>> You'll keep playing the guy who leaves

[witchmaker]

[ She's on her knees in a snow drift. She has snow everywhere, clinging to her gloves, her hair, her cloak, as though she's been digging through it frantically. In one hand she's holding a golden hoop. She slides it on her wrist, but rather than looking triumphant, she seems to break down, curling into a ball to sob. ]I found it... I found it so

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[polite_sinner]

. . . Is everything alright?

[witchmaker]

He-- A friend of mine. He left.

[polite_sinner]

Goodness, I'm sorry to hear that. May I ask what happened?

[witchmaker]

I, when I got up this morning, no one had seen him. I wanted to talk to him after-- but... I can't find him, he's not in the castle, he must've...

[polite_sinner]

Ah, oh dear. . . Perhaps he's just stepped out. I'm sure there must be some reasonable explanation for it.

[witchmaker]

His clothing is gone, as are all the other things. He left the other one of these [ She lifts the arm to indicate the bracelet ] on the library table where we used to study together.

[polite_sinner]

Oh my. . . [At a bit of a loss.]

. . . Ah, we should get you some place warmer.

[witchmaker]

He's out there somewhere. In the snowfield. He can't use magic yet, he's going to be defenseless.

[polite_sinner]

[He finally crouches down beside her, and even if it might be venturing into the far too personal, he asks,] Do you have any idea why he might have left?

[witchmaker]

He feels... guilty. Over everything that's happened. He had a spell put on him by the Dragon Emperor, and it caused my kingdom to go to war with another. I've told him so many times it's not his fault but...

[ She looks down. ] He's still carrying that stigma around. I'm going to be crowned queen soon, and I don't think he wanted me to have to shoulder that kind of a burden.

[polite_sinner]

Oh, goodness. . . I don't suppose there's any particular place you believe he might have gone first, is there?

[witchmaker]

He'd likely make his way to Elrand, but it's a long way. I'm not sure he'd be able to survive it.

[ She kneads her gloves. ] That idiot, what is he thinking...