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Darien is tossed out the front door, and no sooner has it slammed shut behind him than Kestrel collapses on the floor, like a puppet with all the strings cut.

"Oh gods..."

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"Relax."

*pats her hand*

"He has to be responsible for himself."

She blinks, and turns, and looks at him blankly.

"Responsible? He went insane, Richard. Insane people aren't responsible for anything."

He enters in time to hear that, and blinks.

"Kestrel? What's wrong, meijhana?"

Bren.

She looks over at Bren and Sleeta.

"... Bren?"

And then she's falling out of the booth in her rush to reach him, blinded by sudden tears.

"oh gods, Bren, I..."

Startled, he nonetheless wraps his arms around her, supporting her.

'Sleeta, what on earth?'

"What's wrong, Kestrel?"

And she's telling him the story, but the words are spilling all over themselves, turning it into nonesense. He'd be able to hear "Darien," "quicksilver madness," "room upstairs," "sunglasses," "Faith," and "back home" though, probably.

The rest is all a bit muddled, as she's buried her face in his neck by now, and is holding him like she'll never let him go.

"Shansu, Kestrel, calm down, please, I don't understand you. I don't understand what's wrong."

He looks at Richard, yellow eyes pleading. "You don't know what's going on, do you?"

"Only a bit. Apparently Darien went.....quicksilver mad? Something like that. And he hit Charlie and did something to Kes here. I don't know what though."

*pats Kes' back*

"Sorry I can't be more helpful."

"Ah."

That... doesn't make much sense.

"Is Charlie all right? I can heal, if he needs it."

As he speaks, he gently strokes Kestrel's back, tightening his arms around her.

"What did he do, meijhana?"

"Charlie's all right now. He might like it if you can help his headache though."

"He..."

She can't say it, really.

He... he fooled me... and I was upstairs, and we were going to... and then I realized...

He hugs her, stroking her hair.

"Shansu, Kestrel, it's all right, you don't have to say."

To Richard, "of course. I'm glad he's all right."

"So am I. Take good care of our Kes. I'll leave you two alone now."

*he pats her and packs up the tea things*

"Bren..."

She shivers, staying close by his side.

"Get me out of here?"

"Of course, Kestrel. Come on, we'll go up to our room. It will be all right, I'm here, I won't let anything happen to you."

She shudders a little as she starts to follow him.

"Promise you'll stay?"

He hugs her again.

"I promise, meijhana, I'll stay as long as you need me to."

"I... gods, thank you, Bren, I love you, I..."

She pauses, just by the stairs, and holds him back for a moment.

"I... missed you. Even before this, I wanted to see you. And... a friend from home came here... I went home, for a bit, and... I got you a present."

She pulls a small box out of her pocket, and opens it long enough to pull out a silver ring (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/lunziek/Milliways/claddagh_heart_ring.jpg).

"For you."

He smiles, and kisses her cheek.

"Leijhana tu'sai, Kestrel, it's beautiful."

He puts the ring on his right middle finger, next to the ruby that is his signet.

"I love you, meijhana, always."

She slumps against the wall a bit, somehow exhausted now.

"Love you too, Bren. Always."

He half-carries her to their room, whispering soothing words in the Old Language.

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