"I don't want anyone to touch me," Promise murmurs, backing away.

The King is much more skilled at polite deflections than Wingsister is. He thanks Promise very eloquently for her help, expresses Valdemar's formal gratitude, lots of words words words that are mostly just conveying that he's pleased about the situation. The Council seems to get something out of the redundant-seeming remarks, though; they settle down and eventually file out of the meeting-room, cheerfully enough and without even trying to go near Promise. 

"All right," the King says, sitting down again once it's just him and Wingsister and Promise left in the room. "I - think that's most of what we had for now. If you're willing, we'd like to ask you to go back north, and find out what's going on with Woodlark, get a guess of when he'll want to come back. And, er," he takes a deep breath, "if you could ask Leareth what reassurances he would need, from us, to be willing to meet somewhere - it can be north of our actual border, if he prefers a neutral location - and go under Truth Spell." 

"Okay. The one I've floated before is that I could learn all the applicable names and stand near him but I don't know if there's something less invasive he'd find adequate."

"Hmm. I suppose it would really only need to be one Herald, there, to do the Truth Spell. We can find out if anyone would be willing to volunteer and, er, if I'd be willing to clear them for it. I would rather not put Woodlark in that position." 

"That's reasonable. I can ask Leareth. Anything else you want to pass on?"

"I guess just the general sentiment that - we've had a positive impression of you, and we obviously don't want a war and would prefer to work something out with Leareth. If he's telling the truth about his change of heart, that's very good for us. We're not being very trusting about it, which I imagine is frustrating, but I do hope it's true." 

"It's logistically complicated, but I'm not especially frustrated about it. I'll let him know."

"Do you need a Gate back up to the northern border?" 

"If it's no trouble."

It's no trouble at all, Wingsister feels great and has all the energy of her youth, but with her fifty years' experience as a mage to go with it, she can do a Gate easily. 

Then Promise will go back north and await her transport the rest of the way up.

They're watching the area, and a mage pops down with a Gate for her within ten minutes. 

Leareth is waiting to greet her. "How did it go?" 

"Went fine. I healed some people and de-aged some people and have a sleepable tree down there, though I don't know if they expect me by often enough that they'll leave it up. How's Woodlark?"

Leareth smiles, slightly and briefly. "I am glad it went well. Woodlark is - a little better. He mostly does not want to see people, but he was willing to talk to me a little, and he said he would speak with you if you wished on your return." 

"I think I ought to. Is he where he was?"

"Yes." 

So she goes to Woodlark's room.

He's awake, curled up in the bed with his head and shoulders turned toward the wall. He doesn't seem to notice her immediately. 

"Woodlark?"

"Mmm...? Oh, s'you." His voice is dull and a little bit slurred. 

"Yeah. What, um, is up with you?"

"I. Um." He turns toward her but doesn't quite make eye contact. "It's just. Really bad. Not having Y- not having my Companion here." 

"Where is she?"

"I don't know. She said she - couldn't talk, couldn't be near me. Told me not to try to find her."