4:
"Vyse, please." Fina pleaded. "No ship docked here, Aika had to have left by her own wishes."
Fina had long abandoned following her friend as he stalked back and forth in his Captain's Quarters. A new globe, a gift from Izmael, rattled on the table as Vyse's feet slammed roughly into the floor.
"Impossible!" Worry lines creased his forehead. "You saw all that broken glass. Aika's a neat freak, she'd never leave a mess like that—is everyone else accounted for on the island? Maybe someone took her."
Cupil chortled nervously as he zipped out of Vyse's way.
"How could you say that?" Fina asked quietly.
At the peculiarity of her voice, Vyse stopped his pacing. The look she gave him made Vyse feel as though he had slapped her.
"Your crew," she murmured. "they, we, adore you, would do anything for you. How could you doubt us?"
Vyse sighed and shook his head. "I don't." he said. "I just can't believe that Aika would leave. She wouldn't. Why would she want to?"
"I don't know." Fina whispered. "Maybe that's the problem."
"I still want to look into any ships leaving Crescent Isle." Vyse persisted. "I also want to know if anyone else besides Aika is missing."
"The Salvation was marked as leaving nearly twelve hours ago. All of your crew is accounted for except for Pow. Now, Captain, is a huskra a likely kidnapping suspect?"
Vyse and Fina turned their heads to the voice at the door. Cupil squealed enthusiastically. Enrique stood, weary but exuberant. He offered Vyse a bow before Fina ran up and hugged him.
Vyse grinned. "Enrique, we're friends. I don't call you 'Emperor,' why should you call me 'Captain?'"
"I earned the title Emperor by birthright," Enrique explained. "you, my friend, actually worked hard for the title you possess. You deserve to be called 'Captain,' Captain."
"I take it you've heard of our problem, Enrique." Vyse pulled a decanter of fine loqua from a cabinet. He poured a glass and handed it to the Emperor.
"Yes." Enrique nodded, taking the glass.
"We were planning a big feast in your honor." Fina murmured. "I have no idea why Aika would disappear, especially with you and Moegi coming to visit."
"Maybe she just needed a break." Enrique shrugged taking a sip of loqua.
"She would have told me." Vyse insisted.
"Regardless of the circumstances surrounding her disappearance," Enrique offered a warm smile. "Aika is resourceful. I place my full confidence in her abilities."
"I still want to know why she left and where she's going." Vyse said. "Just in case."
"What do you suggest we do then, Captain?" Enrique asked.
"Well, all signs point to Aika leaving of her own free will." Vyse sighed. "So I don't think we need the entire crew and the Delphinus out looking for her. A small ship would work."
"I'm always willing to help." Enrique offered. "But I won't allow Moegi to be part of it this time."
"But you and Moegi are inseparable." Fina shot him a confused look.
"And I would have it no other way." Enrique laughed. "But I refuse to put my wife in harm's way."
"You mean that Galcien, Ramirez and Zelos weren't harm's way?" Vyse grinned.
Enrique's cheeks were flooded with crimson. "It was different then." he stammered. "This really should wait until Moegi and I announce it together, but…"
Fina cocked her head to one side. "I don't understand."
Vyse chuckled. "So the Valuan and Yafutoman Empires are going to be officially joined, huh?"
The color in Enrique's face darkened. "If you must put it that way… then, yes." he murmured.
"Congratulations!" Vyse shook Enrique's free hand vigorously. Vyse caught Fina's naïve expression and added, "A baby! Are you hoping for a son or daughter?"
"Well, I know that Moegi would like a son." Enrique smiled meekly. "But I'm just happy that I have everything I could have ever wished for."
"So you want a girl." Vyse laughed.
Enrique blushed again. "It doesn't matter." he insisted. "But if it were to be a daughter, I know that she would sit on my knee while I brushed her hair and…" Enrique scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Well, it doesn't matter."
"When can we expect the baby to be born?" Fina asked.
"The doctors say in about six to seven months." Enrique replied.
Vyse patted Enrique on the shoulder. "If you two need anything, all you have to do is ask." he said. "But I've got to find Don and speak with him for a while."
"I should get back to my wife, as well." Enrique agreed. "It's been nice talking to you."
Vyse opened the door to the Captain's Quarters and let Enrique out. Fina followed on his heels with Cupil wrapped around her arm and Vyse locked the door behind them.
The entire crew of the Delphinus had converged at the tavern. Urala busied herself with presenting a variety of food to her empress, while Kirala watched her sister with a proud little smirk. Enrique quickly joined his wife's side, placing a protective hand over her stomach. Vyse scanned the crowd for Don and quickly found him in his corner with Marco, who was pestering the rugged sailor for a mug of loqua.
Vyse came up behind the younger boy and ruffled his red hair. Marco glowered, but agreed to run down to the dock and make sure the New Hope was ready to sail. The former street urchin hurried to his task.
"If you don't mind me asking, Captain," Don interjected. "why are you preparing a ship when Enrique and the missus just arrived?"
"Aika's disappeared." Vyse replied simply.
Don began to choke on his loqua. He swallowed hard. "What?"
"I don't want to worry any of the crew because it looks like it was her choice to leave." Vyse explained. "But she left without telling anyone, so I'm concerned."
"So why are you telling me?" Don took a cautious sip of his loqua.
"I just have a bad feeling about it, but at the same time I can't make the entire crew chase after one girl who is gone because she wanted to be gone." Vyse sighed. "I want you to try to find her."
"Why me?" Don asked. The days worth of growth on his chin made the shadows on his face seem darker.
"You're a good sailor that I can trust." Vyse said. "Besides, weren't you the one who wanted his own ship yesterday?"
Shock registered in Don's face. "You're going to give me a ship?" He spluttered loqua. "Just like that?"
"You're helping me track down my best friend; of course I'm going to give you a ship." Vyse smiled. "But I would have given you the ship anyways."
"A question, Captain." Don scratched at the stubble on his face. "I'll need a crew, right?"
"Assemble a small one, enough to man the ship's cannons." Vyse nodded.
"Could I have Urala?"
"Why don't you ask her?" Vyse replied. "I'm not sure what she'll say, though, with Moegi in town."
"I'll do that, Captain."
As Don walked off, Vyse breathed a sigh of relief. If it were up to him, he would have left the moment after he discovered that Aika was missing, but it seemed that lately his responsibilities as Captain were weighing him down. He couldn't just abandon his crew and his duties, especially if she really did leave of her own accord. And if she didn't want to come back? Vyse would have to come back to Crescent Isle empty-handed to a disappointed crew. Something about sending Don out soothed the Blue Rogue, but still he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that threatened to constrict his breathing.
Vyse glanced up and caught sight of Fina. The way her forehead wrinkled in a concerned look almost made him laugh. Fina waved him over to where she was standing with Enrique and Moegi. Vyse grudgingly joined the festivities.