Knax sprang to her feet, flames erupting from her fur with a snarl. Griffin drew his sword with a threatening hiss of steel. Just barely visible along the edge of the firelight, Altan sized up the man with a glance- Short auburn hair and a full beard, a little lanky, freckles, wearing simple clothing, with a simple dagger strapped to his belt in plain sight. He was probably  a little less than six feet, with one soft brown eye and the other a milky white, a scar standing proud across it. He was smiling easily but fear danced behind his eyes- well. Eye. Altan knew that look all too well, and he smirked. This man wasn't a danger. Just stupid. He did seem to recognize The Prince though.
"And Altan, right?" He grinned. "I heard-"
"Stabit."
The Prince spoke a familiar command and the man froze, muscles locking and face caught mid sentence. The only thing that moved was his eyes, which darted around wildly for a moment before settling on The Prince.
"The next word out of your mouth will be your name. After that, you will explain what your intentions are. If I do not find your reasoning sufficient, you will die. If you say anything else, you will die. If you move one foot, you will die. Am I understood?"
Altan was inwardly taken aback by The Prince's bluntness, but supposed we wasn't surprised. Then he recalled that unnerving feeling he'd been feeling for the last two weeks and murmured, "I think he's been following us."
The Princes eyes, quite literally, flashed. "Then I need not waste my time." He took a breath.
"Wait, chill. Why do you insist on just killing everyone on the spot? If he wanted to hurt us, there's been like, six better times he could have done it. Plus, he walked up unarmed."
The Prince frowned, his eyes never leaving the paralyzed man. "That does not make him trustworthy."
"Maybe, but at least hear what he had to say. Don't you want to know why he's been following us? Kind of hard to do if his heads blown off."
The Princes eyes shifted to Altan, scrutinizing him. Altan stared back. Knax padded up to the man and began sniffing him, hackles raised, eyes trained. Please don't kill him. I was really enjoying the lack of serial killing. Altan pleaded silently. The Prince huffed angrily, turned back to the man, and dropped the spell.
The man swallowed hard, still grinning. "Dagger. Bridget sent me to tail you guys."
Altan perked up immediately. "You know Bridget? Like the criminal under lord chick?"
Dagger looked like he was about to respond but The Prince cut in first, glaring at him. "Don't interrupt, Altan." He turned back to Dagger, "Why."
Dagger laughed nervously, "I don't get all the details." A ball of energy formed in The Prince's palm. "BUT! From what I understand, she considers you and asset, or something. Saw your power back at Crag's Fort first hand, she did. Said you were probably the last chance at taking back the kingdom. The aftermath of our failed coup has her tied down back there indeed, so she sent me to keep an eye on ya'll." He was nodding frantically as he spoke, making wild plaintive gestures. "Everyone thought you were dead, you know! Sure warrants still out on your head but... nobody's seen you in years. Maybe, maybe you could restore hope to everyone! Get a real rebellion rallied up! Everyone has all but given up but with you back then-"
"You do not get to control my fate! Use me like a tool!" The Prince spat, marching right up into his face.
Dagger gulped, shaking his head violently. His smile was gone. "No no that's-thats not what I meant! But don't you want t-to take back the kingdom? You can't do it alo-"
"You are not here to advise me! You were sent here as a spy. Why have you approached me?"
Dagger seemed to relax marginally. "Because I can help, see! Lilith, the Queen, she saw you during the speech. I heard some of the Black Guard talking of setting an ambush for you and your friend at Guthram. Now I'm not sure if they know what he looks like..." He glanced at Altan, "But they sure know who you are. They're on high lookout. Questioning everyone in and out of the city, they are. I came to warn you."
The Prince squinted at him. "What could possibly be in it for you?"
Dagger smiled proudly. "Well, I get to please me wife!"
       Damn. Is this guy stupid?
The Prince stared at Dagger long and hard. For several minutes, there was nothing but silence. From this angle, with the firelight giving a menacing organs backlight to The Prince, his glowing golden eyes piercing down at Dagger, Altan could see how being on the receiving end could be pretty intimidating. Dagger was visibly sweating, but somehow still maintaining a crooked smile, though his eyes betrayed him. Knax got bored and with a sharp yawn let her flames die down and returned to gnawing on a thigh bone beside the fire. Finally, after what seemed an eternity had passed, The Prince spoke.
"What magic can you use?"
"Oh, uh, not much your majesty. Some basic illusions, mostly. Although, Bridget did teach me a fancy trick with my blind eye, see." He tapped just below the milky white organ, winking with his other eye. "Let's you see peoples true natures. A little summary of their personality and the like. For example, I can tell that he is not Arcanian."
The Prince looked a little startled at the fact, but Altan nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, your... wife... pulled that one on me. How did you even lose your eye?"
Dagger smiled maniacally. "Well, she lost it as a young girl, see. I didn't want her to feel alone or self-conscious, so I slashed mine, too."
"I'd call you a simp but..." Altan crossed his arms. "That's just psychotic."
"What is a 'simp'?" Dagger asked with such a blank expression it reminded Altan he wasn't on Earth anymore.
"Enough." The Prince interjected, sheathing his sword. "I have made my verdict. Altan, you will go with Dagger into Guthram tomorrow morning while I curve further East towards the riverbank with Knax. I cannot risk being seen, and Knax will draw too much attention. We have no funds remaining, so using whatever means necessary, retrieve cloaks, rations for several weeks, waterskins, a new long sword, clothing, travel sacs, and a boat for us to cross the river. A map, too. Leave the city at night, East along the riverbank of Kingsmeny Run. I will find you."
"What? No! I'm not some petty thief! Begging for scraps!" Altan protested loudly, pushing a finger towards The Prince.
"I am!" Dagger cackled.
"Yes, he is." The Prince nodded. "And skilled to have avoided my detection until now."
"I knew he was there..." Altan grumbled under his breath.
"Dagger, was it? This is your one opportunity to prove your worth. Altan is at your disposal to accomplish this mission, however he is also there to observe you. Cross me, and this will be your last task."
Dagger grinned wildly, and bowed. "Can do, bossman."
"Oh, hell no!" Altan growled, dropping his stick and stepping up to The Prince, pushing inches away from him. "What makes you think you can boss me around like that, huh?"
The Prince's eyes narrowed in a threat. "This is not the time, Altan."
"Not the time?!" Altan shoved The Prince, throwing his arms wide. "For the last what, month, I have been travelling with you. Fighting beside you. Doing your every whim. Dragged on this suicide mission with not even an ounce of gratitude! I've even been trying to be nice for the last two weeks, Goldilock, and this is how I'm thanked? I am NOT your tool!"
"Need I constantly remind you, it was your choice to accompany me, I forced you into nothing." The Prince glowered, catching himself. "I do not care if you are angry. I am doing what is best for us. What is necessary to survive!"
"Do what's be- oh hoh! I'll show you what's best."
Altan slammed his fist into his hand, as The Prince began to gather energy in his palm. Dagger looked frantically at them before stepping into the middle, pushing his arms out to either side. "Hold onnnn gentlemen. Let's not lose the plot here, hey? Bridget will skin me alive if she found out I let you two strangle each other..."
The Prince spat, turning on his heel and stomping back towards the campfire.
      "Yeah very Prince like, your Highness!" Atlan called after him.
The Prince ignored him and sat down huffily, the fire flaring up as he moved. Atlan glared at him, jaw clenched, knuckles white. Eventually he exhaled sharply, turning towards Dagger with a scowl.
"Why couldn't you have been a chick?"
Dagger smiled devilishly, sidling up to him. He smelled like old beer. "I can be anything you want, pretty boy." He said with a wink.
Altan's lip curled in a disgusted sneer and he wasted no time in walking directly away, Dagger sniggering behind him. Knax chewed her bone, indifferent to the situation.