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Horses had been taken from the stables, the Princess was garbed in less dainty dress, and the party rode until nightfall. Camp was set, and Spinel volunteered for first watch. Fernweh chuckled and was asleep beside the fire before Arrats and Selice had gotten their bedrolls laid out. The dirt was his bed, and the sky his blanket. Selice was appalled, at which Arrats laughed, but the two were quickly asleep despite. Inlé had walked off immediately after camp had been set, and when he returned, everyone but the guard was asleep. He sat his vigil dutifully; back to the fire, eyes glowing gently in the moonlight.

"So what's your secret?" Spinel asked Inlé. "You don't look like any angel I've seen, but you've got the Archcardinal all but swearing that's what you are."

Inlé stopped in the darkness and stared at the seated knight. Unfazed, Spinel returned the stare. Not in aggression, but not in submission either. He stared back, casually refusing to be intimidated.

"You've seen many angels with those unique eyes, then." A statement, not a question, and it sounded as though the speaker cared little either way. Curious.

"Well, no. Of course not, Sir Zapfino ..."

"I am no sir, good knight. I have no title, no landing, no following, no authority that you need follow. I am only myself, sir, and that is enough."

"Well enough then, ... Inlé. I have not seen any angels but those in paintings and such. But by all accounts, they are surpassing human beauty. You may be handsome to some tastes, perhaps, but it is all too human."

"Thank you."

There was a lull as the knight was unsure how to continue, and the young man standing before him was disinclined to speak. Spinel finally said, "They aren't too unusual are they? My eyes, I mean. I've had comments on them before, but none could give explanation."

"You know their coloration, of course," Inlé said.

"Of course. In the day, they are a deep sapphire, but moonlight makes them practically glow a pale amethyst. Those few who've seen have been unable to explain the change."

"Do you wish to buy that knowledge, then?"

Spinel was a bit surprised. "You would put a price on such a thing?"

"There is always a price," Inlé answered calmly. "And knowledge often has the steepest price, though my own prices tend low."

Curious. But Spinel was interested, if the price was not too steep. "What price would you charge for that information?"

"Not much," Inlé said. "Two hours."

"I don't understand." How can one pay time?

"You give your word that I can trust your protection for two hours, and I will give you a reason for your eyes. Though it may be incomplete at the moment."

"It is my duty to protect the camp for the next few hours anyway," Spinel answered. "That would include you."

"I am neither a part of your camp nor a part of your charge," Inlé said. "Though I travel with your party, I wander alone."

"Fair enough," Spinel said. "I will keep you under my protection for two hours if you give me information on my eyes. I am curious enough for two hours' protection." He would have stood watch for that time anyway. Humoring the pride in this youth would be fine.

"Then here is what I know. There is an extremely rare gemstone which is called in my native tongue spinel. Here, you call it magnaligen. It is similar to your eyes, in that a rare few of these stones appear as sapphire colored in sunlight, but certain types of light turn them an amethyst. Spinel are durable and brilliant.

"They are considered imposter stones, as they can appear as more prized stones without close scrutiny, but are in fact more rare than the originals. Mages have used spinel to summon demons and to ward against fire, and in times of witch-hunts--where I come from, magic is forbidden--the spinel has been used to hunt for mages.

"Spinel clarifies thought and attracts appropriate aid in times of need. Blue spinel increases discrimination, that is to say discernment, and violet can be a protection against attack. Violet also aids generational communication. The stone increases self-healing capacity, especially in the sense of the active body, increasing physical strength when under duress, and is associated with fire.

"Your surname grants a small reassurance of my connection with the stone, as there is a type of spinel called gahnospinel. Although, it is green.

"That is the extent of my memory at the moment, though if I remember more, the knowledge is yours." Then Inlé walked past Spinel to sit beside the fire and, presumably, sleep.

The knight resumed his quiet vigil, pondering the strange information he had just been given, wondering if any of it was of use to him.

Description
Horses had been taken from the stables, the Princess was garbed in less dainty dress, and the party rode until nightfall. Camp was set, and Spinel volunteered for first watch. Fernweh chuckled and was asleep beside the fire before Arrats and Selice had gotten their bedrolls laid out. The dirt was his bed, and the sky his blanket. Selice was appalled, at which Arrats laughed, but the two were quickly asleep despite. Inlé had walked off immediately after camp had been set, and when he returned, everyone but the guard was asleep. He sat his vigil dutifully; back to the fire, eyes glowing gently in the moonlight.

"So what's your secret?" Spinel asked Inlé. "You don't look like any angel I've seen, but you've got the Archcardinal all but swearing that's what you are."

Inlé stopped in the darkness and stared at the seated knight. Unfazed, Spinel returned the stare. Not in aggression, but not in submission either. He stared back, casually refusing to be intimidated.

"You've seen many angels with those unique eyes, then." A statement, not a question, and it sounded as though the speaker cared little either way. Curious.

"Well, no. Of course not, Sir Zapfino ..."

"I am no sir, good knight. I have no title, no landing, no following, no authority that you need follow. I am only myself, sir, and that is enough."

"Well enough then, ... Inlé. I have not seen any angels but those in paintings and such. But by all accounts, they are surpassing human beauty. You may be handsome to some tastes, perhaps, but it is all too human."

"Thank you."

There was a lull as the knight was unsure how to continue, and the young man standing before him was disinclined to speak. Spinel finally said, "They aren't too unusual are they? My eyes, I mean. I've had comments on them before, but none could give explanation."

"You know their coloration, of course," Inlé said.

"Of course. In the day, they are a deep sapphire, but moonlight makes them practically glow a pale amethyst. Those few who've seen have been unable to explain the change."

"Do you wish to buy that knowledge, then?"

Spinel was a bit surprised. "You would put a price on such a thing?"

"There is always a price," Inlé answered calmly. "And knowledge often has the steepest price, though my own prices tend low."

Curious. But Spinel was interested, if the price was not too steep. "What price would you charge for that information?"

"Not much," Inlé said. "Two hours."

"I don't understand." How can one pay time?

"You give your word that I can trust your protection for two hours, and I will give you a reason for your eyes. Though it may be incomplete at the moment."

"It is my duty to protect the camp for the next few hours anyway," Spinel answered. "That would include you."

"I am neither a part of your camp nor a part of your charge," Inlé said. "Though I travel with your party, I wander alone."

"Fair enough," Spinel said. "I will keep you under my protection for two hours if you give me information on my eyes. I am curious enough for two hours' protection." He would have stood watch for that time anyway. Humoring the pride in this youth would be fine.

"Then here is what I know. There is an extremely rare gemstone which is called in my native tongue spinel. Here, you call it magnaligen. It is similar to your eyes, in that a rare few of these stones appear as sapphire colored in sunlight, but certain types of light turn them an amethyst. Spinel are durable and brilliant.

"They are considered imposter stones, as they can appear as more prized stones without close scrutiny, but are in fact more rare than the originals. Mages have used spinel to summon demons and to ward against fire, and in times of witch-hunts--where I come from, magic is forbidden--the spinel has been used to hunt for mages.

"Spinel clarifies thought and attracts appropriate aid in times of need. Blue spinel increases discrimination, that is to say discernment, and violet can be a protection against attack. Violet also aids generational communication. The stone increases self-healing capacity, especially in the sense of the active body, increasing physical strength when under duress, and is associated with fire.

"Your surname grants a small reassurance of my connection with the stone, as there is a type of spinel called gahnospinel. Although, it is green.

"That is the extent of my memory at the moment, though if I remember more, the knowledge is yours." Then Inlé walked past Spinel to sit beside the fire and, presumably, sleep.

The knight resumed his quiet vigil, pondering the strange information he had just been given, wondering if any of it was of use to him.