Jott had just finished bringing in the new shipment of flour when he heard it - the sound of sorrowful sobs coming from the main room of the bakery.

Hania was doubled up over the counter, weeping, and getting the day's checklist all smudged with her tears. Jott went over and put his arm around her.

"It's all right," he said, comfortingly. "She's a big girl. I'm sure she's fine. Maybe she went home with that human fellow."

"Pah!" spat Hania. "He did something to her, I know it! Oh, what her daoa would say if she saw this! I was supposed to take care of her..." She leaned into Jott's shoulder, rubbing her red eyes. "She hasn't come for her things...and all this mess, with Dorhaven...what on Vita is happening, Jott?"

The tall man shook his head, and continued patting her hair. He, too, was worried, but for Hania's sake he had to be strong.

Fion hadn't stopped crying for hours and her eyes were still red and sore from it. She had friends in Dorhaven, family there as well if they hadn't moved. She had no way to make sure they were ok, no time off work to travel to Dorhaven to check.

She looked like hell.

Fion made the trip to the baker's because even if she didn't want to eat, didn't want to move, she still had mouths to feed. Stride dogged her footsteps, whining his sympathetic distress. When she opened the door to the bakery, no one was inside. No bakers, no people, no Emme. She didn't see Hania an Jott huddled in a corner.

"Hi, is anyone there?" Fion managed to sob out, lip trembling.

She tried to check it but she didn't do very well. She wanted to go home. She wanted her parents. She wanted the people she loved to be fine and not dead because of a careless galdor. Since she couldn't have any of those things, she waited instead.

Annie left the Post in high spirits. She'd spent most of the day developing the film from the ball (finally!) and had made some great prints of Emme's photos to show her. Maybe she can take up photography full time, Annie thought. That kid's a natural.

She was in such a good mood, in fact, that she didn't notice the people huddled together, whispering in the shadows and crying in the dark. In stark contrast to all around, she was smiling.

Annie walked through the door to the bakery where Emme worked, still smiling, and practically singing, "Hellooooo, all! I've come to borrow Emme's eyes for a few moments. Is she around?"

She saw Fion. "Oh, hey Fion." Annie did a double take when she saw the tearstained face of the human seamstress. "Whoa, whoa, hey, what happened? What'd I miss?"

Looking back up at Hania, she saw almost a mirror of Fion, swiftly followed by Jott's conscerned features.

Annie furrowed her brow, the photographs she held in her hand completely forgotten by this point.

"What's goin on here? Did I miss somethin?"

I hate it when I miss somethin...

Demkaih had visited Fion's place as soon as he heard the news, but the seamstress was already gone. He'd spent all day working on his house that he'd only just found out when he popped out to get a bite to eat. Strolling briskly through the town, almost running, he finally caught sight of what he thought was her purple wrap entering the bakery. Jogging, he made his way to the shop, watching a wick in a fedora cheerfully enter first. He practically ripped the door off its hinges getting inside.



He caught the last of what Annie had said and spotted Fion. She was a mess, tear stained and sobbing. He brushed past the unknown woman and caught Fion in his arms, holding her tightly, furious that the incident had affected his beautiful seamstess.

"Well, Miss November, I never thought the day would come! You, of all people, how could you not hear the news? Word says that a galdori blew up half of Dorhaven." He moved his hands apart dramatically as if visualizing the headlines. "The Dorhaven Massacre, they're calling it!"

Why was Tito here? Well, that was simple enough. He was after a sack or two of flour. Any enquirer asking after his uses for it, however, would not garner a straight answer.

Annie stared at Tito a good long while before slowly sinking into a chair. Dorhaven? She didn't really know anybody there; she and the Seer had lived on the fringes, and assuming the Seer was still alive (which Annie was most certain she was) she was still there now. But Dorhaven? That was so close...too close.

Annie turned and looked at Fion. "I grew up near Dorhaven, but I had no real ties to it. Did you?"

Anger seethed through her eyes, practically oozing out her pores. "Those...frakin...GODSCLOCKIN GOLLIES!" Annie gritted through her teeth. Dorhaven was where the galdori went on vacation, for gods sakes! Why would they want to blow it up? It didn't make any sense.

Fion curled into Demkaih, sobbing again.

"Hi An-nie, you looked really b-beau... Pretty, the other night. Sorry, I c'an't stop cry-ing. I have f-friends, f-family in D-Dor..." Fion gave up.

Fion wrapped her arms around Dem, just happy to have someone to lean on.

Annie nodded, her anger preventing her from speaking momentarily. Does noone think anymore? The death and destruction, how it tolls on those who are far away...it's maddening!

She looked back at Hania. "Is Emme around? I might could use her services again."

The look in her eyes told her story. Annie was going hunting.

Demkaih watched, listening to the whole conversation, holding Fion. His blood was practically boiling. The galdori in his homeland were nothing like these vicious creatures.



The dark man turned his eyes to the bakery attendant. Whomever Emme was, he wanted to meet her quickly. If Fion was this upset, he wanted to destroy the culprit responsible. And it seemed this Annie had something up her sleeve. But...he looked down at Fion. If she wasn't going, neither was he.

"Fion, my beautiful woman. Is there anything I can do to help you? Where is Piran?"

Fion shook her head, still sniffling.

"No, I'm okay, I just don't do well with being helpless." Her voice took on younger qualities, more slang, "Piran's down the Potter's. I don't want him seeing me like this. Lady next door checked and told me he's fine. Doesn't know yet. I'll tell him when he gets home."

Fion looked at Annie.

"You find anything... Any names, please tell me. I'll do the same soon as I can bare it. I know people you don't, maybe we can each find something different and then we'll both know more."

Fion clenched her eyes together, it still hurt like dying. She didn't move from the support of Demkaih's arms, even as she felt him shaking with rage.

"Don't do anything rash, Dem. I don't want you going and getting hurt too." She whispered, so only he could hear.

It was a beautiful day.

Dom had been roaming the streets all afternoon, to see how riled the wick/human population had gotten over the Dorhaven incident. The last thing the Seventen needed was an outbreak of violence, wicks turning on galdori in the street, humans attempting to reconcile their feelings by plotting counter attacks on his race. Things could get very messy, if Dom allowed them to.

He was passing the bakery when his ears pricked at the sound of wailing and sobbing. The noise was not unusual - heck, you could say it was the backing track to Vienda on this day - but the large gathering of people inside the shop caused Dom to halt in his tracks. His chrove, Betty, grunted as he dismounted.

He thought better of entering the shop.

"Hmm." Patting his mount on the neck, Dom waited patiently for those inside to exit the building.

Demkaih nodded tersely. If Fion wanted him to stay, he would stay. The other people could investigate Dorhaven and tell them the news. He turned his head to glance outside.

The was a older man standing there, patting a deep black chove. Demkaih scowled and let go of Fion. He pushed open the door and stood outside, looking at the man.

"Did you want something?" He asked, his voice deep and commanding. He had no idea who this man was, he didn't even really understand who the Seventen were.

Fion hardened when she saw Dom Leon outside the baker's. She didn't want him to see her. The last thing she needed was for him to learn more about her. She was just readying herself to warn Demkaih about him when he let her go and strode outside.

Fion's gut turned to ice. She'd been raised by people that had ducked and weaved their way around authority all their lives. To see someone she fast learning to care about run out to face it was terrifying.

She couldn't run out. If she did she'd just cripple Demkaih's advantage. She knew what Dom was like, he'd use her to make Demkaih snap and then the seventen would be all over them all.

She turned to Annie.

"Annie! Demkaih doesn't know about the seventen, he's going to get himself eaten by a chrove." Fion's throat was sore but her fear was evaporating her tears. "Can you go outside and take notes? Dom doesn't back down from a challenge but he's willing to bide his time until he has an advantage. I can't go out there, he loves messing with me, but he'll probably leave a member of the press alone in broad daylight."

Fion was starting to get desperate.

"I'll do anything, please."

Dom's hand rest against the chrove as the door to the bakery was pushed open.

He saw a tall, athletic Mugrobi human step out onto the street. Dom frowned. The man's not wearing any shoes!



It seemed there were two things that could throw Dom and leave him momentarily speechless. One was being groped by a amorous young initiate, the other was being on the receiving end of some sort of demand. From a human.

"What?" He looked at Demkaih as if the man were mad.

He moved forward, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Demkaih reeled. The field coming from the galdor was strong. What have you thrown yourself into Demkaih? he screamed at himself. But he just couldn't understand why the man was standing outside the shop staring, and why he was so mad.

"I said, did you want something? People are trying to grieve in here and you are being disrespectful."

Annie nodded. "I can do that. And...if there's anybody you want, er, me to check up on...let me know? I could, yknow, make sure everybody's alright."


Annie noticed movement from outside. She turned to look at the galdor dismounting his chrove, and squinted at him. Did I see him at the ball? He seemed so...stiff. She thumbed through the handful of photos she'd brought to show Emme and found one with him in it. He was standing there talking to those two gollies who'd accosted her, Scarlet and Emme when they were going inside. Suddenly, the gears clicked! A member of the Seventen! Here?! We're doomed!


"I'm more conscerned about what he's gonna do to a human who confronts him in broad daylight." She pulled her notebook and pen out of her coat pocket and shrugged out of its slightly oversized sleeves. A stealth mission? This is a first.

Carefully and quietly, as not to raise any suspicion from the galdor man outside, Annie made her way to the door. It was still partially open from where Dem had made his fast exit, so she just barely eased it open a bit more and edged outside. The man's chrove was right there, so she used it as a cover.


Annie quickly scribbled a sign to Demkaih, reading "HE'S SEVENTEN! BAD GUY! BE CAREFUL!" in nice bold letters, at the same time making hand signals saying "Don't look at me! I'm not here!" Ooooh, you're gonna get us both killed!

Dom paused and looked about him theatrically,

"Are you addressing me?" He scoffed, continuing his approach, "I can be whatever I want."

The galdori stood before Demkaih, an awful, manic grin on his face, his magical field echoing a tendency to cast on the offensive.

"What is your name?"

Annie's field was weak from the years of never using magic, but she could still feel when somebody wasn't going to be playing fair. This was one of those times. Demkaih won't see it coming!

She frantically scribbled out a new message: "WATCH YOURSELF. HE'S USING OFFENSIVE MAGIC. BE READY TO MOVE."

Demkaih watched Annie out of the corner of his eye, carefully reading the message. He'd begun to guess this had been a rather brash idea.



The tall dark man looked sternly at the galdor, keeping himself ready to spring when he could.



Demkaih thought about it for a moment, should he lie? He narrowed his blue eyes.

"It's but a drop of water in a vast ocean, little to concern someone like you." He wondered if he could talk himself out of this.

"I'm sorry sir, but why would you want to be disrespectful? Lives have been lost and people need to grieve. I am asking you, as a decent man, please leave these premises."

((sorry guys, didn't realize this would get so active and I just got online.))

Hania was still beside herself when Dom arrived, unable to care for her customers. Jott had retreated once again to the back room and was unaware when Dom arrived.

But at the mention of a galdor, Hania's head shot up from the arms. Her eyes were flanked by deep shadows, red and sore from crying.

"Get back inside!" she hissed, loud enough for the people inside to hear but soft enough so that Dom could not. Her accent was quite strong - possibly a native Anhaite. "Don't look at him, don't talk to him! Don't say anything about her!"

Fion was torn, she wanted to keep an eye on Demkaih but Hania looked more of a wreck than she did. She pressed a hand to her heart and hoped like hell that Annie would be incentive enough to make him back off or make Dem see sense.

Fion closed the distance between her and Hania in five long steps.

"What happened, Hania?" She asked, placing one hand over Hania's, "Who's her?"

She looked around.

"Where is Emme?" Then it dawned on her, "Did something happen to her?"

Annie nodded her head in approval. Good, good, backing off the "get outta my face" and more to the "see, I know my place" routine. Bravo, Demkaih!


Hania's voice couldn't be heard through the glass, but Annie caught hers and Fion's expressions clearly: wrap things up. She scribbled another sign: "BEST TO GET BACK INSIDE. TOO LONG AND HE'LL THINK WE'RE HIDING SOMETHING."

Hania covered her mouth and steeled her face. She was a proper witch, a spoke by all rights, and tough as nails; this crying wouldn't fix a thing. She merely flicked her eyes towards the door, towards Dom Leon, indicating a suspicion.

Fion's mouth tightened like a vice and her hands balled into tight fists.

"I'll find her for you." She whispered. "I can't make Leon go away yet though. Accidents take time."

She kept her voice low so no one else would hear. She wasn't big on violence but she still had very violent prejudices against anyone that would hurt a child. Emme wasn't a child anymore but in Fion's mind it all added up the same. Leon was a problem, more than most other seventen were. He had hate and meaness behind the prejudice and he was best designed for causing damage.

If it turned out to be him or everyone else, she knew what her choice would be.

Demkaih thought about it. Were they hiding something? He clenched his jaw and made a small bow to Dom Leon.

"Please forgive this foolish mugrobi for his arrogance. I am merely upset for my friends and family, on edge you might say." He was backing towards the bakery as he spoke, being as contrite as he could. It felt like swallowing burning coals to act like an inferior to this man. But he cared too much about Fion to have things go sour.