"It's doing your best that's important." Illario says, "Sometimes it takes a little while to realise what that is." Illario once thought that seducing nobles and politicians was the peak of his career, until he got his hands on the position of First Talon. He knows now that's never going to happen, and he's strangely happier for it. And, even if he says so himself, doing better work.

Up to a point, of course. Today has been a bit of a shambles. He's lucky, so lucky, that Jim is as stubborn as they come, or he's not sure he'd have been able to get the little girl out alive. With Jim, Neve and Harding, their chances are much better. The bambina's chances are better.

He laughs a little shakily when Jim tries to get him to climb on his back. His fingers move to stroke over the other man's side and tug a little for his attention, and once Jim looks back at him, Illario's voice drops so the others don't hear.

"You could barely carry me to bed that first time, amore moi, do you remember?" He says, voice full of fondness, and wraps an arm around Jim's shoulders instead. "You certainly can't carry me across the whole of the Heartlands. Just let me lean on you a bit."

It will help. He can do this. He's sure he can. He just hurts, inside more than out, a sickness filling him that freezes him to the core and sets fire in his veins all at once. He doesn't even need to look at the cuts in the leather of his armour to see the darkening of his veins beneath his skin.

"Head for the Eluvian, then once we reach the Cross Roads, you will have to- you will have to remind me which is the one for Lavendel."