MxM dA ff1 -- pt 1

"Long day, huh?" Vaith asked, sitting down at the conference room table, but no one answered him. As far as he could tell, Merleawe was asleep, and Yue was either sleeping with his eyes open or lost in thought. Fern... where was Fern? Vaith looked around, but couldn't find him. He could understand Glenn not being there -- it was a Sunday, after all -- but Fern going missing? "Have either of you seen Fern?"

"As far as I know, Fern is in Merleawe's room, resting." Yue replied, still seeming more interested in the far wall than in Vaith.

"Why?" Vaith demanded, and Yue glanced over uneasily at Merleawe.

"There was a slight... altercation... today." Yue explained. Vaith tried not to sigh. Normally, Yue would tell him what the issue was, but this time he didn't seem eager to speak anymore. Noticing his gaze, Vaith figured it was probably becaue he didn't want to upset Merleawe. And if Yue was trying to protect her from something...

"Is Mel all right!?" Vaith asked, beginning to grow worried. Now that he thought of it, the faint rise and fall of her breathing was the only sign she gave of being alive...

"Merleawe is fine, though I'd imagine she's trying to rest, and could use some peace and quiet." Vaith glanced between Merleawe and Yue for a bit, trying to decide.

"So you want me to leave?"

"Or to just stop asking pointless questions."

"They aren't pointless! I have a right to know when something major is going on with one of my friends!" Vaith exclaimed, standing up, slamming his hands down on the table, and that seemed to rouse Merleawe a bit, and she shifted slightly. Neither Vaith nor Yue spoke for a while, and it seemed Merleawe gradually drifted back to sleep. Vaith sighed, then asked quietly, "Yue, are you sure she's all right?"

"Physically, she's unharmed. Mentally and emotionally, she's a bit worn-out. And please... I need to focus, or I might not be able to detect any other magical threats throughout the palace, and Merleawe needs her rest."

"Other magical threats? Yue... so you mean...?" Vaith asked, and  Yue nodded. Vaith felt almost as if he had been kicked in the gut. That was why Fern was "resting"... that was the "altercation"... "Who would try to--!?"

"Be quiet, Vaith." Yue snapped wearily. "No one else must know what happened, at least until there has been time to mount a proper investigation. And standing around here gawking like a fool will do no good. If you want to make yourself useful, check in on Fern. From what Merleawe told me, the spell used on them shouldn't cause too much harm to Fern in and of itself, but redirecting anything through the shadow spell is very draining for the Hahaze."

"Yeah, I know, but that seems to be a moot point. But... isn't there something I could do to help out Mel?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of. You'd have to ask her once she's awake. Anyways, Vaith, it's best if you're on your way. As I said, I need to keep my focus for this tracking spell, and you're not helping."