"A job?" Maeve began in a surprised tone. She wasn't used to someone like Richard Henry reaching out to her... Especially when he needed help--with a job no less. Her tone also seemed a bit skeptical. This honestly didn't feel real to her. "For me?" She then asked. "Are you sure?"

Richard nodded. "I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't. I believe you possess the skills to aid me with this particular task."

"Which is?" Maeve asked, raising an eyebrow as the light breeze tossed her curly, red hair about behind her, just gently brushing her eyebrows' former place. She waited patiently for his answer to her query.

Richard paused, sighing a little at the fact he'd have to admit his current familial crisis. "It's about my son."

"Aelod?" Maeve began. "No one's seen him in weeks."

"That is true," Richard said, slowly in response.

"...I haven't seen him since he mentioned seeking out someone," Maeve said.

"...Someone?" Richard exhaled, sharply. "Who? Who is it that my son so desperately wanted to see?"

"Um...," Maeve tried to recall back to that conversation with the preacher's son--her childhood friend--from a few weeks ago. "...Sagamorequin, I think," Maeve replied.

Richard raised an eyebrow, repeating the name the young woman offered. "Sagamorequin?" He paused for quite a few moments before then asking, "They have a surname? Any at all?"

Maeve shrugged. "Not any I can think of, no. Aelod didn't tell me anything other than that. All I have is the fact Sagamorequin's one of the Manitou."

Richard huffed. "The Manitou? That's the second person who's said that." He composed himself, standing up straighter. "Regardless, I still offer you a chance to prove yourself. ...The Buckleys are considered a joke anyway, are they not?"

Maeve's face went slightly red with embarrassment as she swallowed. She forced back the urge to stammer. "Y-Yes. Unfortunately, that's the case. What is it that you had in mind, Lord Henry?"

Richard took a moment to collect his thoughts before telling Maeve, "I needed someone to look for Aelod."

Maeve was silent for a brief moment before asking, "...and you think that I was the one for the job?"

Richard nodded. "Precisely." Then, he was truthful about the whole ordeal. "I have already talked to Chief Hassun about this situation... Needless to say, he won't be offering men to aid my search for Aelod."

Maeve crossed her arms, loosely as her red eyebrows furrowed a little. "So, you're meaning to tell me, Lord Henry, that I'm not even the first person you asked to do this job for you?" She wanted to scoff; she knew Richard didn't even truly care about his son's well-being---he cared far more about getting "good points" and being rewarded in the end... In his eventual demise.

Richard sighed heavily at that. "Yes, that is the truth but..." He swallowed. "I doubt that Hassun would've truly taken the job had I continued to hold out the offer. He probably would've passed it up even if I gifted him a reward for my precious son's safe return."

Maeve wanted to throw up at Richard's wording. She knew that to Richard, Aelod wasn't precious at all. She knew full well Richard had ridiculed Aelod for being attracted to the same sex. ...So when Aelod fell in love with another man--Sagamorequin--he took that as his chance to run away, casting the Henry family far behind, setting off to a new horizon. "...you think he still would've turned you down," she noted.

"Precisely," Richard repeated. "He's not a man of honor anyway. Not that one would expect him to be."

Maeve scoffed at that out loud. Of course he'd demonize someone like Hassun, she thought. Typical.

"Something a problem?" Richard questioned, noticing her reaction.

Maeve shook her head, quickly. "Of course not, Lord Henry. ...So, you want me to look for Aelod and bring him home?"

Richard nodded. "Bring him back so he may see the pure light once more. ...He's already been guided so far astray."

Maeve cringed at Richard's words. "Can I at least think about it? If I do accept, I'll probably have to make preparations to set out and look for Aelod."

Richard nodded yet again. "Sure. As you need. ...just do not take too long. My son's life is on the line."

Maeve gave him a little nod before turning away and heading back towards her dwelling to consult someone else on the matter.