Holding Hands with Hope

Avalon sighed worriedly, brushing back a strand of her wayward red locks. She had checked Sheela's room three times, Linae's and Laurel's twice, and she hadn't seen Fia or Dalani in who knows how long. Red was probably trying to put the moves on Daffodil, the poor naive thing, Marles was probably drunk in the cellar, Ardon was doing only he knew what, and Balinor...
"What's wrong, love?" the Druid himself asked, a look of concern on his face. She was perched on the edge of the bed, and he lay next to her, sprawled out comfortably. A spark of life crept back into her emerald green eyes as she heard his words, and she turned towards him, a small smile on her face, though it was quickly replaced with a frown.
"I don't know where they could be, Balinor...we've both checked their rooms, we've even gone wandering as far as we dare go, and checked the maids' quarters and the kitchens. We haven't found anyone, and barely a sign of them at all. Where on earth could they be? There are so many of us, how could I-we-actually be alone in this great labyrinth of a castle? If we lose each other, then we'll really be lost...oh we're barely hanging on as it is, confusion is around every corner...I think I'm going to go crazy if I stay here any longer!" she finished, balling her hands into fists. Balinor pushed himself up and moved closer to Avalon, wrapping his arms around her trembling form. He sighed.
"I know what you mean, and I feel useless even as a Druid. For some reason my magic keeps going haywire in this castle...well, tell you what. Let's go look in Sheela's room one more time, and if we still can't find her, I'll try a detection spell. We can do this, and we'll all get through it, together," he murmured into her hair, still holding her close. Avalon smiled.
"Alright, I guess I could let you be the hero for once. Let's go, then," she said with a chuckle, pulling him off the bed. He followed her dutifully, and reached for her hand as they started down the hallway, infusing warmth and hope into them both, and perhaps even to the cold gray walls surrounding them.