Toni halted in the library, pushing her hood back away from her face. The early morning chill clung to her body and she shivered, pulling it tighter around her body.

Back home, this time of day the banks of mist would still be hanging low to the ground making anything in front of your nose nearly invisible. But the day was simply overcast and chilly.

She settled down on a nearby stone bench and settled against the wall for some good old fashioned pondering. It had become a custom for her over the year spent away in Marmist.

(Library?)

John was taking a walk in the gardens not typically a morning person by any means, but he had gone to bed and was unable to sleep and had finally given up somewhere around One.

He spotted a cloaked figure huddled on the bench that seemed vaguely familiar. John paused and the blurted "Toni?"

Toni tipped her head back and grinned at John, one of her best friends. "Elden!" She grinned, jumping to her feet. "What're you doing here," she paused and added, "now, I mean. You're not one to be up with the sun."

She smiled and patted the bench beside her.

John dropped down next to Toni. His muscles ached a little and he felt . . .old. Probably from lack of sleep. He sighed. "I couldn't sleep. I was up all night, finally gave up." He stretched a little working out a knot in the middle of his back.

"So are you back now?" He asked. "Or just for a visit?" He was one of the few who knew how out of sorts his friend had been before she packed off for Marmist.

“Ah, the I figured the latter would be true rather than the only other option: that you actually got up this early without someone yelling at you.” She pulled her feet off the ground and pulled a knee to her chest. “I’m back for now. It’s not just a visit.”

((SHoot forgot to log out of Ashley's account)0

John smiled and punched Toni goodnaturedly in the arm. “Well that’s good news. Things have been much too dull without you. I hope you still picked up a sword while you were away. You were one of the few that I deigned to fence with, even if I did always beat you.”

"Harumf," Toni grumbled, her nose up into the air haughtily then she grinned and punched John in the arm with as much force as she could muster with the awkward angle. It was still quite a bit and might cause either a red mark or a bruide depending.

"I managed to beat you a few times!" She objected. "Not every time, do not exagerrate. Leave that to the bards and minstrils in later day to handle."

John suppressed a wince. “Nay, no ballads for me.” He brought his knees up and rested his elbows on his knees. “Real knights like you and me more often than not are bad guys, foils to make sure the selflessness and greatness of the protagonist is that much more appreciated. Though, their greatness is greatly exaggerated. Flaws forgotten; vices put aside.” He sighed.

“Since when did you come Mr. Philosophical?” Toni asked. Although knowing John, it was just what was on his mind at the moment and he spoke, but it was something that he had been rolling over for a while apparently. Toni looked at John, arching a brow and giving him a concerned look.

"Amazing what a year will do to a person," John sighed, and then shook his head. "Enough of this. Depressing enough, I'll let it go." He smiled. "So what did you do?"

"Not much," Toni shrugged. "I spent a lot of time thinking mostly. Wasn't very interesting to be truthful. I came to terms with a lot of things and made some important desicions." She shrugged. She wondered if she'd ever be able to tell her friends. I'm not really a knight.

“You get a year off, and you spend the whole time thinking?” John teased and then rolled his eyes. “You always did do that a lot,” he sighed and then grinned. “Ah, well. Glad it worked out for you.”

Toni smirked a bit. "Thanks, John. Thanks a lot. I'm really glad you like me. I don't want to be on the other end if you didn't like me."