Leareth rests his elbows on the conference table and his chin on his fists. "I am less confused, I think, but not entirely unconfused, and if anything I am more worried. What did you think? He...seems to feel a bit like how I do after spending months or years dealing with an ongoing emergency, but - I usually bounce back from that within days or weeks, and I do not think his sea voyage ought have been in an emergency situation for long enough to have that effect." 

"He seems really really gloomy for - nothing in particular had actually recently gone wrong, right -"

"I mean, Ekunde and his whole family might well have died if not for our intervention, but - that cannot possibly have been a surprise to Tadesse, sea voyages are dangerous and he would have understood from the start it was a gamble. I...suppose it was demoralizing, giving up on the Eastern Empire and some other long-term projects I had put centuries of work into. But that was not even in this particular lifetime!" Sigh. "I almost wonder if he and Ekunde are...sick, in some way, that is causing the fatigue. Are there illnesses that Restoration does not cure?" 

"Cancer? I think the Healer would've noticed if they had cancer."

"I should hope so!" Leareth sits back, reaches to squeeze Carissa's hand. "He seems to - realize something is wrong, but not be very curious about what or how to address it, which is almost more worrying than something being wrong in the first place." 

"Yes, exactly - it's not weird that he's sad and tired, but it's very weird that - he didn't say anything about it, he seems indifferent about all of the possible solutions..."

"I know. I want to help, but he is not really making it clear what he needs. I...would have thought that his recent experiences would be helpful, if he went into this feeling very burned out on having long term plans - but he has been with that family for years, and he is still having this problem..." 

"I feel like it's got to have something to do with the sharing, even if the sharing doesn't do it every time. Maybe the fact that he doesn't have to make himself do things?"

"Hmm. Maybe. I suppose if he is already in a state where it is tempting not to do things for a bit, maybe that is harder to break out of, or - less self-correcting, at least, since Ekunde will just take the lead instead?"

"Yeah, maybe. There aren't any consequences for not doing things, he'll still eat, he'll still get dressed, he'll still talk to people..." Shrug. "It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me, though."

"Maybe Khemet will understand it better. I should write to him, to ask about tonight." 

"Oohh, maybe Tadesse will be cheered up by Aktun."

"Oh - yes, I hope so, it is quite something." Leareth stands up. "Thank you for helping with this." He bends to stroke Carissa's hair and kiss her forehead before returning to his office. 

She still feels very uneasy about this whole situation but hopefully it's just that this Leareth is a very gloomy person and taking a lifetime off from trying to do things. 

Whatever it is Khemet will probably figure it out, she thinks grudgingly.

Leareth writes to Khemet again, asking if he would be available that night to meet in Aktun, at Leareth's operations building.

He includes a very brief summary of their conversation with Tadesse just now - that he seems exhausted and demoralized, the way Leareth might expect to feel after fighting an arduous, messy war for years, but he hasn't been and so Leareth is confused what the precipitating factor is, if there is one, and that they're still worried that sharing a body might be contributing. 

He gets a reply about four hours later from Khemet's staff confirming the time. 

Leareth decides to Gate, this time, so he can do it directly to his own building rather than getting a Plane Shift to the plaza area Abadar redirects those to. He tries not to make a habit of that, it's easy to end up doing way more Gates than he strictly needs to, but today he's mostly been catching up on administrative work and meetings rather than doing heavy magic research; his reserves are in good shape, and he's only used one of his stack of Lesser Restorations. Also he's not really in the mood to lead Tadesse on a tour of Aktun before this conversation; this way he can plan his first impression of Axis to be suitably splendid, rather than having it be a rushed glimpse while Leareth hauls him over to the operations building for the scheduled time.

He heads over to collect Tadesse, and while he's walking, Mindspeaks Carissa to clarify if she's joining them for this. 

:I can if you'd like.:

:Up to you. I always like having you around, but I can manage fine - and I suppose it might also be valuable for you to keep his family company so they do not fret too much: 

:They honestly don't seem worried at all that we'll murder him.: She sounds vaguely disapproving. 

:They seem to have great faith in his ability to look out for himself in a fight. Which is fair - I get the impression he has done plenty of looking out for them too. I am sure I could murder him if I wanted to, but mostly because he - recognizes and trusts me and so is not as on guard, and because I know how he thinks: 

Tadesse is waiting in the parlour of his family's suite to be collected. He hugs his sister and heads over to join Leareth at the door, not saying anything. 

Leareth doesn't speak either, just gestures for Tadesse to follow and leads him toward his usual Gate-room. It's not a real permanent Gate networked to others, he's too wary of security to put one in the palace itself - Egorian does have a big permanent Gate threshold for goods transport and trade, just outside the city - but it provides some structure and a bit of a power-source to make this end of the threshold easier. 

:I think I'll stay, then. Send Khemet my good wishes.: Very distant good wishes, which Khemet will know.

:Of course. See you later tonight: 

And he Gates them to his meeting-room in the operations building. It's not as secure as the half of the building where only his magic works, but he suspects that it would also block Tadesse's magic, probably it can't recognize them as the same person, and besides all of Aktun is pretty safe. 

He goes to unlock the front door so Khemet can actually get in. "Have a seat," he says to Tadesse, gesturing over his shoulder; it's a more comfortable, informal room than the conference room back in the palace, furnished with armchairs and nice end-tables.