Nathaniel was doing what he always did when he was sad and angry, he went and drowned himself in books. To anyone else, it looked like he was calmly studying amidst the columns of books around his table. He kind of liked doing that, building up the books around him to make his own Fortress of Solitude. Coming back was like nothing changed with anyone.

Everyone asked where he was for over two weeks, and he blew them all off with saying "It was a field trip." He didn't want anyone to find out about what happened. And he especially did not want pity or sympathy from anyone. It was his business. He was legally his own guardian and head of the household of one. He was going to take his time with revenge, it'll come with time. I will find you, one way or another, he promised the faceless Resistance murderer. When I get my hands on you, your death will not be quick.

His whitened knuckles was the only sign of visible stress as he forced himself to read through the manuscript in his hands.

Naul had already had a lovely morning in the Library, only to head back to the dorm and enjoy an equally nice nap. The week off of classes couldn't have come sooner, but, with nothing to do until leaving for Vienda on the Fourth ... well, it was back to the Library. There was always something to read, after all.

He meandered past the Theory section, debating whether or not he should even bother to head toward the Static section. He could end up spending the rest of the evening there if he—

Oh, was that really Nath?

The dark-eyed boy smirked.

Where the clock had he been?

There was only one way to find out, he supposed. Naul wandered towards the table Nathaniel sat at, cluttered as it was by books. Clearing his throat and resting his hands in his pockets, he spoke quietly,

"Studying on vacation, are you? Making up for lost time?"

Snapped out of his concentration, Nathaniel looked around to find the familiar contrast-haired young man standing unexpectedly close. Adding further to his surprise was the fact that he hadn't heard him coming. He smiled wanly.

"You could say that. I've been gone for two weeks."
He absently closed the book he was reading, and pulled up a chair for if Nauleth wanted a seat.
"Just going over the basics, making sure I haven't grown dull from lack of practice..." he gestured vaguely at the rolling hills of books and paper on the table. "I only just got back today, so I frankly have no idea what I've missed in class."

"You've missed enough, I'm sure." Naul snorted, borderline taunting as he glanced at the books briefly. He might have noted Nath's surprise at his arrival, but he also noticed the subtle difference in the other boy's field and expression, "But it isn't anything you can't catch up on if you bother to try, I suppose. Where've you been?"

The dark-eyed boy's expression turned a little wicked, even as he grinned, "You didn't suffer another bad backlash, did you?"

((SFSR))

"I was called away to Vienda. It was quite the....eye-opening experience," Nathaniel gestured whimsically.



How petty...he doesn't know how much truth he just uttered, he thought feverishly. His hand was shaking and he could feel his own field getting more erratic by the second. He needed to get off the subject post haste.

"You could say that," he spoke in a more quiet voice than he meant to. "But it wasn't nearly as life-changing as say...your hair color." He smirked, eyeing Nauleth's prominent streak and talking playfully. "Not that they're anything with now resembling a badger. I believe that I missed the Ball that everyone was agog about. Was it any fun?"

"I didn't stay long," Nauleth admitted with a grin that was sheepish yet haughty, "But it was alright. It served its purposes to my liking with a lovely atmosphere, at least."

He wasn't necessarily going to elaborate unless asked; things were more fun that way.

The dark-eyed boy chewed the inside of his cheek in thought, "So, you did have a magical accident? I'd figure you'd have caught on by now ... a little," He teased, unaware of any seriousness behind the other boy's situation. Entirely. Even if he had been, however, it was unclear as to whether or not he would've been any less rude.

His smile flickered for an entirely different reason that than how Nauleth may have interpreted it. His pride wasn't on the line, he just didn't want to talk about what transpired during his two week absence. He really didn't want to tell anyone. I don't have any damned need for pity. He felt a vein tighten somewhere on his forehead.
"Ah, haha. You're mistaken. I never make the same mistake twice if I can help it. No, it wasn't a magical accident," but more potent than even happened to you. He discreetly put one hand on the other to stop the shaking that was getting worse.

"But enough about me. I assume you went with Athrym? That's curious, why would anyone want to leave such a lovely gathering so early?" Nathaniel winked. "Unless of course, the party didn't end with leaving the Ball behind."

Athrym had been out shopping. Angus was not high on her 'people-I-tolerate' list, so it had been a rather moody experience. The gift she'd selected might not actually be anything he could use, but she was past caring now. It was awful in the stacks. There had been humans everywhere, and she'd nearly cast on one when he just jumped out almost pleading with her to buy some little trinket. The only thing that had saved his hide was a galdor gentleman shooing him off. Thanking the man, Athrym had practically run all the way back to the school grounds. Stalking, she was in a very bad mood.

Passing the library, she had a sudden thought. They wouldn't be back in Brunnhold for a while, she should go in and see if they had that other book she'd read in the War Of The Book bibiography. It seemed a little better for facts. Stepping upto the doors, she pushed one open and walked inside. It was almost empty in the huge library, something which the girl was thankful for. People just got in the way. Blue skirt swirling around her feet, she walked briskly towards the history section.



The voice and the field hit her at the same time and her mood lifted slightly. At least there was one decent person in here. But, who was he talking to. The blonde slowed and turned to the sound of Nauleth's voice. Another field, familiar but also not recent. It felt off too, like something was simmering just under the surface. Walking towards the duo, she caught a glimpse of golden hair and her mood skydived into the floor. Narrowing her eyes till they were nothing but icy slits, she advanced on Nath.

"Who the clock do you think you are?! How dare you leave Alisoina pining without you! I bet you haven't even gone to see her, and if I have anything to do with it you clocking well wont." Her wrath bore down on him like sheets of glacial ice, voice seething with bitter rage.

"You leave without notice, for weeks on end, and now suddenly, here you are! Well I got news for you stop-clocker, this isn't a party. You can't pop in and out at whim. In fact, if it wasn't for Alisoina, I would have turned you into dust long ago." Her temple throbbed and her field was gathering. Angry for Alisoina's heartache, it radiated throughout her field, bitter and cold.

This confrontation was definitely not what Nathaniel was expecting, and for the longest moment he forgot to be indignant at the surprise rage that was rushing at him. Then everything came flooding back in. He felt a pang of guilt for Alisoina, but honestly, he hadn't give her a single thought during the last fortnight's ordeal. He violently struggled to restrain himself from exploding.

This wasn't Athrym's fault. She just doesn't understand. Despite his attempts as calming himself down, his hands began shaking and his blood pressure was shooting through the roof. He took a moment before speaking, taking a deep nasal breath with his eyes closed. His field, even though he had no desire to attack, was pulling in and gathering tightly around his person. He could feel a furnace burning in his guts. OnetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnineTEN. He breathed out and felt his field loosen, if only a fraction. He opened his eyes and looked over at Athrym.

"While I am glad that you have an ounce of self-control, if only for Alisoina's sake, I have news for you. I am terribly sorry that I could not give a proper good-bye to her, or any of you. I had to leave on a very short notice," so you wouldn't not feel sorry for me and accuse me of awkward things like you are right now, he thought stubbornly. He grit his teeth in restrained anger and forced himself to remain in his chair, ready for more senseless shouting.

Athrym clenched her fists, nails biting into the skin. She gathered her field in tighter and with an angry pulse, threw it in Nath's direction, hoping he could taste the success of Level Two in there somewhere. It was a very blunt warning, a threat.

"You have no idea how much self control I have. If I didn't, you wouldn't be here right now. Even though you have had weeks away, you couldn't take five moments from your own selfishness and write her? Foolish boy." The galdor's voice remained the same, low and hard, permeating anger with every syllable.

Nathaniel was getting dangerously close to losing his temper. He felt the aggressive push from Athrym. Two weeks worth of dealing with his parent's deaths have worn him thin, and now this stupid girl in front of him didn't know when to leave things be. Gripping the back of the chair in a vice-like matter with one hand, he slowly stood up, drawing himself up to his full height. He never took his eyes off of Athrym for one second.

"Do you have any concept of what you are talking about?" he spoke in a deadly even voice. "How dare come roaring down onto me when you have no idea. If you think that you can simply walk over me for such petty reasons, you are mistaken." He could feel his pulse quickening by the second. His field was expanding like air under high restraining pressure. You nor anyone else has any idea. Nor will they ever have any idea, if I can help it. Please, just go. Walk away.

Nauleth managed to keep a straight face during the exchange between Athrym and Nathaniel, but it was obvious by the static tension in his field that the conversation was not going in the direction he would prefer. While he understood the girl's frustration—indeed, he harbored some of his own for Alisoina's sake—the boy also felt that Nath was simply being evasive about whatever the clock was going on. He wasn't sure which was more annoying.

Glancing at Athrym from underneath his white-streaked bangs, he snatched one of her hands as a warning as much as a comfort, scowling. With a chiding noise through his teeth, the dark-eyed boy looked back at Nathaniel,

"I don't know what the clock your problem is, but if you're not willing to explain what's going on, I don't think you have any room to accuse us of anything." Naul seethed, glaring over the sharp curve of his nose, "Hurting Alisonia's feelings is not a petty reason for either of us to be angry with you, thank you very much."

The boy laced his fingers with Athrym's, narrowing his eyes, "Maybe you need to take a few more weeks off of school if you can't even figure out who your friends are. Or were. Or could have been." That word was new to him, and he realized how sour it sounded as it rolled off his tongue. Some people obviously weren't worth the effort.

With that, Naul turned a little, tugging gently to imply the girl follow, "We've obviously wasted enough time, Ath."

Nathaniel felt both disarmed and torn. Friends...? On its own accord, his field started to evaporate. But it's hard to trust. Even now. His teeth set in frustration. Dammit! It shouldn't be this hard! Why do I feel the need to explain myself all the time? It was tempting to go out on a limb. But he didn't want pity.

But somewhere, somehow, Nauleth had gotten to him. Even if he subject to a lot of jabs, but was possibly because he didn't know him well enough.
He sighed an exhausted breath. He felt like he was a hundred years old.

To clocking hell with all of this...I can't take it any more.

"Look, I'm sorry," he forced himself to look them in the face and took a deep final shaking breath, like a diver takes before he jumps from a cliff into ocean water. He set his face. "I didn't have time to think of anything else when I was busy arranging and then watching my parents funerals."

Naul's frustration might have faltered, but his expression refused to soften. He stopped, briefly, and looked at Nathaniel carefully, as if he were trying to determine whether or not the other boy was lying or ploying for attention or actually being honest. He was quiet for some time before he inhaled slowly, speaking with an almost deadpan voice,

"Well, my condolences about your family." He might have meant it, but the dark-eyed boy still had more to say, "But it's clocking hard to even halfway care to console you after the way things've gone. Not all of us have soft shoulders, either."

For everyone, anyway.

Nauleth's words struck at Nathaniel like hammers. Despite himself, he couldn't even bring himself to be angry anymore. Lines of exhaustion stood out on his face, many years too early. How did everything come to this? The deaths, the screwed up friendships....

"What I said earlier about petty reasons, Ali wasn't included in them. I didn't mean it like that. I know I don't tell any of you any of you anything. I'm not looking for soft shoulders, that was the point." He paused to push a shaking hand through his hair sun-touched hair, unable to keep that bit of hurt out of his vacant murmur.

"I just wanted to grieve alone. I'm sorry."

"Well, you're clocking welcome to grieve alone." Naul shrugged, almost nonchalant. He'd taken enough of a chance with the boy, more than once. He wasn't about to continue putting himself in a difficult situation, especially when understanding and such did not come easily for himself.

"I'll cut the cheek and say that I sincerely can't imagine what that's like for you, but I'm pretty sure that isolating yourself is going to make it a lot more clocking difficult. Take it from me, if nothing else."

Naul's face had drained lopsidedly into a deadpan expression, voice cold but not distant.

"There's always counseling. I heard it helps." He meant it without taunting, but resisted looking to Athrym for confirmation. She was riled up enough as it was.

As Nathaniel stood from the chair, Athrym didn't back off an inch. She knew fear, she knew danger, she knew near death experiences. Nathaniel Robinson was not any of those for her. Her teeth clenched and she glared back at the boy, prepared to fight if thats what it came to.



The blonde's field pulsed in anger.

"Petty-" She felt Nauls hand on her own and stopped, the monite for Pain already in her throat, right on the tip of her tongue.



The galdor nodded in agreement, trying to steady her breathing and calm down. It would not do to hurt Nathaniel. He wasn't worth her immediate expulsion.



The blue eyed girl resisted for a moment, before allowing herself to be pulled back slightly, icy glare still on the golden haired boy.



There should of been sympathy there, she should have felt bad. But the blonde didn't. Instead of bouncing around with excuses and avoidance's, why hadn't he told them? Another surge of anger hit her. Weren't they good enough for him? Wasn't Alisoina good enough to be a rock when he needed one?



Athyrm shook her head.

"Your a fool. Do you think it was healthy for me to deal with my issues alone? Obviously not. I nearly got expelled for it."



Without looking at the salt and pepper haired boy beside her, Athrym nodded.

"It does. You should look for the councilor. She's good. Honest. And she won't talk to anyone else. Connie Grahame is her name." Pausing, she finally released her field.

"When you've decided you want to talk, instead of thinking your better than the rest of us, then join us at St Grumble. Don't...don't be such a clocking fool." It was the closest to sympathy he would get from the girl, for now.

It struck Nathaniel that maybe it would be a good idea to trust. That it would be okay to let friends care about him. The feeling that perhaps he wasn't alone gave way to the sensation of a warm, comforting fire flowing through his chest and tempering all defensive ill-will. Maybe...I've always held myself too distantly until now. I don't need a clocking counciler, for now at least. I just need a little help from my friends.

The closest thing to a smile tugged at the corners of Nathaniel's mouth. It was hard, for it felt like his smile forgot how to express itself. He indeed felt the gravity of the entire situation slowly crushing him and aging him. I feel so old, the golden-eyed boy sigh.

"I will definitely consider this woman, Connie Grahame," he finished gathering his books and paper in his satchel and slung the weighted bag over his shoulder. "For now though, I need to go to bed. I have a lot to process."

He walked past the pair, as dignified as he could under the present circumstances. After a couple of yards, he stopped. Struggling against the grain of his personality, what he needed to say burst out as little more than a whisper, still audible to all present.

"Nauleth...Athrym. Thank you for this," he uttered, his voice thick and heavy with a multitude of unspoken things. He began walking again for the exit, hoping that the pair felt what he was trying to say.