[@TheMinorFall]

“Less efficient?  Aye, mayhap.  But ‘tis necessary, if you wish to understand others.  And in truth, without sadness there can be no joy.”  Fitz nodded at the girl, who was poking at her food and look incredibly guilty.  “If you wish to understand her, you’ll need to know them,” he added, a shade softer.  The guard was no fool, and he’d picked up on the connection between the two, though it seemed far stronger on Amuné’s end.

As Cain left to return his plate, the guardsman engaged the girl with some inane line of conversation.  She’d said she’d patch things up with his brother tomorrow, and that was good enough.  If she needed a little time to process, she could have it.  After several carefully guided questions, he had her talking willingly once more, distracting her from the tension having so many people around brought.

And then came a thud and a boom, shaking the very ground.  Moments later the alarm bell began to ring.  Children fell silent, then started chattering in hushed excitement, others panicking.  Guards and teachers got to their feet, going to their posts or working to maintain order.

Amuné turned pale as a sheet.  “Kirk,” she whispered, leaping up and dashing off.  She hadn’t apologized, she hadn’t apologized and something bad was happening, and if he died while they were fighting she’d never forgive herself.  She slipped between the tables, dodging most of the students though she came close to colliding with a few.  She had to find Kirk.   She had to.

“Lass!  Amuné!”  Fitz rose as well, and made to follow her, but there were too many people for him to move nearly as fast as she.  He cursed.  “She’d going to get herself hurt!”