Vol did not miss that glance that the Elder shot him as he said that. He took the man's point, with his carefully barbed words. He was always so cunning and conniving, eternally fox-like even in the smallest of comments that he delivered.
"I think, perhaps, our situation is better than it appears, Elder," Penelope said encouragingly. "I have every faith that it will work out for us."
"Then, in your faith, I shall also place my trust," the Elder said. "The years have made me something of a pessimist, it does seem. If I live to see the end of this journey, then I would say that I have lived too long."
"Ah, but you are still rather young, aren't you, Elder?" Penelope said.
"That goes too far, Princess," the Elder chuckled. "Even with kindness, all can see that I've less life in me than some corpses."
