While Ravenheart had enough grain thanks to the rich soil of the valley below, they had been suffering from a shortage of protein.
With the disruption of trade in the waking world and many of the most adept awakened hunters being caught up in the clan war, fresh meat was a commodity even the wealthiest were not able to find some days.
Hearing Diego lament that he had no product to sell two days before, Noble had set out to remedy the situation, if only temporarily.
Of course, not all of her spoils went to Diego. After the farmers got their cut for helping her, Child of Promise made sure to distribute her haul between the different districts of the sprawling town.
Getting help from the field workers had been a stroke of luck. Flying all that meat had been a challenge, even when she had used her rope Memory to tie many of them up in a large bundle. Had she made it all the way to Ravenheart floating such a massive load, people certainly would have talked. Thankfully, the farmers were more than willing to lend a hand in exchange for some extra food on their table.
It had all worked out splendidly. While she hadn't been able to feed all of Ravenheart by a long shot, she had made a difference, if only for a meal or two.
Even the next morning, as Noble strutted across campus, she felt very proud of herself.
"How goes it, Madam Provost?" Lovia greeted her as she passed across the commons.
"All in all? Not bad for once."
There was something to be said for the sun shining through the protective dome, even if not all the pollution could be fully filtered out to give a clear view. And despite labor shortages, the upgrades to their security system had been finished ahead of schedule.
"That's wonderful to hear." Lovia tipped an imaginary hat with a smile. "I have been worried about you lately."
Noble furrowed her brow. "Me?"
"You seemed like the world was on your shoulders last time I saw you. I don't know...like your feet were dragging."
'Ha, if that were happening, everyone would know it from my screams…'
Smiling at the instructor, Noble nodded slowly.
"It's very kind of you to be concerned. I took the day off yesterday, and it did a world of good. Two worlds, even." She chuckled.
"It shows. You look like you might float away." Lovia's comment made Noble's smile turn strained.
"Let's hope not!" She laughed awkwardly. "Anyway, it is a good day to have a good day. I hope yours is going well also."
"I can't complain. My class this morning went well. That Dreamer Lumi is quite a curious one. There's never a dull moment with her around." Lovia laughed; this time her mirth was genuine.
"She does tend to have an insatiable curiosity." Noble conceded.
The provost's most recent encounter with the young princess had ended with Const bringing them both lunch in her office. Unlike her reserved sisters, Lumi had been open with her questions and candid about her thoughts on just about everything, including the choice of paint color on the walls of the room.
Even with all the time that it had taken to explain that even though Noble had not picked the color she did not intend to renovate, the Provost could not find it in her heart to be upset with the young lady.
"Master Noble!"
The Provost turned to see another of the princesses of Song was calling her name.
"Dreamer Yuma." Noble dipped her head in greeting as the tall, slender daughter of Song moved towards her at a brisk pace. "Is something the matter?"
"It's Lumi." Yuma inhaled deeply. "I cannot locate her."
Noble noted the odd usage of the word locate. But she was even more concerned by the feeling permeating the space around Lady Yuma.
Fear.
Even when the first three Princesses had arrived, none of them had been fearful—Nervous and wary, certainly, but not terrified like Yuma was now behind her neutral expression.
What could have put the elegant young lady into this state?
"I just passed her in the halls not long ago. She was speaking with Teacher Zie about the best kind of gravy to make when supplies in the NQSC are running short." Lovia motioned toward the building from which he had come.
At that moment, Lady Mei burst forth from the door, pulling Lumi by the elbow.
"I found her!" The red-clad sister announced with intense relief.
"It wasn't like I was lost," the smaller sister puffed out her cheeks. "I didn't even leave the school grounds!"
"Lumi!" Yuma's motherly tone silenced Lumi's incoming protestations. "We've been trying to reach you. Why aren't you answering your communicator?"
"We?" Lumi frowned. That's when she noticed that Mei and Yuma had not been the only ones looking for her.
Many of her sisters glanced at her from across the lawn, showing the same relief that Mei had when she had been discovered.
Lumi frowned.
"I was in Instructor Lovia's seminar earlier, so I turned it off because I didn't want to be rude. I guess I forgot to switch it on again when I got out, and then I got into the most lovely discussion with Teacher Zie. You wouldn't believe what she told me about…" Seeing both her sisters staring at her, Lumi lowered her head. "I'm sorry."
The look of Lumi's genuine contrition melted Yuma's stern expression. She wrapped her arm around her sister.
The willowy sister sighed. "Don't turn off your communicator next time. You can silence it without shutting it down completely."
Mei nodded to Yuma. "I'll send word that she has been found. Does that account for everyone?"
The taller sister hummed softly. "Yes, that is all of us. I think meeting for an early lunch might be wise."
Mei agreed. "I will handle it and see you there."
Mei hurried off with Lumi in tow. The smaller girl seemed to bounce along the ground as she followed behind, full of unanswered questions. But seeing that they would not be answered right away, she went in search of another sister who might be able to answer those queries more expediently.
Noble understood her angst; she was full of questions too.
"We can catch up more soon," she whispered to Lovia.
With a look of understanding, the jovial woman grinned. "I will try to catch you at lunch."
Like the provost, she had found the whole interaction confusing at best but also troubling.
Noble moved away from her colleague as she followed after the tallest princess.
'Just when things were starting to look up, I see all these ladies looking very down.'
It wasn't just Yuma that was feeling uneasy. When Noble spread out her emotional sense, she could tell that the other daughters of Song felt the same. How long had they been searching for Lumi, and why?
"Dreamer Yuma?" Noble called, causing the young lady's emotions to spike.
She collected herself as she turned on her heels and forced a polite smile.
"Good morning, Provost Noble. Please forgive my rudeness for not saying hello or goodbye. It won't happen again."
"Your manners are usually impeccable. Is something the matter?"
"It was Lumi being Lumi. It was a false alarm." The younger woman dipped her head.
"I am glad everything worked out." Noble narrowed her gaze. "But please tell me why you were worried about Lumi. Has she been going missing regularly?"
"No." Yuma pressed her lips together.
Noble tapped her foot in the air.
"Then tell me, why the sudden urgency to find her?"
The princess looked away. "I can't tell you…"