The girl from the mist

Epilogue

"... estimate the blast radius to be some ten feet" Athos reported, sitting on his wooden perch. "Give or take. The fire seemed to have crawled up the creature's body to its head. We'll have to clear the lake, at some point."
Token nodded. He was seated in the comfortable armchair in his study, having a morning cup of tea. The sunlight, deceptively peaceful, streamed through the open window. Along with it flowed birdsong and the scent of lilacs. Athos sat unmoving on his perch.
"White phosphor as a weapon" he mused. "What a resourceful apprentice I have! She's alright thought, isn't she?"
"Oh sure" replied Athos. "She was wearing that Robe of the Fire-Rat that you'd given her."
"Good, good... Why did I have something like that again?"
"You were supposed to send it to some guy in the Four Kingdoms, remember? He was planing to marry a moon princess or something like that."
"Oh yes, of course." A worried look passed over Master Token's face. "You think he's alright with that replica we sent him?"
"Oh, I'm sure he's fine" Athos said carelessly, cleaning his feathers.
Master Token nodded, and stroked his beard. A long life of adventuring necessarily brings with it loose ends. He was lost in thought for a moment, then shook himself back to reality.
"So, is she heading home?"
"Actually, they're heading east" the falcon replied.
"They?"
"Oh, she's with someone. Elf, if I were to guess, though I've never seen a tree hugger dress so drably. Anyway, I got the impression they didn't want to be seen; they ducked out of sight when they saw me. Ten minutes after I saw them, I might add."
It is impossible for a beak to smirk. Athos nevertheless managed to give a very good impression of indescribable smugness.
Token was about to reply when there was a ruckus of running feet on the stairs leading up to the study. The door was thrown back, and Token winched slightly as it struck the skeleton that hung from a hook behind the door. The door creaked back, and a bony fist could be seen shaken in drowsy anger at the intruder. Howard, for it was he, did not notice. He was redder in the face than usual, and waved a piece of yellowing paper at the old man.
"They're gone!"
"Who?" Token said with some surprise. "Cassandra and her friend?"
"No! Vance and my best horse!"
"Oh yeah, I told Vance before I flew up here" Athos interjected. "Poor kid seemed batty with worry."
"Ah, I see" said Token, leaning back. "He's off to fetch them back then?"
"No! That's just it! He isn't fetching her, he just says he has something to tell her!"
Master Token lifted a pair of recently singed eyebrows in polite expectance. Howard stood stuttering for a little while and then, as if unable to utter the words himself, thrust the paper towards his old friend, who took it delicately. He scanned the clear, yet unpractised handwriting, then looked up at the red-faced weapons master again.
"My word" he said mildly. "I didn't even know the boy could write."
Howard's eyes bulged so much that they looked like they were about to pop out of his head.
"Are you mad? I didn't even know he knew the word 'apologise'!"