He hadn't signed up for a patrol today, but that rarely stopped him from being out and around. He liked to make certain everything was all right, and he liked to think about his plan of action. It would be foolish to do much in the winter. Traveling in such weather brought on dangers that were senseless and could easily be avoided in warmer times. That this place had been here for years was something of a reassurance. It meant he could take his time, if he read the signs correctly, and wait for thaw.

Already, he'd gone to the inn to share in the usual lunch, had done a bit of searching about and comparing for his own reasons (what those odd gift preparations were, he had yet to decide if it was good or ill), but had then departed to head back to his house. He had a bit of work to do for those who were working on the clothing. More sets of knitting needles rarely went amiss, and they gave him something to do while the evenings darkened.

He was slightly in his own thoughts when he first heard the voice, trying to tell himself that there was no way he heard what he thought. But then, he saw - and he...

He didn't know if he could believe his own eyes. With what he'd just seen on the wrist device (that he now hated almost virulently), seeing him here was nearly cruel.

But it didn't stop him from walking closer, hand over his chest. "Malik?"