The long black night finally passed, and day arrived.
Daytime, early morning.
Almost as soon as it got light, Richard heard a knocking at the courtyard gate—a very cautious knocking.
After two "bang, bang" sounds, there was a long pause before another two "bang, bang" sounds.
"Lord Richard?" Gro's voice came through, sounding as if someone was strangling him.
"Um?" Richard walked out the door and went to the courtyard gate, which he opened.
With a "creak," Gro instinctively shrank to the side, and upon seeing Richard, he looked somewhat uneasy again toward the courtyard gate, and with what seemed like a psychological shadow, he asked in a low voice, "Lord Richard, where is... Pandora?"
"Asleep," Richard said.
"Phew, that's good," Gro breathed a sigh of relief.
"Is there something you need?" Richard asked, throwing the gate wide open and inviting, "Come inside and talk."
"Um, no, no, it's fine to talk here," Gro waved his hands repeatedly.
