Marcello was getting tired. Tired of walking around and looking for people. And, if anyone could believe it, tired of talking. He headed back to his room, hoping to take a snooze, pushing the door open with his shoulder.

Black had pinned back one of the tapestries that kept the chill from creeping in through the shutters and was sitting in the cushioned windowseat, her knees drawn to her chest. In her hand she played with the little glass ball, rolling it over the back of her wrists and into the cup of her palm, then "walking" it across her knuckles. She hummed sweetly, some odd little tune, until the door opened and she looked up. "You have picked a terrible moment to be finally tired of talking," she told him.

His face brightened. He shut the door, and walked over to the bed, taking off his shoes and lying down upon it. "It's all right," he replied. "It just means you're going to have to do the talking."

"Well, I would, but it seems as if Scarlet's been running her mouth enough for both of us." She slipped off the windowseat, depositing the glass ball back on Marcello's table in passing.

Marcello shook his head. "But Scarlet isn't you," he pointed out. "How are you?"

"Nothing much." She propped herself on the bed at his feet. "I went back and listened to the drum circle after you had gone away. My god, Moira can put away the booze."

Marcello laughed. "I'm entirely unsurprised," he told her. "That sounds like Moira. Niabheara and I are the most unexciting new married couple ever," he said. "We promptly went to sleep. How were the drums?"

"Like something you'd hear on the day of Judgement," she told him solemnly. "Pounding and howling. It was thrilling. How are you?" She gave his foot a friendly squeeze. "Other than tired?"

He wriggled his toes at her. "I suppose you know everything that's going on," he replied. "I think I hate Dierdre's husband. And it's too bad, too. On the other hand, I actually like the uncomfortably older man who's either fucking or wants to fuck my little sister."

"Well, to be fair, I understand that Duncan isn't giving anyone many reasons to like him," she said with sympathy.