Elysif looked at Mordred with an expression of concern and interest. "I didn't know my mother was so old."

"What are you insinuating?" Mordred asked. Obviously set off by that remark.

"Nothing! Nothing! I knew my mother was old but I never knew she was around your age." Elysif stammered out.

"Are you perhaps saying that I am an old hag?" Mordred asked, tensing up as she did. The other men as well as I began feeling like we should stay as far away from this conversation as possible.

"I didn't mean any disrespect." Elysif said while trying to control her stammering voice.

"I bet you didn't." Mordred said before letting out a hardy laugh. The tension died down almost instantly.

"Is everything okay?" Elysif asked.

"I was just messing with you. I know how old I am so I didn't take any offense. Once you've lived as long as I have you get some pretty thick skin."

"I see…" Elysif replied before making a nervous chuckle.

"Aww, I was just trying to lighten the mood. Everyone seemed like they were about to snap so I thought I could fix that."

"You did an excellent job of that." Scott replied very sarcastically.

"Shut up, you drunk. Nobody asked you." Morded said, actually annoyed this time.

"Whatever you say boss." Scott said as he put his arms behind his head while he walked.

"Is she always like this?" I whispered to Compton.

"Only when she's stressed. She tries to lighten the mood in order to relieve her stress but from what Merlin has told me she could never read the room. It always ends with people either more stressed or scared that she might kill them." He whispered back.

"I can tell."

"However, I've only seen her get told off for it by Merlin. Surprisingly, she always seems calmer when he does. It's similar to what Scott is doing right now."

"Do you think he picked it up from Merlin?"

"No, Scott has never been one to hold his tongue. Though his lack of restraint seems to have the same effect so I'm not complaining." Compton whispered with a smile. In front of us Scott and Mordred were bickering like an old married couple and Elysif was trying desperately to not be brought into their argument. It was a strange sight for me but I didn't dislike it.

"What are you two whispering about?” Elysif asked us.

“Oh, nothing.” I replied callously.

“Compton?” She said, giving him a look of curiosity.

“Yes?” he replied, unsure or why she was asking him.

“What were you two talking about?”

“It was really nothing important. Just that Mordred acting as she just was is normal for her when she’s under stress.”

“Oh, so it really was nothing. Sorry for bugging you about it. On the other hand, how have you been?”

“Work has been a little stressful. I haven’t really slept in a while and to be honest I miss the field work. Now I understand why Scott never wanted to move up in the Agency.” he replied with an exhausted sigh.

“Really, that bad huh?” Elysif said.

“There are some benefits. I am never in danger like I was before and I get to actually sleep in a bed every night.”

“It sounds like your old position sucked.” I replied.

“It wasn’t all bad. I got to meet a lot of people and travel constantly. The pay wasn’t good enough for how much I was risking my life but the life of an agent who wanders most of the time is quite relaxing. There's no paperwork or set work hours and if I decide I want to check out a certain spot then I just start walking.”

“Still sounds like you need hazard pay.” I replied.

“What’s hazard pay?” Compton asked, a little confused by the phrase.

“nevermind.”