The travelers made their way from the snowy slopes to the temperate valley of the Banyan tree amidst the bells and cymbal clashing of the Princess' court. The slow pace gave all a much needed reprieve. The evening's camp sprung up in the clamor, and only ceased once the fires had been lit.

The Princess' tent loomed large in the clearing. The fires gave the shadows of the banyan an otherworldly place to dance. Annette placed her tent at the edges of the clearing, between two expansive banyan roots. Curioso remained conspicuously absent as Tirseng and Annette cooked and ate. The moon rose high, and Tirseng yawned loudly.
"Time for rest.." he said to no one in particular.
"Plaisants rêves." answered Annette, as she stood up and left the clearing. She walked by moonlight, following the trail back to Bierce's hut and the river. Near the hut, she distinctly heard footsteps behind her, and turned to find Tirseng.
"I thought you were tired?" she asked
"Well, do you think that it is safe for one to be alone out here?" Tirseng replied.

As the pair walked, Annette replayed her earlier conversation to Tirseng. The sherpa remained quiet, eyes downcast, until they reached the river.
"Ah," he said "Like the Lama's music box?"
"Well, I doubt that Dorothy Fields ever dreamt about dealing with a lord of darkness, but essentially, yes." sighed Annette
Tirseng chuckled under his breath, and Annette looked at him questioningly. "Nothing, dear lady. Just some talk of the camp. Some of her majesty's court are calling you the Kha tsha, and now hearing you speak...I should not laugh, forgive me."
"Well then, what of her majesty's camp?" Annette asked "They are traveling to see the lunatic brother? Do you know why?"
Tirseng shrugged, "Important royal business, I can only assume? Curioso will know."
Annette only huffed loudly, and walked to the river's edge. "Shinturnam? Le quatrième mari? I'm sure he will know."

Annette sat to remove her boots, and stood holding a palm-sized rock. She waded out into the river, looking at the waterfall. In one fluid movement, she brought her arm back and forward, casting the rock into the falls. In the blue light of midnight, the rock struck solid stone, and bounced harmlessly back into the river. She quietly waded back out, retrieved her boots, and only then looked up at Tirseng's questioning face.
"For myself," she whispered "I had to know for certain.."

The two walked back to the clearing in silence, and only looked at each other in a wordless good-night before entering their tents.