And so she had left him, just like that. Malnai walked through the streets of Jarros in a half daze, not the most intelligent thing to do, but he didn't really care. A few scant hours ago he had been in the company of a strange, wild, tragic, but possibly dangerous, young woman and now he was not. They had left Ryvena, thanking her once again for her hospitality and gone to the house of the jeweller, Malcolm. The corrupt craftsman did indeed demand extra payment before he would view the symbol, but Syleth demanded privacy before she would show it to him. So it was that Malnai was forced to wait in the tiny room for what seemed like hours. When Syleth emerged a change had come over her, she seemed to have a purpose, a goal. Malnai was very glad of that fact, but what happened next robbed him of that transitory happiness. He had imagined continuing with her on her path, meeting the people that she was going to meet and perhaps sharing a little in her revelations. At the back of his mind he was also considering attempting to show this girl that the world was not without love, but now it was too late. She had disappeared with a thankyou and a wave, still very little voluntary physical contact and then the mist and fog had covered her, made her into a wraith, then a shadow and then nothing. Malnai had simply stood there, willing it not to happen but knowing that he could not stop it, hoping against hope that the sharing which had gone on during the last couple of days would return, that she would return, suddenly realise her mistake and run back to him, take him by the arm and ask him to come with her, help her, protect her, but she didn't, so he couldn't, so after a while he merely walked away.

He shook his head, tried to shake her out of his mind and started walking. When he finally stopped he was at the castle. A momentary lapse into coherency allowed him the wit to pull up the hood of his cloak and cover his face, but he didn't really think the conditions would allow the guards very much visibility. He looked up at the imposing bulk of the building he had escaped from only a couple of days ago and wondered how less than a handful of sunrises could seem like years, he certainly felt like he had aged decades. He had been chased, imprisoned and nearly killed, he had met an incredible woman, been let a little way into her world and then lost her and that experience had cut through a few of his layers of insulation, giving him a glimpse of the world that he used to inhabit and maybe the one he was always running away from. He stood there, getting colder and colder as the snow began to fall on this new year. Malnai slumped down to the ground and wrapped his cloak around him, even as the wetness of the cobbles began to seep up through his clothing. He could now see clearly what his life had become and why Syleth had left him. He was a fool, a clown, someone who skated across the surface of life, never letting it touch him, never letting it affect him, never learning from it and never growing. Then, suddenly, he laughed, high and loud with a taint of madness.

A voice came from above, "Who's down there? Hello?"

Malnai stood up quickly, a smile across his face, desperately trying to hold in the laughter that was still building up inside him. He had not suddenly seen the light, rather he had realised that what he had always seen was the light. Yes, he was the Fool, he who danced on the edge, never going all the way into the light or experiencing all of the darkness, that was his purpose, to be a balance for those who thought they knew all or those who's pain was too much to bear. Within himself he had pain, darkness and loss, but he also had light, love, music and laughter. Why should he worry about the dark? It was there, that was an undeniable fact, but the light was also there and the light could always push back, always gain ground. However this revelation did not make him value his life any the less. The guards on the walls above had crossbows and Malnai preferred his body with only the normal number of holes. He moved quickly along the wall and out into the main streets of Jarros. His mind was on fire, thoughts and beliefs and incidents boiling through it, forcing him to think, to open himself to new ideas and new ways of looking at old ones. He strode along the road, nearly walking on air, happy to be alive, to be what he was, he needed nothing more. This was the final acceptance, his capering prior to this night had been a desperate fleeing, keeping just enough energy to fight the darkness when it tried to take him unawares, but always thinking he was running on solid ground when he was, in fact, running on crust. Now he knew the pit were there, that they could be avoided, that he could dance and run around them and that he would not fall in, ever.

Eventually Malnai's wanderings and musings brought him back to where this, in many ways, had started, the inn that he had visited the night before his capture. He looked himself over briefly and ran a hand through his hair, once he was satisfied that he hadn't lost any of his looks he thrust the door open and stepped boldly inside. Unsurprisingly his entrance was hardly noticed. The main room was full on this cold evening and people were generally too engrossed in their drinks or the barmaids to pay any notice to a young man, even one who's clothing was as bright as Malnai's. He sauntered over to the bar and smiled at the landlord who scowled back.

"A pint of your finest ale, landlord!"

The reply was slow and menacing, "Have you any money?"

"Ah, now there in lies a tale. But alas, I have not. However, would a few hours entertainment be worth a drink or two?" Malnai nodded in the direction of the small, but unoccupied stage at the end of the room.

A half-smile appeared on the landlord's face. "If you can keep this lot amused, make them buy drink and stay alive, then yeah, you'll get your drink or two."

Malnai smiled again and made his way across the room, noting as he did so that many of the crowd were buried in their drinks, likely to notice little of lesser magnitude than the ceiling landing on their heads. When he finally reached the stage the young would-be singer had picked out a number of very lovely women, but he had also seen their big husbands and boyfriends. This was going to be fun. When he had a view over the room he spotted two men with instruments at the far end. This was going to make things even more difficult. He needed instruments but it was going to be difficult to persuade them to get up to the stage from across the room. He knew he could not rely on fate or destiny to move them for him, it would have to be an act of Malnai.

The coin landed right in the drink of one of the musicians, who looked up to see Malnai waving from the stage. The man swore and stood up, pausing only to grab his fiddle before beginning to move across the room. When he reached the stage Malnai was sitting on the edge.

"Now, if you don't tell me why you did that and buy me a pint you're going to be in trouble."

"Why sir", started Malnai, "I was merely trying to attract your attention. If you would like to join me I can guarantee many, many drinks before the night is out. Of course if you would rather I can buy you one now and we can part ways."

By this time the other musician had joined them, "What did he say? Have we got a gig?"

Malnai kept his eyes locked on the fiddle player, "Well, have we?"

The man grunted, "You any good?"

"Good, sir? I have performed in front of kings!"

"Hmmm, well, I'm Josh, this here is Bern, you sing, we'll follow, ok...?"

The young man on the stage answered the unasked question, "Malnai, my friends, now, let us impress these people and bring some light into their lives."

At first no-one noticed, they drank on and talked on and for a short while Malnai thought that his plan was due to fail. Their songs were loud and strong and fairly popular but nobody seemed interested. Then Malnai caught the eye of one of the young ladies in the inn and smiled at her, gaining her full attention, bringing the music to all of her senses. She stopped her conversation and listened as Malnai slowed the music down and made it quieter. A battle raged on the stage for a moment as the players tried to keep the volume high, but eventually they followed his lead. As this happened more people around the girl began to strain to hear the music and more people stopped talking, the process was slow but inexorable. Eventually the young man felt that the whole inn was listening to him and he smiled wide, bowed to them all and changed the music once again. To put it simply, they sang of light. Of joy, of love, of lust, of children, of nature and of the connection between them all. They took their first steps as the darkness was pushed from the hearts of those listening, if even for a little while and the light crept in. On the more popular songs many voices joined with Malnai's and it seemed as if they could sing the night away. The fiddle and the flute were singing for joy as the musicians kept up with Malnai and he just kept on singing. He did not sing with the voice of an Angel or the voice of a Devil, rather he sang with his own voice, the voice of a man.

Eventually it had to end. The dark can be held back forever but nobody can do anything about time. The people left reluctantly, but happily, knowing that the cold could not affect them that night. Some left singing, others talking and others thinking. It was not a perfect night, nothing human ever could be, but it had been good, very good. The landlord was pleased and he asked them to return, the musicians were very pleased as many of the customers had left money and Malnai was really walking on air, because his first real steps on his path had gone well. As he left the inn he bade good-night to his new friends and turned towards home. The young woman from earlier had disappeared and while that was a pity it wasn't enough to spoil his mood. However a figure then stepped out from the shadows. Malnai stepped back and reached down for his dagger quickly.

"I... I'm sorry for startling you." The voice was female, Malnai relaxed.

"Do not worry my lady, what can I do for you?"

"You sang very well, I just thought I would let you know." She stepped into the light and Malnai quickly realised she was the young lady from earlier.

"You like music? Would you like to go somewhere warmer to discuss it?"

She smiled, belying her earlier appearance of innocence. "Yes, yes, I would." She moved over to him and let him put an arm around her and they began to walk once more. It was, Malnai reflected, useful to be alone with your thoughts once in a while, but he was sure that too much of it had to be bad for your health...