corridor; gallery; hallway; cloister (i.e. covered walk typically circling a building or garden, esp. in a palace or place of worship)
to meet; to assemble; to congregate
being overheard; being leaked (e.g. secrets); going in one ear and out the other
succession; continuation; series; sequence
victory; triumph; conquest; success; win
evacuation; withdrawal; revocation; repeal; retreat
pair; the two; both persons; both things
glaring at each other; confrontation; standoff; face-off
I'm told; is what I heard; is how it is, apparently; is what they said
secret; private; surreptitious
to be relieved; to feel relieved
rivalry (between two equally strong sides); struggle for supremacy; competing (with); vying (with); contending (with); being an equal match (for)
for a moment; for a minute; for a while; for some time; for the time being; for now
on the contrary; rather; all the more; instead
to lead; to spearhead (a group); to command (troops)
collision; crash; running into; conflict; quarrel; clashing
curiosity; inquisitiveness
walking; strolling; roaming; wandering; exploring
to set foot into; to enter; to step inside; to cross the threshold
to be a match for; to rival; to equal; to compare with; to be equivalent to
circumference; outskirts; environs; (computer) peripheral
open; frank; liberal; open-minded
coworker; co-worker; colleague; associate
companion; company; tritagonist
it's been a long time; long time no see
shrewd; astute; cunning; alert
to loiter; to putter; to prowl; to be confused from not knowing what to do
bad (taste); unpalatable; poor; unskillful; ugly; unattractive
sharp sighted; easily awakened
absolutely; positively; decidedly
introduction; presentation; referral; listing
cannot (due to external circumstances); cannot afford to; must not; impossible to; no way one can (do)
to deceive; to falsify; to dodge; to beg the question (issue, difficulties); to varnish over; to gloss over
to scheme; to plan; to play a trick; to invent; to conspire; to frame up
to extract; to pull out; to draw out; to headhunt; to lure away; to poach
indicates uncertainty or second hand nature of information quoted
protagonist; main character; hero(ine) (of a story); head of household
private property; personal belongings; personal effects