Sketch stood and stared at Nevin, roused from his tale as the young man became surrounded by young ladies of every sort, that boy was certainly a heart breaker. As the young Alchemist gave Sketch a pleading look, he only shrugged, part of growing up was knowing how to get himself out of trouble as well. He was determined to step in if things got violent, but the lean man didn’t think it would come to that.

He sat down and finished the story or “Little Red Ridinghood,” telling the story with the new twist, one where the cloak and axe became a monster and started terrorizing the locals with packs of giant red wolves. It was a promise he’d made to one of the Grym, one who’d agreed to “help” him. The memory of Red still sent shivers down his spine. He got mixed messages from the ancient and powerful creature who’d led him through the woods to find the book that told her past, one side of her felt seductive and shy, and the other felt like a wild beast who’d kill him without hesitation.

Sketch shook his head, trying to drive the memories out of his mind, attempting to just tell the story as best as he could. The people who’d gathered around the fire seemed impressive, at least to someone like Sketch who lived, breathed and slept stories.

He saw Ezra, the young lady who’d been involved with fending off a group of goblins in Stonevale a few months back. She’d seemed pretty interested in the Grym that Sketch had summoned, and he wondered how her apprenticeship with Nevin was going. He moved over to the gaggle of girls that surrounded the flame headed scholar and gave a deep bow to the young lady, his hand over his chest, “Lady Ezra, it is a pleasure to see you again. You look as radiant as always, has your apprenticeship under Nevin been baring any fruit?”

He gave his most sincere smile to the assembled group, attempting to be as social as the situation allowed for such a bleak setting. He would wait to question the man who stepped out of the castle until he was ready to address the group and disclose what information he wished.