"Luu won't tell anyone, I swear! They don't even like gossip."

"Ai--" Numair waved a hand in irritation. "Fine, fine. Just please don't talk about this with anyone else."

Vlad paused. "Not even Hawk?"

"I am asking you nicely," Numair said plaintively. "So, Hawk is...?"

"Out back, Your Highness," Vlad replied. Numair glanced around and saw the back door at the other end of the hall behind him.

"Thank you," he said, and added, as he headed for the door, "Please call me Mari."

"Mari," Vlad muttered. "Sure. Okay."

< Now you see? > Numair growled at himself as he picked his way across the grass, stepping from paver to paver. < Immediately recognised. Immediate comeuppance for not keeping your head down. Well! Perhaps that will teach me to-- >

He stopped short, both physically and verbally, having finally looked up from his feet. Hawk was standing amongst a couple of raised plant beds, partway through moving a tray of small plants from atop a pallet of fertilizer or soil, when he'd noticed Numair's approach.

His face fully lit up. "Hey," he said, with a grin.