I’ll show you the gardens! I just know you’ll love ‘em!” With that, the boy trots out of the cell and grins to Miss Rikuto. She shakes her head good-naturedly at his exuberance and leads him back through the dungeons.

But as climb up to civilization again, Gregory’s face shifts into a thoughtful expression. He’s sure his eyes were playing tricks on him. For a moment…well, for a moment it had seemed as though Mister Teiris was scared by Count Genji’s proposal. Did he think Count Genji was trying to trick him? But that makes no sense. If Count Genji wants something, he just takes it. He doesn’t beat around the bush. So if Count Genji wanted something from Mister Teiris, he wouldn’t be letting Mister Teiris wander around the Citadel. He wouldn’t have listened to Gregory’s suggestions. He just…wouldn’t.

Gregory shakes his head and shoves the thoughts aside, his feet unconsciously making their merry way back to the kitchens and unaware that Miss Rikuto has been watching him carefully. He hadn’t seen anything but excitement on Mister Teiris’ face or heard anything but delight in his voice. That was all there was to it. He would just forget all about flashes of dread and falsely bright tones and concentrate on making sure Mister Teiris really enjoyed himself.

He slips past Miss Rikuto as she holds the kitchen doors open. He weaves through the chaos of cooks preparing Count Genji’s meals and safely deposits his tray of dishes by the dishwashers. Snagging an apple for himself, he exits with just as much grace and discretion as he entered. Miss Rikuto as he starts munching on the apple. He looks at her and quirks an eyebrow in curiosity, but doesn’t ask his question around his mouthful. She simply gives him one of those small Itasan smiles and motions for the boy to follow her. He follows with a small huff. Sometimes adults are so weird.

It’s another twenty minutes before Miss Rikuto finds four guards that she thinks are adequate for the job. By that time Gregory is squirming with impatience. He only holds his tongue because he is a slave and he’s on thin ice now after his outburst at Count Genji. But seriously – twenty minutes? When she finally starts heading back to the dungeons, Gregory sprints down to Mister Teiris' cell door and then hops about from foot to foot until she gets there and opens it. Then he races in and starts jumping around in front of Mister Teiris, saying, “Come on, Mister Teiris! We haven’t got any more time to lose!”