Liadan bounded to Aron's side.

"Aron! Who did this to you?!" There was murder on Liadan's voice.

Still mostly unconscious, Aron moaned once more, but his hand moved toward Lia.

Liadan took Aron's hand.

"What happened? Who hurt my Aron?" Liadan demanded angrily.

Again Difyr wished she had the tea. She glanced over at Yehudit and Brighid.

"Calm down, Mrs Buckley. Your husband will be all right now."

Yehudit pressed closer to Brighid. Mama was going to kill her!

"Lia?" he whispered hoarsely, still not opening his eyes.

"I'm here." Liadan rubbed the familiar calluses on her husbands hand, then stroked his cheek. "What happened?"

In reply to Yehudit Buckley (msg # 757):

Brie held her niece closer.

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 759):


"Don't really remember. Hit in throat, that's it."

"You were holding Yehudit." Liadan began to panic again. "Where's Yehudit?!" She spotted her daughter next to Brighid. Yehudit did not look hurt. "What happened?"

Yehudit hid her face in Aunt Brie's shoulder. Mama was going to kill her.

Brie rubbed Yehudit's back again. "It's going to be hard and she's not going to be happy, but you're going to have to tell her. It will be worse if you hide it and she finds out," Brie whispered to Yehudit.

Did the mermen hurt Yehudit? Did one of the raiders come here and hurt her? Liadan was imagining scenarios that made her want to vomit, and Yehudit's silence scared her.

"Brie, what happened to my daughter?"

"No, the mermen didn't harm her, Lia. Yehudit just...she...She needs to tell you something that you're not going to like, Lia. She's frightened you will kill her."

Liadan blinked. "I'd never kill Yehudit! Why would she think a thing like that?"

"Because she is frightened and not thinking straight." Brie glanced at Yehudit. "Do you want to tell her or would you like me to?"

"I better run away first!" Yehudit squeaked.

"No, dear. Part of growing up is facing your mistakes and problems," Brie softly admonished.

"You better tell her then." Yehudit hiccuped and prepared for her death.

Brie sighed. She didn't need this, though it was a distraction from her own problems. "What Yehudit is having trouble telling you is that it was she that injured Aron."

Liadan stared at Brighid, not believing it. "No, Yehudit is a good girl, She'd never hurt anyone."

"I only know what she told Difyr. I suppose it's possible she was in one of her rages. What was going on outside?"

Yehudit was still hiding her face behind Brighid.

"Yehudit would never..." Liadan trailed off, it was entirely possible Yehudit would hurt Aron in one of her rages. She had never hurt someone she loved seriously before, but there's a first time for everything. Liadan's heart sank, for years they had tried to get control over Yehudit's rages but they have only gotten worse... Next time Yehudit might kill someone.

"What can I do?" Liadan asked hopelessly, squeezing Aron's hand. "Merman tried to grab Millie. Questa and Sileas stopped him." Liadan's eyes flashed. "Yehudit followed Sileas into danger. Again. She could have been taken, hurt or killed."

"I don't believe she intended him harm, even in her rage. She said she hit him and he fell over."

Brie sighed. She hated that her daughter continuously put herself in harm's way, but each time was in protection of someone she loved. Brie would do the same thing, so there wasn't a lot she could say. "I'm sorry, Lia. I highly doubt Sileas went searching for trouble and I know she would never willingly put Yehudit in danger. But I also know she would never leave anyone she loves in  a dangerous situation. In some ways, she is far too much like the three of us were when we were younger."