Some days later, when Merena was just beginning to get anxious that she had not received a response from Anomen, a surprise visitor arrived at the door. High Watcher Emond was shown into the front room where Merena and Jahiera were seated, his usually pleasant face distressed and anxious.
When Merena introduced Jaheira, Emond brightened momentarily. "Ahh, the druid Jaheira! Another of the famous companions. Sir Anomen has spoken of you. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Jaheira."
"What can we do for you, High Watcher?" Merena asked, with a growing sense of unease.
Reminded of the purpose of his visit, High Watcher Emond's face darkened again. "Lady Merena, I am afraid I come with very distressing news." He glanced at Jaheira. "Under the circumstances, I would appreciate it if you would stay, Lady Jaheira, as it concerns you too, in a way."
Merena's unease was now a cold lump of dread in her stomach. She took a deep breath and tried to will herself to calmness. Even so, her voice shook a little. "Just tell me, High Watcher, what has happened?"
"Of course, my lady." High Watcher Emond paused, and then seemingly forced himself to continue. "I received an urgent message today from High Watcher Oisig of Athkatla. He wanted me to know — and you to know — that Sir Anomen is missing."
Merena's first thought was surprisingly rational. "That's why…that's why…" she began. She was trying to say, "That's why I haven't heard from him," but suddenly she found that it was difficult to breathe and that her legs would no longer support her weight. She sank into a chair and fought back tears. It was an effort, but she managed to suppress the fear and confusion that threatened to overwhelm her. When she felt composed enough to speak again, she looked up at High Watcher Emond and asked, "What do you mean, missing?"
Before Emond could reply, Jaheira spoke. "I'm curious about that myself. Anomen is a little large to just…misplace."
High Watcher Emond looked at them apologetically. "I'm afraid I don't have all the details, only what I was told by High Watcher Oisig; he was informed by the Order. What I do know is that the Order asked Sir Anomen to help escort an important trade delegation from Athkatla to Cormyr. A knight of Sir Anomen's stature would not normally be required for such a task, but the success of this mission was especially vital, so he was offered the opportunity to lead the mission if he wished."
High Watcher Emond paused thoughtfully. "According to High Watcher Oisig, Sir Ryan seemed rather surprised that Sir Anomen agreed; evidently he had previously shown little interest in such tasks." Merena let out a soft gasp of surprise at this news and glanced at Jaheira in dismay. "In any case," Emond continued, "besides Sir Anomen, a number of other knights and squires from the Order were sent along to assist. On the third day after the delegation left Athkatla, they failed to appear at the inn they were scheduled to lodge in that night."
"When men were sent to investigate, they found clear evidence that the delegation had been attacked on the road. The knights who accompanied Anomen, and several of the men-at-arms employed by members of the delegation were found dead, as well a number of ruffians that had obviously been part of the attacking force. Sir Anomen, the squires, and the entire trade delegation were missing, presumably being held captive for ransom or some other reason by the villains who attacked them."
Merena drew in a ragged breath struggled to calm herself once more. "No more bodies were found?" Merena asked, unable to keep the quaver from her voice. "They think the rest are alive?"
"I believe that is their hope, my lady. The attack was cleverly planned and carried out, which suggests that the trade delegation was not targeted at random. According to High Watcher Oisig, the delegates and their families were among the wealthiest and most influential in Amn, so the attackers must have known they would be worth more alive than dead. Certainly, if robbery or revenge was their motivation, they could have slain everyone out of hand."
Jaheira muttered, "They would find a powerful priest like Anomen to be a very troublesome captive." At this, Merena gave her such an anguished look that Jaheira fell silent again.
Merena tried to push aside the images assaulting her; Anomen lying dead or cruelly held captive. They did not find his body. She told herself. He is strong; there is still hope even if he is being held captive. She wondered — hoped — that she would somehow know if he were dead.
Think of it as a problem to be solved, she chided herself. Keep your mind on that. Aloud, she asked, "Was there no trace found of the attackers or those captured?"
"I believe a preliminary investigation was made, but no clear trail was found. The decision was made to inform the Order in Athkatla so they could determine what steps to take next. High Watcher Oisig wrote that the Order is planning to send a large party of knights to investigate, but it is doubtful they have left Athkatla yet."
"Meanwhile, the trail grows colder while they waste time." Jaheira said scornfully. "It would have taken a substantial number of attackers to accomplish this, their trail should not be hard to follow; at least by a competent tracker."
High Watcher Emond shook his head sympathetically. "That is outside my area of expertise, so I will take your word that it is so. In any case, no trail was found."
Merena stood. Her path was finally clear. "It's not outside my area of expertise, High Watcher." She glanced at Jaheira, who nodded, understanding her intentions implicitly. "How long has it been since the attack?"
"About a week, I believe." Emond said, looking at the women with dawning comprehension.
"We must hope that is not too long. We will leave today." Merena said decisively.
"I take it your plan is to join the Order and assist them in finding Sir Anomen and the others that are missing?" Emond asked.
"If they were attacked on the road between Athkatla and Cormyr, it will be faster if we go there directly and pick up the trail." Merena gave him a grim smile. "Besides, I assure you that we can travel much more swiftly than a party of armored knights."
Emond was torn; he felt he should in good conscience try to dissuade Merena from putting herself in danger, but from what Sir Anomen had told him, these women were extremely experienced and competent and no stranger to perilous situations. Besides, though he hadn't expressed it, he shared Jaheira's concern that the Order's help could prove to be too little too late.
"Is there anything I can do to assist?" Emond asked.
"Yes, there is, High Watcher, something very important." Merena replied. "Can you find someone who could take messages to Athkatla as quickly as possible? I need to let Prelate Wesselen know what we are doing."
"Consider it done, my lady." High Watcher Emond had a sudden thought. "But Lady Merena, even if you do find Sir Anomen and the others, how will the Order find you?"
Merena smiled. "That is why I am sending a second message — we have an old friend who can help. I just pray he is Athkatla at the moment." She said under her breath.
"I shall make the arrangements immediately." He looked at Merena fondly. "May Helm guard you both. I am not sure whether Sir Anomen would approve of you endangering yourself on his account, but it does ease my mind to know that he has such resourceful and determined friends."
"Thank you, High Watcher." Impulsively, Merena kissed him on the cheek. "If your Hand of Helm is alive, we will bring him back, I promise."
After High Watcher Emond left, Jaheira pulled Merena aside. "Merena, you know I will do whatever I can to help, but I am not sure it is wise for you to run off in search of Anomen, possibly putting yourself in danger. After all, you have Kylia to think of. I could go myself, find the trail, and meet up with the Order afterward."
Merena gazed at Jaheira, her heart in her eyes. "Jaheira, how could I look Kylia in the face and tell her that someone I care about — someone she cares about — is in danger but I plan to do nothing about it? You heard the High Watcher; Anomen would have never agreed to take on this mission if it hadn't been for our quarrel."
"You don't know that for certain, Merena…" Jaheira began.
"I know it in my heart, Jaheira, and I feel responsible." Merena clasped Jaheira's hands. "I have to do this, Jaheira. I owe Anomen that much, and so much more." She dropped Jaheira's hands and turned away. When she looked at Jahaira again, her eyes were filled with tears. She said in an imploring voice, "I just want him back, Jaheira; I…I want the chance to make things right between us — to tell him how much I care, how much I need him. Please help me."
Jaheira sighed. "Well, it's clear that your mind is made up. So I suppose if you insist on being foolish, we will be foolish together. Though I don't know how sending me could be considered 'doing nothing'…" Jaheira grumbled under her breath.
Merena threw her arms around Jaheira and hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you, Jaheira, I knew I could count on you to help!" She pulled away and gave Jaheira what she hoped was a soothing smile. "Besides, what danger? It's just a simple scouting mission — we just have to find the trail and report back to the Order."
Jaheira snorted. "How long did we travel together? Not once in all that time did a 'simple scouting mission' remain simple for more than a day."
Merena sat with her arm around her daughter, trying desperately to think of a way to explain the situation that would not frighten Kylia too much.
"Kylia," she began, "I need you to listen carefully. Something has come up unexpectedly that Jaheira and I must take care of; we have to leave today and will be gone for some time. I don't know exactly how long it will take, but hopefully not more than a ten-day or so. Of course, Arthia will be here to take care of you while I'm gone."
"What happened, Momma? Why do you need to go?" Kylia asked, curious rather than alarmed by this surprise departure.
Merena took a deep breath and continued. "I know that Anomen has told you many stories about the tasks given to him by the Order, well right now he is doing something for the Order that is so difficult he needs our help to finish it. As a matter of fact, he can't come to see us again until then."
Rather than being upset by this news as Merena expected, Kylia's face lit. "You mean Anomen wants to come back and see us and he can't?"
Merena cursed to herself. She had noticed that Kylia had seemed somewhat withdrawn and anxious in the last few days, but she had thought it was a response to her own unsettled mood. Damn you, Kelsey, she thought furiously. Kylia would certainly have never come to conclusion that Anomen was deliberately staying away if she hadn't already experienced her father's indifference.
She hugged her daughter and said, "Of course he wants to come see us, Kylia! I know there is nothing he would like more than to be here with us right now." Even as she said the words, Merena did know, as surely as she knew her own name, that Anomen would have answered her letter or come in person by now if he could. "That's why it's so important that Jaheira and I go to help him, so he can come back to visit us as soon as possible."
Kylia looked at her with all the confidence of a child who is certain her mother can fix anything. "Well, I'll miss you, Momma, but I don't mind staying with Arthia while you go help Anomen."
"That's my good girl!" Merena exclaimed, holding her daughter close.
As usual, Arthia had the last word before their departure. Expectedly, she was upset and concerned about what had befallen "that poor boy", but less expectedly, she stoutly supported Merena's decision to aid the search for him. "I know those knights mean well," Arthia sniffed, "but I'm sure Sir Anomen would rather have his fate in the hands of someone who really cares for him." Merena was certain that Arthia was underestimating the Order's desire to find those who slain and imprisoned their own brethren, but wisely decided not to press the issue.
"Yes, Miss Merena," Arthia continued, fixing Merena with a fierce look. "It's best that you go find Sir Anomen and bring him back. And this time, make sure he stays."