Ch2
The bus drove up the esplanade. As the castle came into view, Sadie's breath caught into her throat. She clasped her hands together in front of her mouth. Her eyes became large as saucers. There was no way she could hide her smile.
"Oh my." was all she could whisper.
"First time to a castle I take it."
Sadie ignored Zul. Edinburgh Castle seemed a lot larger than she had imagined. The bus came to a stop outside of the gate. Michael the assistant who she met last night stood up at the front of the bus.
"May I have everyone's attention please? …Thank you. Today we are just taking a tour of the castle. If you do not have a partner please see me and I help you find one. There will be a guided tour, but you are welcome to just explore with your partner. Please remember, if it looks dangerous, chances are it is. Lunch will be held in the courtyard at noon and the bus will be leaving to return to the hotel at 5:30PM. That is all Professor Tselner wanted me to share."
Everyone unloaded from the bus. Sadie waited for Zul to exit.
"So Miss Keating, do you want to go on the guided tour?" Zul asked when he joined her.
She looked Zul and smiled.
"Nahh" she replied.
They took off down the winding path leading into the courtyard. Sadie pointed at a large building. The aged walls around them were like catnip to their senses. Neither of them even noticed they were being watched. The two then crossed the courtyard, and disappeared into the doorway beyond leading to The Great Hall.
"Look at that fireplace. It is so large. I could stand in it.!" Sadie exclaimed.
"I feel like a real princess in a fairy tale." Sadie twirled in a circle.
"You look like one too." Zul smiled back.
"You have always been a charmer."
Both spent the day scouring the castle, making notes and drawings of all they found.
"Perhaps we should go to lunch." Zul spoke after noting the time.
The two joined the others down in the courtyard for lunch. Sadie spied the two women she met last night Padmal and Sophie sitting together near a wall, so Sadie went to join them. They were deep in conversation when Rolf sat down next to Sadie. She smiled but was a little uncomfortable in how close he sat next to her. After a while Sadie relaxed. Rolf was clever and funny. She could not help but feel at ease around him. She rubbed her neck she could feel someone watching her and she glanced back to see Zul watching her and Rolf intently a little ways away. Teasingly Sadie looked back at Rolf and smiled. As he finished a funny story about a misadventure he had been on, Sadie laughed slightly louder to ensure Zul had heard. She did not dare look back at Zul so she would not ruin the jab. But instead she noticed the two women she sat in front of look up as someone approached from behind. Sadie looked back to see Zul standing there. If her teasing bothered him, he did not show it.
Just as well. Sadie thought disappointingly.
"Oh Amun, have you come to join us?" Rolf called out to him.
"I thought Sadie would like to continue our exploration. I saw several stain glass windows I am sure she would like to sketch." Zul stated.
Zul had Sadie's full attention. She stood up and Zul smiled knowingly.
"Well, if you will excuse us, we have some exploring to do." Sadie smiled.
With a wave they left the others to their talk. Once they were out of earshot Zul spoke again.
"I believe that Rolf fancies you." Zul said nonchalantly.
"Hmm… You think so? I had not noticed." Sadie lied.
"Indeed." Zul responded.
They made for the stained glass windows. They entered a room dust motes danced in the air through the colorful light cast by all the glass. It was awe inspiring! Sadie's breath caught. Zul certainly knew what he was talking about. Sadie just had to draw these.
"Wow what craftsmanship. They are beautiful. I really should invest in a camera" Sadie spoke eyes wide.
Sadie sat down on the floor and began sketching away. Zul sat on the floor behind her and began sketching the whole room. He was more interested in the architecture; drawing every detail, every crack, and every stone. Back to back they sat in silence drawing. After some time Sadie interrupted the tranquility.
"What do you think it was like to live here?"
"It was probably frightful."
Surprised at his response, Sadie turned towards him; realizing for the first time they had been using each other for support.
"Why would you say that?" Sadie asked.
"This castle was built for war. It is so heavily fortified, and that is done only out of fear and necessity. Sure it is quite luxuriously decorated on the inside, but since the beginning of its creation it was built purely to defend from the onslaught of approaching armies. I can't see anyone truly being happy here long." Zul replied.
Sadie turned back to her drawing not minding Zul's presence against her back, but feeling a little less like being in a fairy tale. Deep in thought Sadie recalled some of the history of Edinburgh.
This castle had such a bloody past dating back to 9BC.
"All those wars," Sadie said aloud and shivered involuntarily.
Sadie realized that the windows were soon losing light, and soon shadows began filling the room. Zul looked up from his sketch and Sadie looked at her watch.
"We should head back to the bus. It will be time to leave soon." Sadie spoke.
They finished up their drawings and headed back into the courtyard. As they were exiting the building they were talking about the different architecture styles they had come across. A woman's scream filled the air, and they froze in their tracks. Sadie was the first one to react and ran in the direction of the scream followed by Zul a half a heartbeat behind her. As they rounded a corner they looked around for the owner of the scream. Sadie finally caught sight of Sophie in the Half Moon Bastion. Zul and Sadie ran over to her side, and then they caught sight of what she was looking at. Rolf lay prone against a wall. Below Rolf's eye was a cut where he had been hit and blood seeped from the back of his head. Brandon Kelly the man from Australia Sadie had met was kneeling beside him checking his pulse.
"He is alive, but he needs a Doctor."
Rolf was not conscience. And his breathing was staggered. Brandon got up and ran off to call the hospital.
"What happened to him? Who is his partner?" Sadie asked.
Everyone looked around. Sophie spoke first.
"Fräulein Padmal is his partner, but I have not seen her since lunch."
"Sophie can you watch over Rolf? Amun and I will look for her."
Sadie looked over to Zul who was scanning the area for sign of Padmal's presence.
"Amun please look over there and I will check over there for her."
"Sadie I really do not think we should split up."
Sophie spoke up and touched Sadie's arm.
"Amun is probably right. Whoever did this could still be around and there is no telling what they did to Fräulein Padmal."
"I cannot sit back and wait around to find out." Sadie said determined.
Sophie dabbed at some sweat appearing on Rolf's forehead.
"He has a fever and he is shaking. Give me your jackets to warm him up till help gets here." Sophie responded.
Sadie took her sweater off and handed it to Sophie. Zul followed Sadie's example and handed Sophie his jacket. A chill wind cut through the air, and Sadie rubbed her shoulders.
"We have to find her." Sadie spoke.
Zul finally relented and they split up looking for Padmal. Soon they were joined by the rest of the group. Rolf did not wake up, and he was taken to the hospital. It started getting late and still no sign of Padmal appeared.
"I am calling the police." Varnaz spoke.
"She has been missing far too long." Varnaz left to go find a phone.
It began to get dark and the temperature began to drop. After the police arrived they began taking statements from everyone. After they had completed their interviews they asked everyone to leave.
"Please do not leave the hotel while we are investigating this matter" an officer spoke.
They loaded up on the bus to head back to the hotel. Everyone's spirits were low. Padmal was a sweet girl and no one wanted to leave without finding her, but the police were insistent. Sadie sat with her head in her hands. Zul sat down beside her. In her ear Zul whispered.
"There is nothing you could have done. And if you were Rolf's partner instead then chances are we would have been looking for you. So do not go blaming yourself. It is not your fault."
"How did…?" Sadie looked up
"I think I know you enough by know to have an idea about how you think." Zul replied.
Sadie looked out the window back towards the castle before they pulled out of site.
"Still I have been in these types of situations before…"
"You do not know what the situation is."
"But still…"
"But nothing" Zul cut her off.
"Just get some rest Sadie. If they don't find her by tomorrow, I promise I will go find her myself." Zul stated.
"Not without me your not!" Sadie turned to him.
"I would not dream otherwise." Zul replied.
Zul resigned himself to the fact that Sadie would not sit and wait. This way he could keep an eye on her instead of her wandering off on her own.