In the eating hall, there were four people. Three of them were Foch, while the last was the lone human in the Village: Samuel. As for the Foch present, Lianna and Elenora were seated at one of the tables, while Freyja was in the cooking area. In a change from times past, Samuel was joining her in the food prep. Mai was also floating around following along.

“So, you’ve been in a good mood lately, haven’t you?” Elenora asked Lianna.

Elenora’s smug grin made it plainly obvious who else was in a good mood.

“He’s a good kid, I’m sorry!”

From the cooking area, Frejya overheard Elenora giving Lianna a hard time. Lianna’s tone communicated a lack of composure. Anyone who understands siblings can describe what she was about to do next.

“I’m glad my little sister finally admits it.” she said.

She turned to Samuel. He was standing by a cutting board in the cooking area.

“Hey, wouldn’t you agree? She was so cold before - isn’t this much better?”

Samuel looked up at Freyja, and in a near-instant grew a shade of red.

“I- uh- ah…” he stammered.

“Don’t pick on Samuel, Freyja!” yelled Lianna.

“Ack! She’s mad!” said Freyja.

Elenora giggled at the sisters’ quarrel. While Lianna and Freyja gave each other annoyed glares, a spirit came in the front door. Elenora recognized it as the one contracted with Leon.

“Hm, yes?” she asked the spirit.

“Report from Leon, who is about 15 minutes out.” the spirit said.

Elenora listened to his report. After hearing it, she nodded in understanding.

“Did something happen?” Lianna asked.

“A report from Leon. Someone from the caravan at our door has finally come looking for Samuel, it seems.”

Lianna’s face returned to serious mode.

“Do we have a name?” she asked.

Elenora turned and looked over for Samuel.

“If it’s not a bother, do you know someone called Surveyor Hannick, Samuel?” she called.

Samuel turned around and paused to think of anyone with that name.

“Yeah, I do… why?” he asked.

“He’s gonna be here in 15 minutes.”

 

Elenora sat behind her desk. Eight days prior, she had a lost boy in front of her. Now, however, she had the surveyor from the caravan the boy ran from. He looked to be at least in his late thirties, with his facial hair short but not completely shaven. Unlike the boy, Elenora had a good idea why he was here. Still, formalities dictated her first few questions.

“So, I’ve heard you’re Surveyor Hannick. I would assume you’re here for Samuel?” she asked.

Hannick breathed out a sigh of relief. He gave a confirmatory nod, adding:

“Well, if you’re mentioning that name, I would presume you found him.”

Elenora leaned back in her chair.

“Indeed. Beyond a tweaked ankle, he’s fine. I don’t suppose that now you’re here, you want him back?”

“Well…” Hannick said.

Elenora leaned forward slightly. She could sense some disagreement within the caravan from the tone of Hannick’s response.

“Officially, Captain Gillan asked me to make contact with the Foch, and to find Samuel Fredericka.” he said.

Elenora turned her head slightly.

“So… you’re telling me that officially, you’ve accomplished what you were told to do?” she said.

“Yes,” he said.

Elenora resumed leaning back in her chair. She took a breath, satisfied in the answers she got.

“Pardon me asking, but, what about unofficially?”

Hannick’s standing pose relaxed at the question.

“Hm. Is Samuel doing alright?” he asked.

“Yeah,”

“Then, personally speaking, he can stay here, if that’s okay with you.”

Elenora shifted in her seat.

“That’s fine by me; he’s certainly made life more interesting. My only question is what his mother thinks of it. Who’s the commander of the convoy?”

“It’s still Matthew Gillan, however I expect any day now for word to come along that Aria will have taken the post,”

Elenora sat in her chair, and pondered the information given. Hannick stood in front of her, waiting for her to let him go.

“I’m not sure if you were told to re-open relations with the Foch, but I’m going to request you hold off on that. It’d be a little unprofessional to do that kind of dealing without at least the caravan leader present.” Elenora began.

She stood up from her seat. Hannick’s eyes followed her face.

“Additionally, when you go back to your caravan, I have a message for the powers that be,” she added.

“What’s the message?” Hannick asked.

“That we’ll keep Samuel here for safekeeping until either the caravan captain arrives in person, or his mother.”

Hannick nodded. Elenora started to walk for the door outside. She paused when she got near where Hannick was standing.

“By the way, I’d recommend you stay here for at least the night. Nothing to do with Samuel or the caravan, but it’s going to snow tonight and I’d rather not lose our messenger,” she said.

Elenora resumed walking to the door. Hannick turned around to follow her, and asked:

“Well, I’m not going to reject the offer. Can I see Samuel, by the way?”

Elenora turned back to face Hannick.

“Yeah, that should be fine. It sounds like you were never going to run off with him anyway, not to mention the weather’s probably keeping you the night regardless. You’ll probably see him around the eating hall,” she said.

 

Back in the eating hall, Lianna sat at one of the nearest tables to the cooking area, watching Freyja and Samuel work on dinner. A few of the scouting team were present, but most were elsewhere. Hannick looked in through the door, with Elenora behind him.

“Let’s sit by Lianna, shall we?” Elenora said.

She walked around Hannick and waved for him to sit with her by Lianna. The two waked over, and Lianna noticed them coming over. Freyja and Samuel were off cooking, too engrossed to notice. After sitting down, Hannick said:

“Hello, you must be Lianna, I take it?”

Lianna looked at the new person at the table.

“Yes, Lianna Miradottir. You must be the surveyor Elenora was talking about.”

“Mhm, yes,” Hannick answered.

Samuel turned to look over where Lianna was, after hearing some commotion. He saw Hannick and wasn’t sure what to do. Hannick noticed Samuel looking over at him.

“Samuel, you okay?” Lianna asked.

Samuel wandered over to the table with Elenora, Hannick, and Lianna. His face was a little downcast.

“Have you come to bring me back?” he asked.

Hannick shook his head.

“No, the chief here isn’t having me do that. Not that I was particularly planning on it, anyway,”

Samuel’s face brightened a little. Freyja wandered over by this point to get a read on the conversation.

“Okay,” said Samuel. “Lianna has been nice to me, along with the others here, so I don’t mind being here a while longer,”

Freyja hooked her arm around Samuel’s shoulders and leaned over.

“That’s big sis Lianna, you know,” she added.

“Hey, Freyja!” called Lianna.

“That’s big sis to you as well,” quipped Freyja.

Elenora chuckled. Hannick looked at her to ask what the matter was, but Elenora got ahead of any questions he might have asked.

“These three have been like that for a few days now. Can’t say I’m complaining about it,”

Freyja stood up and looked at Elenora.

“Why would you? He’s been a good little brother, who can complain about that?” Freyja said.

Hannick looked at the quibbling Foch. He looked at Samuel, who looked out of his element. However, it was not exactly the same as what he’d seen in the past.

“Haaa…” he let out.

“Surveyor Hannick?” asked Samuel.

“I haven’t seen you like this in a while, that’s all,” Hannick said.

“Oh, okay.”

Hannick continued thinking about the scene unfolding. As far as he could tell, this was undoubtedly the same kid who ran away over a week ago. Unlike before, however, he seemed less on edge.

While Hannick was in thought, Freyja looked at Samuel. Having gotten her fill of annoying her little sister, she mentally moved on to a different task.

“C’mon, Samuel, let’s get back to cooking.”

The two went back to the cooking area, prepping a communal dinner for the rest of the scouting team. The sky outside was darkening ahead of the next snowstorm.