"I wonder what the King is doing tonight ...
what merriment is the King pursuing, tonight?
The candles at the court,
they've never burned as bright!
I wonder what the King is up to ...
tonight."

-Camelot, the Musical

Ethan moved quietly along the wooded path. His first stop upon returning here was to visit the small spacer's bar he had frequented on his last visit perhaps in hopes of seeing Ruiby again. It was moments only before he encountered another 'of his kind' but he avoided the conflict smoothly and decided a change of venue was in order.

He had Robert, his second in Command of the space-going pleasure ship, Camelot, find a carriage shop. He bought the best, trimmed in gold with four black horses to pull it. He bought an estate east of Rhydin town and had the entire building redone in silver and gold with shining pennants of navy. It was a fairy tale castle come to life and Ethan was pleased.

Robert became his chauffeur, footman, whatever Ethan needed. Ethan made many trips to the small, dark wayfarer's inn of the Red Dragon. Always for the personal amusement of watching the simple folk, oftimes for more. While Ethan made it a point to be pleased, Robert watched, often from without, often ignored by one who had for years been his closest friend and Robert seethed within.

It had been a rarefied evening. He'd gone into the small town of Rhydin to visit it's great hall. There we a number of senseless folk milling about, though one fellow, Maelwys by name, or so Ethan thought, had made the evening entertaining by dropping bottles of expensive spirits to the floor of the hall.

The young bartender whom Ethan had come to watch was disturbed by this action, perhaps fearing she'd get into trouble. Ethan well knew better and made his way behind the bar to whisper a soft "boo" into her ear. She'd left the floor and spun to face this new threat with an ease he admired in her petite frame. He offered to pay for the bottles, every one, no matter how many were dropped. She thanked him for his generosity.

As the evening wore on and he grew bored, Ethan engaged someone else in conversation who had mentioned a Vale of remarkable stability to the north of Rhydin town. This intrigued the business man within the heart of the Pleasure Ship Captain. He asked if the man knew the name of the owner and determined to pen him a letter later that evening. He'd been searching for somewhere to insinuate his business and exploit to some meager extent the untapped mineral wealth of Rhydin. This might be just what he needed to establish his holdings on this world. He had many elsewhere, but there were other special interests here that needed to be covered by ... investments.

That conversation waned once Ethan had his information. Beyond that gem of intelligence the Camelot's master required, the man he'd engaged in speech was a bore and a dullard. Ethan wanted more than that in polite discourse and Ethan most often obtained what he wanted.

There were no signs of others of his kind. This disappointed him somewhat, having been itching for an "event". The fates were not about to disappoint the man, however. A small band of thieves entered the building with deadly weapons making their way to the bar after threatening several patrons and shooting twice. No one was injured, which left some of the excitement out of a really good robbery, Ethan thought.

A handsome, young man with blond hair that toyed with his face on occasion, came into the hall and offered himself in Kellian's place when the thieves grabbed the young lady 'tender as hostage. It pleased the thieves to switch, perhaps certain they could do more damage to a man and he'd last longer as hostage. Ethan made his way silently behind the leader, prepared, hand to hilt, to sever the fool's head if the young blond fellow was taken. The robbers were spooked by the sheer numbers of patrons who had decided to take up arms and detain them and so left the blond fellow to his pursuit of the lady tender. The one woman Ethan himself had come to Rhydin to pursue most diligently.

Noting the evening at a loss in the greater cause of that pursuit, he began to hum while listening to the sounds of the small crowd. Ethan listened for any conversation that he inflict his opinion upon, while keeping a watch on the Lady Kellian and her escort. In her capacity as bartender, she asked her escort if he wanted anything and he said, "Hot tea, sweets."

Ethan began again to intersperse words with the humming, though he knew full well the words of the tune he hummed. Kellian slid him a brandy when he most needed it and he smiled at her, singing, "... Its' May, it's May.. the lusty month of May ... " He sipped the brandy, his fingers curling about the snifter, his pale, almost ghostly blue eyes alight with pleasure. "Perfect," he said, savoring the flavor.

He continued his tune even though it was far from being May on Rhydin and Kellian looked at him oddly. "It's here ... it's here ... that wicked time of year when tongues of evil little thoughts, merrily appear." He sipped the brandy again, his fingers moving as if playing notes upon strings.