[Chise herself began to dig up some of the plants that required new soil, though she did smile at Eilonwy's observations.]

"Fae can certainly be protective. Some of houses or objects, others of people. My teacher is quite protective of me... sometimes a little too much. But I appreciate his concern, just as I worry over him."

[It would make sense to her, then, that Vaeros was protective over the land he 'ruled.' Still... why allow it to come to such harm? Was it because he could fix certain things using his power? Was it a lapse that occurred due to his ire?] "You are right though... it seems like we have too many options and not enough concrete answers. I suppose those will come in time."