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tiny leareth comes back and is very sad
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He's mostly not capable of coherent thought at this point, but tries to say repeatedly that he has to talk to Herald-Mage Vanyel. 

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The Herald says something soothing to him that he doesn't manage to parse, and then lifts him on onto her Companion and holds him firmly in place in front of her, leading the donkey behind them. And a while later, he's indoors, with a fire, and someone gives him a blanket, and the message is finally conveyed successfully that Herald-Mage Savil is Gating out to bring him to Haven, they know he's a mage with a uncontrolled Gift, but it's not his fault and everything is going to be all right. 

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Everything is going to be all right! But probably not for the reasons they think. 

Leareth falls asleep before Savil arrives. 

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He wakes up to find that he's being carried through a Gate. "Careful, I've got him," someone is saying. "Thank you - that's all - Shavri, need you to take a look at him, they're not sure if he's injured or just wore himself out, what do you think...?" 

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Leareth forces his eyes open. "Have to t-talk to Vanyel," he pushes out. "S'important..." 

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"What? How did you– oh, I suppose everyone's heard of him by now, what, were you hoping for lessons? I need you to relax for right now - Shavri?"

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"He needs to be in bed, is what he needs." Her voice softens. "How long were you traveling alone for?"

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"A week. Have to talk to Vanyel. Urgent." 

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Some mutters are exchanged, but eventually it's decided that he needs to be brought to the House of Healing now but that Vanyel can meet him there whenever he's next free. 

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Leareth pretends to be asleep, in hopes that this will delay anyone asking his name until he's spoken to Vanyel first. 

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By the time Vanyel gets there, Leareth actually is asleep, finally warm and cozy in a bed at Healers'. Vanyel clears his throat. "You asked for me specifically?" 

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"Hnngg?" He struggles awake. "Oh. Sorry. Vanyel." Seeing his face again is causing a lot of emotions to happen, which are at least of a different flavour from 'constant misery'. "I have to - have to..." It's surprisingly hard to speak of it. He switches to Mindspeech, which he's not very skillful at yet. :I have to find Belrun: 

And he bursts into tears. 

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Vanyel blinks, frozen on the spot for a long moment. "...Oh, gods. Leareth?" 

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It's been six weeks, total, since Leareth's death, though they didn't hear the news for a few days afterward. They were expecting him, Savil supposes when Vanyel is trying to explain it to her over Mindspeech, but not that he'd come to Valdemar first, they assumed he'd head north for some reason. This way makes sense, the north is remote and inconvenient. Also she's kind of surprised, for no good reason whatsoever, that tiny reincarnated Leareth is so adorable.

(Vanyel doesn't want to leave and meet with her properly because Leareth is currently accepting a hug, which seems like something he must need very badly, and Vanyel is kind of worried that if he leaves and comes back, Leareth will have remembered that he's supposed to be dignified with Vanyel.) 

There are a few rushed emergency meetings with the Senior Circle and Leareth's diplomatic party, and then not very long after, one of Leareth's mages is arranging a Gate to Petras. Savil can go and deliver the news. They're not sure where Belrun lives but the university won't be hard to find and probably the dean will agree to talk to the most senior Herald-Mage of Valdemar on short notice. 

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Belrun is working.

Belrun works a lot. She got herself assigned some assistants to collect samples and handle administrative tasks and she spends her time in her lab, infecting eggs with things and taking meticulous data and courting headaches from Gift overuse until it's dark and time to ride Amshalan home and eat something her mother puts in front of her and go to bed. They had a stall built for Amshalan off the side of the house right by Belrun's room; the window opens into it and they moved Belrun's bed so if desired Amshalan can stick her head right in and nose her.

But at the time this inquiry is made Belrun is in her lab studying diphtheria.

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Savil isn't sure if she's in the middle of something that would be bad to interrupt, so she asks Kellan to poke Amshalan instead. :She probably wants to know right away, we have Leareth in Haven and he's asking for her: 

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Belrun is just sketching the diphtheria at this moment, not doing anything hard to drop.

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Then Savil will knock politely. "Belrun? It's Herald Savil."

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Belrun opens the door. "...yes? What is it?"

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"Good news. We found Leareth again - er, rather, he found us. He's in Haven right now." 

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"- can you Gate me there today or should I get you a hotel room or did you bring him with you or -"

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"We can Gate you there today! I would've brought him but, er, he was traveling alone for a while and he's not in great shape, he's at the House of Healing." 

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"...alone? He - did he not go up north first - did he not get my letter -"

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"Hmm? No, as far as I can tell he, er, came back somewhere in rural Hardorn and immediately stole a donkey and rushed here as fast as he could. Up to and including deliberately setting off a Web-alarm so we'd go see what the fuss was. He told Van that he wasn't sure of getting a friendly welcome, but that he believed Vanyel at least was going to, well, have some compassion about the lifebond situation, and would help him find you again, even if what happened had disrupted our talks. Also, I think he didn't want to take any more travel time. He's very sad." 

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"Does he in fact have a broken lifebond. I wasn't sure it'd - stick."

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