'Calm down, Rainy,' Noble wanted to tell her daughter.
The dark-haired girl's emotions were all over the place as she tried to keep her face neutral.
Noble shook her head.
"I led you to believe that I did not know about the incident with the survey team, but that wasn't true."
"I had already told her!" Rain piped in, her voice shrill.
"Even before that. I knew before I came that these two had fallen into a chasm when their team was attacked. And it's for that very reason that I know Tamar does not need to send a message to find out if Awakened Ray and Fleur are safe." Noble allowed the words to sink in for a moment.
"You've seen them? Where? In Ravenheart?!" Tamar's voice uncharacteristically cracked.
Noble smiled. "A few days ago. The team ran into other Awakened on their way to the citadel, and that sped up their journey considerably. Awakened Ray spent an evening with my family while he rested, and Fleur was taken in by a dear friend of mine. I am happy to report they are both alive and well."
Noble felt the air in the room grow lighter.
"My echo did its job then." Tamar heaved a sigh of relief.
"Oh?" Mara tilted her head.
Her daughter nodded. "I left him with the road survey crew. I couldn't just abandon them when we fell and were washed away. My job was to protect them."
Lady's Mara's emotions were conflicted. She wanted her daughter to take care of herself, but it was the duty of a leader to take care of those under their care.
Fortunately, it looked like both Tamar and her team had made it out of the situation alive.
"You did well, Tamar. I am proud of you." Mara's praise caused her daughter's mood to soar.
The smallest smile appeared on the young woman's face that not even she could smother. "I did what was required. Awakened aren't allowed to die while there are people to protect. But I suppose now that job is done, and I can dismiss…"
"I wouldn't do that!" Noble quickly intervened, startling the other women with her volume. She coughed. "Excuse me, but that is ill-advised."
"Why?" Tamar frowned. "Did you not say everyone was safe in Ravenheart?"
"They are, but I was not the only one who was aware that you and Rani went missing. Your father also arrived to question Awakened Fleur and Awakened Ray about your absence." Noble felt the emotions of both ladies spike.
"Oh no," Tamar's muscles tensed. "Ray and Fleur were supposed to stay with me at all costs. Did Father…"
"Saint Sorrow was very reasonable, all things considered. But he did take the echo back with him. If you dismiss it now without warning, he may think you have died." Noble saw the look of recognition pass over the girl's face.
"I will leave it for now. At least until we let him know I am alive." Tamar did not execute the command which she had mentally begun. "I don't want to cause him unnecessary grief."
"Not causing grief…" Mara pressed her lips together. "It seems you take after your father. He has known about your disappearance for days and did not let me know."
'Uh oh…' Noble knew that feeling.
Sorrow could not have delivered the message himself, but he could have sent someone a message via the waking world. The omission had been intentional to protect his self-proclaimed worrier wife from dreading the worst.
Mara struggled between frustration and understanding. It was only natural.
Noble had experienced that same feeling with Fort.
'Husbands trying to shield their wives. It's both sweet and slightly infuriating.'
Child of Promise was filled with compassion.
"I can relay a message to Saint Sorrow when I leave here. Then the echo can be dismissed by tomorrow."
Mara nodded. "Thank you, Master Noble. If you would let my husband know that our daughter is safe and will be back in action only when she is fully well, then I would greatly appreciate it."
Noble was able to read between the lines. Tamar would likely not be joining her father for the coming conflict just now, and if he had to leave within the next week, it was unlikely they would ever end up in the same unit.
Perhaps Mara was doing that on purpose to prevent losing both her loved ones in the same conflict, but more likely it was just to make sure Tamar was fully fit for action.
"Understood. I will inform him as soon as I am able." Noble stored the message word for word in her memory. Sorrow deserved his wife's words verbatim.
'I'll also have to admit I may have gotten him in trouble, but surely Mara won't still be angry by the time he returns…right?'
Noble hoped not.
As the conversation turned toward the state of the citadel and the surrounding areas, Noble found herself quite fascinated. Having only passed through once before on her way to the Stormsea, she hadn't gotten much chance to learn much about the port city.
"Our daily traffic has increased considerably over the past few years. Before, it was rare to see more than a few visitors per year, and now we see that number and more each week. I can only imagine how it will be once we perfect the system to get ships down the cliffside instead of having to porter the boats and gear." Mara motioned toward the steepest part above the Weeping Goddess.
Noble had the luxury of floating down and meeting a second ship during her journey, but she could see how cumbersome it would be without that power.
Noble glanced past the balcony at the work being done.
"I have seen a set of locks like that once upon a time. I am sure the work you put in will be worth it."
The discussion throughout the meal continued to be light, with Tamar contributing more than Noble would have expected. The girl was still reserved, but she didn't seem wary of Rain like she had of Fleur and Ray when they first met.
'A shared near-death experience will do that for you.'
Noble had formed some tight bonds herself during periods of adversity.
As the breakfast wound down, Noble felt that her time there was coming to a close. While she had enjoyed herself immensely, she had not come for a social visit, but to retrieve her daughter.
Since that was not going to happen, she needed to head home and give Fort the bad news.
After dabbing at her mouth with a napkin, Noble rose from the table.
"Thank you for your hospitality. I have enjoyed this immensely."
"You are leaving?" Mara furrowed her brow.
"I am afraid I must." Noble dipped her head.
The lady of the house clapped her hands.
"You must also come back here for a proper dinner when my husband returns! He can transport you from the waking world so you don't have to make such a long trip."
"That sounds nice. Thank you! And if you are ever in Ravenheart, you must allow me to return the kindness." Noble would not mind being friends with Mara.
For all her grace and poise, her regard for Noble and Rain was genuine.
Mara smiled.
"I might just take you up on that. I would love to meet your family, especially that daughter of yours."
Rain choked on her drink.
"Are you alright?" Tamar raised her hand to hit her on the back, but Rain waved her off.
"I'm fine."
Noble hid her grin. "Well then. If everyone is fine, I'll be going…"
Mara clicked her tongue. "Not so fast! Aren't you forgetting something? Like the real reason you came?"