{ log } brave lady could you see me in the darkness
It's pure luck that the call goes through when Nuala is performing her weekly (or so) check that she hasn't missed anything terribly important on her pinpoint; she nearly drops the damn thing for being startled. "Hello?" in a cautious voice.
"Your Highness?" There's a strange, crackle and reverb to his voice, but it's still recognizably Uther Doul. "I am sorry to bother you, but I felt I ought to call."
...and she is surprised again, but this time not enough to fumble. "You are never a bother, Uther Doul. What is it?"
"There's no polite way to put this, but I have something I wish to burden you with. It is unpleasant knowledge." May he tell her?
A silence, and the rustle of fabric as she sits down. "Go on."
"I have returned to the edge of the Scar." Which explains that the reverb on the phone is actually the sound of things unsaid. "Should I fail to return to Armada(the DeadmantheNexus), I would appreciate it if you could tell the Brucolac not to be overly concerned (you lied and said it was an accident, said nothing, I don't want to die without anyone knowing)."
For a time, her only response is a sudden inhalation and unhappy quiet. Eventually, so that she is quite clear: "And in the meanwhile, I am not to speak of it?"
"He believes that I am in Tesh." Doul does not sound particularly happy about this himself, but there's little he can do about it now.
'You lied to him' doesn't need to be said, so she doesn't. Instead, "I see," very softly. "I will keep your confidences." She pauses. "I hope you'll come back for them."
"I am in your debt, thank you. (I'm so sorry.) Be well, your Highness." He's fairly certain just how seriously Nuala takes debt, but it needed to be offered and said.
Debt is never a small thing, and neither is the lack of it. "Please, you owe me nothing. Have this freely and try very hard to return to us."
"I will." And so, he goes!