"It looks like he already has."

"Um, yes? That's what I meant. So he's obviously the person to ask about it?"

He pauses in his pacing, staring off down the road. "-all right. It won't slow us down much even if it doesn't help. You coming?"

Scyelen nods immediately and scampers to follow him.

And to the headmaster's office. Hopefully Miss Vaux will be at her desk.

Both Miss Vaux and Osmond are in his office.

Osmond is looking a bit disgruntled, while Miss Vaux seems more exasperated.

"...reputation will survive," the headmaster is saying sourly. "This isn't the first time nor do I suspect it will be oh Miss Vallière, what are you doing here?"

If looks could kill, Osmond would be in some serious trouble right about now. "We're here about Siesta."

Osmond blinks at the unexpected hostility. "Oh, yes, we were just discussing that maid's transfer of employment. It would seem she will no longer be with us. Hmph. What an impulsive and stubborn man, the Count is. He saw her in passing and immediately took a liking. I'm afraid there was no talking him out of it."

Raafi inhales sharply, glances at Miss Vaux and then at Scyelen. "Where. -where are they."

"On their way back to the Mott estate," Miss Vaux cuts in. "Apparently, the Count has a habit of collecting pretty young maids to serve him in his home. This would be the third time in as many years that he has decided to take a commoner girl home with him from this Academy without warning."

"Be that as it may, it was all above board, and he paid handsomely," Osmond says. "Enough to hire two additional maids to replace this Siesta. I had no adequate reason to deny his request."

"No adequate - have you heard of morality." He doesn't wait for an answer to that, but turns to Miss Vaux. "Do you have a way to get us there."

Osmond winces, but before he can say anything in his defense, Miss Vaux cuts in again.

"It's not far. And the Mott lands are clearly marked on that map hanging in the library," she says.

"What do you intend to do?"

"Get her out of there. Are you coming."

"That depends. How do you plan to get her back?"

"Don't know yet." He's pacing again. "I can take five, teleporting."

"I strongly advise you not to take any rash action!" Osmond says, sounding worried. "And you Miss Vaux! You represent this school. I can't have you gallivanting off to make trouble for a high-ranking palatial messenger! It will be some hours before Mott's carriage arrives at his estate in any case. It would behoove you to use that time wisely."

He looks at Scyelen. "Miss Vallière, are you truly prepared to contest Count Mott on Siesta's employment?"

Scyelen flinches, looking at each of them helplessly.

"I... I don't know. I'm still not sure I even understand what's going on... did Siesta want to go?"

"She wasn't dragged off by force," Miss Vaux says, "but, no."

Scyelen has several complicated feelings about the implications here, and a gnawing shroud of shame over those feelings.

But, regardless of her own feelings, Siesta shouldn't suffer. There's nothing right about that at all.

She musters herself, gathering some of the noble bearing she usually feels too worthless to bother with.

"Then... I'm prepared to pursue this matter, Headmaster." She nods firmly.

"Good. We should go, we might need the time."

"Ah," Osmond speaks up awkwardly. "On an unrelated matter, if a student such as yourself wished to sign out a school carriage for a day-trip, I see no reason not to allow that, so long as that student did not abuse the privilege."

"What he means is that you've been very lucky no one has connected your magics to those of the elven spirit pacts. Teleporting long distances, or at all, is not possible with brimic spells."

(The Headmaster grumbles..)

"We'll do that." He turns to go.

Scyelen bows in apology for the rudeness and hurries to follow him.

"Do you remember the map? It's always been there, behind the heraldry section, but I don't have it memorized. Should we look at it again to be sure we know the way? We probably don't need to if we're taking the carriage like the headmaster suggested; the driver will probably know the way."