492. Manipulation of Emotion - Raezyr

The next day, Mathias woke both Trychon and Raezyr early.

"What's going on?" Raezyr asked, sitting up and speaking what was on both of the Sith's minds. They looked around and noticed Violet packing food into sacks, and both Baldemar and Mannix putting the food and other items into back packs.

Not a word had passed between the two the night before, although the tension was so thick it could be cut with an axe. It was clear the neither Mathias nor Violet knew what to do about yesterday's altercation, as neither had addressed it.

"Word came a little while ago. Saffron never returned last night, and the entire village is organizing a search for her," Mathias explained. "Where ever she is, she's in trouble and is going to need help."

Trychon and Raezyr both sprung into action, helping where they could, and getting themselves ready.

They each shouldered a pack and headed out. Mathias had been right, everyone in the village was gathering in the clearing outside the temple. Father Monahan gave a brief speech about what they knew so far, which was nothing more than what everyone already knew. Saffron had left yesterday morning to look for Raezyr and Trychon. She had failed to make contact with them, and hadn't been seen since she left.

The Villagers were sent out in groups of two to five people, depending on the area and direction they were sent. The search seemed to be concentrated in the direction she had left the village in, but a few teams were sent in other directions.

Raezyr and a monk named Abbot who familiar with the river were sent down stream, while Trychon went with a group of four other monks into a valley in the mountains.

Raezyr didn't know much about Abbot, other than he was one of the fishermen in the village, and that he was also a strong supporter of Raezyr as being the one prophesied about.

As the two were about to leave, Brother Varth stopped them. "Good luck, you two."

They both thanked the scholarly monk, but Raezyr couldn't help but wonder if that were a subtle sign of some sort, eventually deciding that it was, but the meaning was escaping him. Figuring things out was more Trychon's bag, where action was what Raezyr felt he was best at.

All day the two searched the river banks, calling Saffron's name, with no luck. Soon they broke an hour late for the midday meal.

"Suppose we should head back?" Abbot asked. "It'll be getting late by the time we can get back, since we've been going downhill all day.

"No. We'll keep going. I just have a bad feeling about all of this," Raezyr said.

"But they said we should be back by dark," the fisherman said.

"I know, but you'll have to trust me, Abbot. I feel the Force nudging us onward," Raezyr lied. He was beginning to suspect that Varth's comment meant he was supposed to bring Saffron back.

They pushed on through the afternoon and into the evening, only pausing to eat the last of their food when it became too dark to see. They built a small fire for the night and pulled their blankets out of their packs.

"We should head back in the morning, Raezyr," Abbot said as they were drifting off to sleep.

"You can head back if you wish, but I'm going to search until noon at least," Raezyr responded. They were already many kilometers below the monastery, and Abbot was no longer very familiar with the terrain and river this far down river.

"No, I'll stay with you as long as you're out here. I trust you," Abbot commented.

The next morning, Abbot caught a couple of fish, which they ate after cooking it over the fire, before heading out again on their search.

An hour and two kilometers later, their diligence was rewarded. They found Saffron's body washed up on the shore of the river bank.

They pulled her ashore, and wrapped her in one of their blankets. Abbot offered to help carry her, but Raezyr declined, lifted her up, cradled in his arms and began the long trek back to the village.

A short time later, Abbot spoke up. "Now it makes sense!"

"What makes sense?" Raezyr inquired.

"The passage that Brother Varth showed me a few months ago: She who restores shall be swathed and cradled, the One bringing her home for her final sleep."