Title: Meanders
Fandom: Magic Knight Rayearth
Rating: General
Length: 200 words?
Content notes: None
Author notes: Post-canon Cephiro-rebuilding nonsense because how do you infrastructure sensibly when the world can decide not to co-operate? (Not like this, at any rate.)
Summary: "Is the river anywhere near the bridge this time?"


oOo

The knock on the door was earlier than the hours Clef was supposed to be working, but it was more a dull, resigned kind of thump than any excited tapping, and he had a pretty good idea who it would be. Indeed, as he gestured and the door swung open, Soru Zafira stood there with little enthusiasm and a sigh.

"We have another situation," she said, dryly.

Clef didn't need her gesture at the window to guess what the situation would involve. "Is the river anywhere near the bridge this time?" he asked, waving her over. There was enough tea in the pot from breakfast that he could pour her a cup, which she rather looked like she needed.

"Oh yes," she said, and took the drink with a mumur of thanks, fingers wrapping about it like a lifeline. "It is currently taking an interesting meander around it. Twice. Blocking both ends."

"And presumably not travelling underneath it at all?" he said, failing to keep the amusement from his voice, despite the look that got him. "I did tell the Council that they should try talking to her before they built the bridge across her, especially in the centre of what I am reliably informed should be called a 'flood plain'. I am sorry for your Guild that you were instructed to raise the bridge anyway. But I'm sure if you have a conversation with her-"

"The river's Spirit is refusing to communicate with any of us," Zafira told him. "We need your help - I have seen her interact willingly with only yourself and the Knight Selece. Who is currently absent in her own world."

Clef snorted. "I can see if she'll talk to me, but I think you'll probably need Umi to get around this one."

"But you will try? The situation with the roads is actually worse than it was before the bridge was put in."

"I'll see." Clef shrugged. "It's not like I can do more than talk to her, anyway, I'm still meant to be resting. And I'm not negotiating where the bridge should be - only if she'll talk to you or not."

"Thank you," Zafira said, and finished her tea in a rush which Clef refused to imitate.

"I'll head down this afternoon." There was a patrol out to help anyone who needed to make a river crossing in the meantime; afternoon would be soon enough, especially as he was pretty certain there would be no negotiation quite yet.