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The world went black momentarily. Then Ald just lay there too stunned to move, and felt vulnerable.

"Ou-ch..." He groaned.

Davor moved around slowly. At some point he must have picked up the candle. "You see it is catching. Now it was your turn to fall. The darkness closes around us. Why does this have to happen now? I was looking forward to moping in my room. I don't have the energy now..."

Ald did not know what was worse, having an accident or the fact that he had a witness, and a glum one at that. He lay on the ground for a short while longer, checking that he had not seriously hurt himself.

He must have dozed, because the next thing he knew was that footsteps were coming down the stairs. "Crap, now everyone will know now." He thought. Preparing for the inevitable ribbing he rolled over.

It was the dark haired young woman. She seemed to be speaking to the guard. Ald closed his eyes, "Gre-at just what I need." He thought. Nevertheless he made a stab at it. You could never keep a good man down at any rate.

"Do you like your men at your feet?" He said, a cheesy grin appearing on his face.

Avery hardly batted an eyelid, and replied: "Sure, all the time. I hire them especially." Then she rolled her eyes and offered her hand. "Come on clumsy, maybe we can help you get up these steps..."

Ald regained his feet, thanked her and nodded, not ready to banter just yet. His back hurt a little bit, but other than that he seemed fine. Just left to nurse his pride he collected an armful of bottles, and followed the others back to the first room. Perhaps they would able to suss this strange place after a nice break.

The dark haired girl Avery took the lead with the lantern and slowly began to descend the stairs that lead to some sort of cellar Scélian presumed. With one hand Scélian touched the wall to determine whether the stair was a winding one. It didn’t seem to twist yet it went down a long way.

‘How much of this house is kept hidden I wonder.’ She mused keeping her eyes to the floor where she followed the soft yellow light that got cast from the lantern. “What?â€

Ald pondered on what the blonde girl had said for a moment, taking advantage of her curiosity and her proximity. Then dismissing his pains he quipped, choosing to answer her first comment:

"Ahh, I'm always ready for a drink. I can cope with anything!" His grin by now had returned.

Then his mind wondered to more mundane matters: "I wondered if l'il miss Happy has got us all a brew goin'? Ohh I could do with a good hot brew and some snap inside me."

"L'il miss Happy?! Don't be patronising."

"Hey!" Ald replied as he fended off a slap.

"Now, weren't you going to tell me about the unhappy guy?"

"Ye-ah I was."

"Well?"

Ald shrugged, "Dunno, maybe he just a miserable bugger. Never got enough sunshine as a kid, maybe?"

"Sunshine? What are you sayin'?"

"That these townies are not shiney enough?"

"Hmmm..."

Before he had time to consider a reply, they had all trooped into what must be the entry hall, and Ald stood his bottles on the table. The room was now warmer and a little more inviting with the firepit blazing merrily. Put at ease Ald reckoned that now perhaps he would find out a little more about the others, and what would be best to do next.