One of the mages broke away from the group to approach. Despite a somewhat bedraggled appearance, she bore herself with the poise of a queen. Ordhan bowed his head at her nod, but her words were addressed to the skald at his side. Soon both women were gone.
No one else came near, leaving Ordhan free to observe. It was a comfortable habit to fall back on. Watching and listening was a much simpler task than conversation, and often just as interesting; there were stories hidden in how people interacted, forged by years of histories, even at a first meeting.
Such a story was being told in the group that remained. A lively conversation had sprung up, and strangely, it was not just between the templars or among the mages. The young woman who had waved earlier was talking animatedly with a templar and another woman who wasn't wearing the robes of the Circle. It was surprising. Ordhan had seen mages with their templars in the past, but the armored guardians played more the role of jailer than friend.
A clap on the shoulder drew Ordhan's attention back towards Conlan. There was no reason to stay; if he were to speak with any of these, it would be much easier when there were less of them--not to mention after giving them a chance to settle in and recover from the journey. He nodded in response and turned away.