Taking No Chances

- Verden, just outside the Skeldergate Forest, evening, 547 DBTR -

Orla watched Nate go, a pleased and calculating look on her face. She had given him an opportunity to momentarily step free of his rigid and sheltered life and he had leapt at it with gusto. She was kind of proud of him, and impressed by all the careful arrangements he made in order to pull off his escape, which clearly showed his capabilities as a future leader and administrator for Verden. His father had no doubt trained his mind well, and she would train his spirit and outlook—to turn him from the conflict within himself to the greater picture. Just in case Nate was not careful enough and the two guards tumbled onto his risky intentions, she decided to cast a spell to cause them to sleep heavily during the night and not awaken for a little bit longer than usual in order to give the Prince and her a better likelihood to get away if they needed it. So much was riding on this little sight-seeing outing that Orla knew she could not take any chances that things might go wrong.