~March 20th, x800~
Horse hooves crush grass and leaves as a carriage gallops through tightly packed woods. There's no path to follow, and little light guides the driver. He must keep a watchful eye or risk a crash. Up ahead, a log blocks the way. With no room to maneuver around it, the driver tightens his grip on the reins. His horses jump it effortlessly, and the carriage, enchanted to mirror their actions, follows.
The motion causes the carriage to rock so severely, Catie snaps out of the light doze she'd been taking as she nearly falls off her seat. Only Bors' grip on her arm keeps her steady.
"Thank you," Catie says. She rights herself on the seat.
Bors simply nods and goes back to the small piece of wood and knife in his hands. When they started this journey, it was just a block, but Catie can see the beginning of what looks like a deer taking shape. Across from her, Henry fiddles with a small, metal orb. It's filled with gears, and he lines them up in no particular order she can make out. After a few minutes, he digs into his pocket and pops a lollipop into his mouth. It's his fifth one of the trip, and Catie suspects he has an infinite supply.
Catie covers her mouth as she yawns. Her legs feel cramped and sore. Rubbing her eyes, she looks out the window and frowns. It's hard to tell what time it is, but they've been on the road for at least half a day. At the rate they're traveling, they could have taken the train first thing in the morning. Then she would have been able to get a couple of hours of sleep at least. She wishes she'd brought a book with her, but she doubts she would have been able to focus on it.
With a sigh, she pulls out the letter Captain Achilles wrote.
'On the fifteenth of March, x800, Nobleman Julius Gaius was murdered in the streets of his hometown of Hemlock. Despite the time of death being midday, and the murder occurring in the middle of town, the residents claim no knowledge of what happened.'
"How does a man get murdered in broad daylight with no witnesses?" Catie mumbles to herself.
"Obviously, he doesn't," Henry says. "Someone saw something. They're just keeping their mouths shut."
"Why? What's the point of keeping quiet?" Catie asks.
"Fear, maybe," says Bors. "The one who killed the nobleman may have threatened the witnesses."
"Or paid them off," Henry adds. "People will do just about anything for the right price."
"Maybe. I don't know. Everything about this request feels off," Catie says.
The horses whinny as the carriage pulls to a sudden halt.
"This is as far as I take you," the driver calls.
Once more, Catie looks out the window, but all she can see are the train tracks.
"Is this Hemlock Town?" She asks.
"No, this is Calluna Station." Henry climbs out of the carriage. "Captain Adonis is supposed to meet with us here."
"I believe his name is Achilles," Bors says. Once he is out of the carriage, he turns and holds out his hand to Catie, helping her down.
"Thank you." Catie stretches, feeling her back pop. Her ribs still ache from fighting all those wyverns, and she winces. "Where are we meeting, exactly?"
"Didn't say." Henry shrugs. "We're a few minutes early, though, so he might not even be here yet."
Bors crosses his arms and scowls.
"Your soldiers would be so undisciplined?" He asks.
"It's more likely that he's here already and watching us," Catie says. She continues stretching as she takes a careful look around; there are woods as far as the eye can see, and the only two buildings are the train station itself and a small cafe. She wonders how much business they could see in such a remote location.
"Why?" Bors asks. "He does not trust us?"
"Who knows?" Catie smiles brightly and hooks her arms with Bors and Henry, drawing both men close. "For now, just play along with me. We're tourists on our way to Hemlock, who stopped here for lunch. Doesn't that cafe look lovely?"
As Catie drags them along, Bors notices movement from the woods.
"Someone is following us," he warns.
"Do you know how many people there are?" Henry asks.
"I can't be certain, but at least two."
"Try not to look so tense," Catie says, skipping. "They'll notice we're onto them."
Bors relaxes his shoulders and shifts his arm, so he's escorting Catie now. Henry pulls his arm from Catie's grasp.
"I'm not a dog, you know," he grumbles. "Don't go yanking me around."
"Sorry," Catie says. "I got carried away."
The sign on the door tells them they are about to enter the Calluna Cafe. The tinkle of a bell greets them at the door.
"Welcome in!" A woman waves from behind the counter. "Have a seat anywhere you'd like, and I'll be by to bring you menus shortly!"
The cafe has a small dining area with just two tables, one booth, and a row of stools lined up at a breakfast bar; the only other person inside is a man wearing a worn-out trench coat snoring into his cup of coffee. Before they can decide where to sit, the bell rings again, and the waitress calls out another welcome as a young man and woman enter.
"Sorry, we're late!" The young woman says, grabbing Catie's hands. "We had a bit of trouble getting through the crowd! They packed the train today!"
In her early twenties, she's a petite woman, with long purple hair braided down her back and dark brown eyes to complement her rich dark skin. She wears a lilac sundress with a pair of heeled sandals, and she still has to stand on her tiptoes to press a kiss to Catie's cheek.
"Captain Achilles sent us," she whispers before pulling back and announcing: "it's so good to see you! It feels like it's been forever!"
The young woman hugs Henry and Bors, presumably giving them the same message.
"It really has been so long!" Catie says, turning to the young man. "Wasn't your brother supposed to join us? I was hoping to see him!"
The young man gives her a handsome smile. He's in his mid-twenties and of average height and build. His blonde hair rests against his shoulder. A pair of round spectacles slightly obscure his deep violet eyes. His skin is fair, and he wears a dark blue blazer over a burgundy turtleneck with a black pair of dress pants and brown shoes.
"Unfortunately, he couldn't get out of work in time," he says, bowing slightly. "He sends his apologies. However, I was able to pick up the book he promised to lend you on the way here. I hope it is of some consolation."
He hands over a leather-bound book and shakes his head minutely when Catie makes to open it. She traces her fingers over the cover and presses it to her chest instead.
"I'm looking forward to reading it. Do you think he'd discuss it with me when I finish?"
"I'm sure he'd love to, but he'll be out of town on business for the rest of your stay."
"What a shame," Bors says, eyeing the young man carefully.
"I'd say." Henry crosses his arms. "Your 'brother' shouldn't make promises he can't keep."
"You'll have to forgive him," the young man says. "He's a very busy man."
Henry scoffs, and a heavy silence falls over them.
"Have you all ordered yet?" The young woman asks. "I'm starving! Let's sit down."
"You shouldn't have skipped breakfast this morning, Wren," the young man says, pulling out her chair.
"But Titus!" Wren pouts as she sits. "We were in a hurry!"
"That's no excuse," Titus says. He pulls out another chair and smiles at Catie. "For you, Miss."
"Oh. Thank you," Catie sits down with a slight blush. "That wasn't really necessary, though."
"Don't mind him." Wren grins. "Titus just loves playing the gentleman. He does a good job, too. You'd never guess-"
"Wren? Aren't you forgetting something?" Titus interrupts her.
"Am I? Oh yes! Here!" She pulls three train tickets out of her purse and passes them around. "The tickets you requested! It's a shame your train leaves in thirty minutes. I wanted to catch up some more."
"We'll just have to make do with the time we have," Catie says. She picks up her ticket and frowns; it's for a round trip to Crocus, not Hemlock.
"Right you are!" Wren leans her head in her hand as she rests her elbow on the table. "Now, you'll never guess what happened yesterday!"
"If I ever see that woman again, I'm taping her mouth shut," Henry says as he rubs his temples.
"You have to admit it was kind of amazing," Catie says. She looks out the train window and waves to Titus and Wren as they pull away. "I don't think she paused for breath once."
"It was hard to keep up with all her words," Bors says. "I believe I misunderstood. What was the importance of her missing sock?"
"It wasn't important in the slightest!" Henry snaps. "She rambled for thirty minutes about absolute nonsense! And it was in her dryer the whole time!"
"Then why purchase ten identical pairs?" Bors asks.
"How the hell should I know?!" Henry sighs. It feels like someone has taken a hammer to the inside of his skull. "Dammit! Just tell us what's in that stupid book they gave you!"
Catie swallows her laughter as she opens the book and scans the pages inside. "It looks like a file on the case and everything they know so far." In the back is also a miniature communication lacrima. Catie taps it, and it glows.
"Good, they handed it off without a stitch." Answers a man in his thirties with dark, curly hair and slanted, grey eyes.
"I've got a bone to pick with you, Archimedes!" Henry snatches the lachrima and all but growls at it. "What was with the ruse?"
"My name is Captain Achilles," the man snaps back. "You should remember my title, if nothing else, Mr. Garneau. As for the 'ruse,' it is imperative to your mission that no one in Hemlock associates you with the Rune Knights. They won't speak to you, otherwise."
"The people in Hemlock don't like Rune Knights?" Catie asks.
"They don't trust us," Achilles says. "Any time someone on my team tries to interview anyone, they shut down. Everyone insists they know nothing and saw nothing, but they were all twenty feet away at the time of the incident."
"Everyone in town was nearby? Why?" Bors asks, leaning closer to the lachrima.
"There was a town meeting that day. Nobleman Gaius had called for it, though we haven't learned why. In any case, he was the first to leave and was killed almost as soon as he stepped foot outside. He was shot three different times by three different guns, and all those people expect me to believe not one of them witnessed or even heard it happening. I just don't get what they're hiding. I'm trying to help them!" Achilles sighs and suddenly looks worn down. "We need you three to get them to open up to you. I'm hoping the fact that you're in a guild will be enough to build a semblance of trust. I doubt they'll tell you the full truth, but even gossip and rumors will give us something to work with. "
"Hemlock isn't exactly a tourist town," says Henry. "Won't it seem suspicious that we're there? Especially since I'm assuming the place is crawling with Rune Knights."
"Don't worry. We'll be delaying the train for three days. No one will be allowed to enter or leave the town once you arrive. Fortunately, few people are traveling in this direction this time of year. Unless they're heading to the capital, of course."
"So we were on our way to Crocus, but our train is being delayed, and we must stay in town," Bors says.
"Precisely. Any other information you need is in the file. If you need help at all, contact me through this, and I'll be there to assist you right away. Now, any questions before I go?"
"Why are the Rune Knights interested in this case in the first place?" Catie asks. "It seems a bit out of your jurisdiction."
"That information is classified, but I suppose I can tell you one thing: Nobleman Gaius was a mage, and he specialized in Shield Magic. Normal bullets shouldn't have been able to pierce through his defenses, yet here we are."
The three mages fall silent, each of them absorbing the new information and what it might mean. Henry opens his mouth, about to ask more questions, but is interrupted by a loud bang from Captain Achilles' end.
"We're back, Captain Seb!" Wren calls, throwing herself at the man and knocking him out of the picture. "Oh! Is that you, Phoenix Refuge? Titus! Look! Say 'Hi' to our friends!"
A distant "hello," is heard off-screen as Wren beams at them.
"Now I can finish telling you guys about my sock! So-"
Henry snatches the lacrima from Catie's hand and smashes it on the ground, panting heavily. Once he's realized what he's done, he gathers the pieces together.
"I can fix it, probably," he says. "And if I can't, well, at least we won't be in danger of that woman's inane rambling. The sight of her nearly gave me a heart attack. If I never see her again, it'll be too soon."
"So," Catie says, hiking her bag onto her shoulder. "This is Hemlock. Considering the name, I was expecting something a bit more… gothic? Gray perhaps?"
She sees a generic small town, complete with what seems to be a few houses, one general store, and a pub. Besides the Rune Knights canvassing the area, the only person in sight is an older man sweeping the porch in front of the pub. In the distance, a mansion sits atop a hill, surrounded by what appears to be a golden gate, looming over the town.
Catie can't help but frown at it; she's never been fond of such opulent buildings.
"Have you ever seen a hemlock flower?" Henry asks, still trying to piece together the lachrima.
"Can't say that I have." Catie tears her gaze from the mansion and starts walking towards the pub. "I just know that they're poisonous."
"They're delicate and small white flowers," Henry explains.
"We refer to them as Lady's Lace, where I come from." Bors offers.
Catie smiles up at him as she places her hand over her heart. "That's so cute."
"Don't forget that they can kill you, Cathy."
"Henry, I've known you for years now. There's no way you can't remember my name." Catie narrows her eyes at him. "You're doing it on purpose, aren't you?"
The man shrugs.
"Nah, it's just cuz I referred to you as Kid #1 for a while. Congratulations on graduating to an actual name; your siblings are still Kid #2 and #3."
"Why?" Catie asks.
Henry just shrugs.
"We should find a place to stay for the night," Bors says.
"Good luck with that," says the sweeping man. "The Rune Knights have taken over the only inn as their base of operations. Damn leeches aren't even paying the owner, of course."
"Well, that doesn't seem fair," Catie says, forcing her voice to sound absolutely indignant. Their mission officially starts now.
"First they shut down the train, now we can't even find a place to stay," Henry huffs. "Damn Rune Knights. They've always been a group of self-righteous assholes. Can't stand the lot of them."
Catie's pretty sure he means that.
"Sir, if you don't mind, why are there so many Rune Knights here?" Bors asks. His accent causes the man to stop his sweeping.
He takes in the three of them and frowns, his narrowed gaze bouncing back and forth from the men to Catie.
"Don't see a lot of foreigners in these parts," he says. "What brings you three to Hemlock?"
"We're on our way to Crocus for a mission, but we've been waylaid." Bors answers.
"Oh. You're all from a guild?" They nod. "Which one?"
"Phoenix Refuge!" Catie shows off the mark on her ribs. The man examines it with what appears to be an ever-present frown and shakes his head.
"Never heard of it," he says. Catie tries not to show how annoying she finds that.
"We're pretty small. It's in Barberry."
"Ah, that harbor town by the Obsidian Mountain, right? I heard some rumors about a guild starting there." The man leans on his broom. "So the Rune Knights got you all stuck in Hemlock, huh? How long did they say?"
"Three days. We're going to end up losing the job at this rate." Catie sniffles, her eyes shiny with tears. " We can't even go back home. I just don't know what we're going to do."
The older man rubs the back of his neck and clears his throat.
"Well, I can't help you with the train or with a place to stay, but you're welcome to come in and have a drink if you like."
"Really?" Catie grabs his hand with a smile. "Thank you so much!"
The man clears his throat again, his face turning red.
"Not a problem at all, Miss. Come on in."
He holds open the door to the modest single-story building that is the Hemlock Tavern. Inside, the ceiling is low, with lanterns sprinkled throughout to give a quiet glow. The only window is tinted heavily. The walls are decorated with taxidermy animal heads and antique swords and axes placed with no consideration or organization. There are several discolored spots in the shapes of guns as well, but not a single actual rifle or pistol in place.
All the tables and most of the stools are full of people. It's so crowded; it feels like the whole town is there. They even spot kids, some chasing each other, others sitting solemnly with their parents.
"You allow children in your pub?" Bors asks, stepping aside as a toddler nearly crashes into him.
"We didn't use to." The man shrugs. "But we've been having kids go missing. This is probably the safest spot in town, so families bring their children here during the day."
"Missing?" Catie asks as she takes a seat at the bar. That wasn't in the file. "Have you reported them? Is that why the Rune Knights are here?"
A man sitting next to her scoffs.
"The Rune Knights don't give a damn about a bunch of low-class kids disappearing." He slams back a beer. "The only reason they're even here is cuz someone finally killed that bastard."
"Michael. Please watch your language around the children," says a woman as she covers a child's ears. It's a little too late, though. Bors can already hear some children repeating the word.
Michael must hear them too, as he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Sorry, Anne. I'm just frustrated."
"We're all frustrated, Michael."
"Someone was murdered here? When?" Henry asks, keeping up their cover.
"A few days ago," says the pub owner. "You saw it when you pulled into town, right? That mansion at the top of the hill? Nobleman Julius Gaius lived there with his wife. Now he's dead as a doorknob, and the Rune Knights have invaded our town."
"Have you told them about the disappearances?" Bors asks.
"We reported them months ago, but they have done nothing. All they want to talk to any of us about is who killed the motherfucker."
"Mr. Clark!" Anne scolds.
He just waves her off. "It's nothing they all haven't heard before. Sides', this is my pub, you know. I'll say what I damn please!"
"What do you mean you reported it months ago?" Catie stands.
"Just what I said." Mr. Clark shrugs. "Nothing happened."
"That's not right." Catie mumbles, frustratedly rummaging through her bag. "That's just not right. Here." She pulls out a piece of paper with a pen. "Can you write the names of the missing children and any family they might have we can talk to?"
"Why would you need that?" Henry asks her.
"We're already here. If the Rune Knights won't help, then I will."
All eyes are on Catie; whispers traded amongst the people.
"We appreciate the thought, Miss," Michael says, "but these families can't afford to hire a mage for help."
"Who said anything about paying me?"
"Catie-" Henry puts his hand on her shoulder.
"Children are missing, and no one is doing anything about it!" She snaps, shoving the paper into Mr. Clark's hands. The whispers grow to a quiet roar, and Catie feels her neck and ears flush. It's a struggle to keep from hunching her shoulders to hide. She hadn't meant to cause a scene. The last thing she wants is to be the center of attention, but there's no helping it now. There are more important things at stake than her comfort. Still, she lowers her voice as she turns to Bors and Henry and fights the current of nervous energy flowing through her. "Whether or not you guys help me, I can't stand by and nothing."
Bors drops his hand on Catie's head, and she feels some of the anxiety leave her in favor of surprise. She looks carefully up at him, but he's looking at Mr. Clark.
"I agree with Catrina," he says. "This isn't something we can just ignore. Please, give us the information."
Catie's face breaks into a grateful grin.
With a roll of his eyes, Henry throws his hands in the air.
"Fine! Let's track down some kids!" Henry turns to the pub owner. "You heard the woman. Now get to it!"
A bit in disbelief, Mr. Clark laughs a little. However, he quickly writes a list of all the missing children and their families and their addresses.
"You can start over there, though." He points to a woman sitting in the corner. "That's Nobleman Gaius' Widow. Her son disappeared three days before her husband was killed."
Claudia Gaius. The woman stares down into her teacup, her eyes lost in her distorted reflection. She can't be a day past thirty-five, but there's a streak of gray in her black hair and heavy bags beneath her brown eyes. The bun on her head is not quite put together. Her posture, however, is impeccable. She wears a plain black, wrinkled dress, but it's easy to see that the fabric is much nicer than what everyone else is wearing. In her hands is a string of worn red prayer beads.
"I'll talk to her by myself first," Catie says. "If I can get her to relax, I'll call you over."
Bors nods. "I will try to talk to the children here."
"I'll ask some adults about Gaius," says Henry.
With their tentative plan in place, Catie approaches Claudia.
"Excuse me," she says. "Mrs. Gaius?"
The woman looks up from her tea and forces a thin smile onto her lips. "Yes? How can I help you?"
"My name is Catrina Cinerus," she curtsies a little, then tries not to wince at the old habit. "Do you mind if I sit?"
"Please." Claudia clutches her beads closer to her chest. "Cinerus, you said? Now, where have I heard that name before?"
"Perhaps from my father Ajax Cinerus?"
"... No. That doesn't quite ring a bell either. I must be confusing it with something else."
"Maybe." Catie plasters on her kindest smile. "I hope I'm not being too forward; I'm actually from the Phoenix Refuge guild, and I heard about your missing son and the … the passing of your husband. I thought I'd offer my help."
"Oh my. I wasn't aware someone had contracted a guild."
"No one did. I was just passing through with two other members when we heard about what happened. I've decided to help if I can. Free of charge." Catie pauses. "If you'd like, I can also try to investigate what happened to your husband."
Claudia bursts into tears- quiet tears she tries to muffle the sound of.
Catie recognizes this as the "good breeding" and "proper etiquette" noble families are often expected to have. Crying is fine for women, so long as it is contained and quiet and as pretty as possible. She breathes, pushing down the memories trying to rear their ugly heads. Now is not the time.
Claudia carefully dabs at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.
"Please forgive my outburst."
"There's no need to apologize. I understand you've gone through a lot in the past few weeks." Catie clasps her hand. "Whenever you're ready, can you tell me about your son and your husband?"
The children huddle together in a corner, watching Bors with wide eyes as they whisper amongst themselves. They remind him of rabbits. He kneels to be at their level, sure to leave a clear path of escape for them. The last thing he wants is to activate their flight or fight response.
"Hello," he greets. "I am Bors Gaheris."
A little girl, only ten, breaks away from the group and approaches him.
"I'm Cassie," she says. "Can you do magic?"
"Yes. I use Rune Magic."
"What's that?" A little boy asks.
"It's similar to Letter Magic. I write a rune and a corresponding effect happens." He writes the rune for light on his palm, and the children gasp in surprise as his hand shines.
"Can your friends do magic too?"
"Yes. Catrina is a Wind Mage, and Henry uses Iron Make Magic."
"That's so cool! No one here uses magic, except Ms. Claudia, and her magic is boring!" Cassie says. "You're in a guild, right?"
"Yes. I-"
Excitedly, the children chatter, all of them speaking over each other as they try to ask him questions. Bors waits for them to calm down before he speaks.
"I will answer all your questions if you will answer mine."
Cassie, who appears to be the leader, agrees on their behalf.
"We'll take turns," she says, holding out her hand.
"Perfect plan." They shake on it. "Now, what magic does Mrs. Gaius use?"
"She can make things small, but only for a little while." A boy explains. "She called it... um... Big Small Magic."
"She said it's called Shrinking Magic." Cassie corrects as she pulls out a doll the size of a quarter from her pocket. "Mrs. Gaius shrunk my doll by accident when she tripped over her. She said she'll be normal again tomorrow, but I wish she could stay tiny forever. She's so cute!"
"My turn! My turn!" Another little girl waves her hand frantically. "Have you ever met someone from Fairy Tail?"
"No, I haven't, unfortunately," Bors says, much to the children's disappointment. "My guild is much smaller than Fairy Tail. We receive different jobs."
"Oh." The girl shuffles away sadly.
"Your turn again," Cassie says.
"Very well. Can any of you tell me about Nobleman Gaius?"
The children gasp, huddling even closer to each other. A little girl, no older than five, tugs on Bors pant leg. He leans down so she can whisper in his ear, but she's still loud enough for the others to hear.
"He was Monster," she says, eyes impossibly wide. "If he catched you, he'd eat you."
"He wasn't really a monster, Lily," Cassie says. "But he was mean. He didn't want Octavian to be our friend."
"If he caught us by the gate, he would use his magic to push us away." A boy adds.
"No," Lily shakes her head. "He a monster. He ated my brother."
Henry takes a seat at the bar, and Mr. Clark sets down a pint in front of him.
"It's on the house," he says when Henry tries to pay.
"Thanks," Henry says, taking a big gulp. It burns on the way down, but not unpleasantly. The taste of cinnamon lingers in his mouth. His gaze lands on the spot above the liquor shelves and frowns; the pronounced shape of a missing pistol stands out.
"What happened to all your guns?" Henry asks.
"The Rune Knights took 'em." Mr. Clark huffs. "'Evidence,' they said, nevermind most of those guns weren't in good enough shape to fire, anyway."
"I see," Henry takes another sip of his drink. This time, it tastes like ginger. "How long has Gaius' widow been hanging out here?" Henry asks.
Mr. Clark shrugs. "She showed up the day her son disappeared, looking like she was gonna die on the spot. At first, I didn't realize who she was; she'd never left that mansion before, but she fell to her knees and begged everyone here for help. I don't know what she thought any of us could do, though. Still, we formed a search party like we always do, and we found nothing."
"Gaius came barging in the next day, demanding she go back home, but she wouldn't budge." Michael pipes in. "She got hysterical, started screaming about all their dirty laundry right in front of us. The bastard smacked her across the face."
"Threw him out right after. It took five people to drive him off. He kept shouting about how he'd make us pay." Mr. Clark refills Henry's mug. "Two days later, he was dead."
"And good riddance!" Michael shouts. "That man was a terror! He deserved to be put down like a dirty mutt! He did everything to make sure living in this town was Hell, and then he did even more to make sure none of us could leave!"
"He owned all the houses and all the land here," says a woman, joining the conversation.
"He thought he owned the people, too!" someone shouts.
"My niece went to work for him for a month, and she left town without a word," Anna says. "She just sent a letter saying she had to get away. No one has heard from her since!"
One by one, people come forward to complain. They've been holding in all their woes for so long that the dam finally bursts.
Henry stays silent, letting them air their grievances and learning all he can.
Amidst the commotion, Claudia wraps her beads around her wrist and takes a drink of her tea. Catie waits until she's comfortable enough to speak.
"My son, Octavian, is only five. He's such a good boy. He's clever and oh so sweet." She pulls out a picture from her purse. The little boy has bright, brown eyes and the biggest smile Catie has seen. "He was playing in the garden when he and one of our servants went missing."
"One of your servants went missing as well? Is it possible they kidnapped Octavian?"
Claudia shakes her head. "Oh no. Not Lydia. She's the kindest young woman I've ever met. She's only nineteen and started working for us about three months ago, but Octavian adores her. Whoever took Octavian must have taken her as well."
"You believe Octavian was kidnapped?"
"He must have been. They were playing on the grounds. I could see them from my window. I only turned away for a minute, but that was all it took. When I turned around, they were gone, and I thought they'd simply come inside, but I couldn't find them anywhere." Claudia bursts into tears again, and Catie stands to pat her on the back.
"It's alright. You don't have to tell me any more about your son. Would you like to discuss your husband?" Mentioning him only makes Claudia cry more as she vigorously shakes her head back and forth. "I'm sorry. It's okay; We don't have to talk about him if you don't want to." Catie looks up, and Bors and Henry are standing by the door discussing something. "Mrs. Gaius, I'm going to talk to the families of the other missing children, but I'll be back here soon. Would it be possible for you to show me your manor's grounds? Perhaps I could find something to help locate your son."
"I… I don't know. My husband doesn't like strangers on the manor's grounds."
"Well, why don't you think about it, and you can let me know when I get back."
Catie pats her on the back again, then joins Henry and Bors.
"Let's go outside," says Henry. Catie and Bors follow him.
"Did you find out anything?" Henry asks.
"Mrs. Gaius said her son went missing with one of her servants. I wasn't able to get anything out of her about her husband. What about you guys?"
"The younger children are terrified of the mansion," says Bors. "They believe a monster lives there. The older children said Nobleman Gaius would yell at them if they got too close, or if they tried to talk to his son."
"None of the people I talked to had anything good to say about Gaius. He acted like he ran the town and had zero regards for the rules. Because of his money and connection to the Magic Council, he could get away with whatever he wanted. At one point, he hired a guild to intimidate some residents. He was constantly cycling through servants and all of them were pretty young women below the age of twenty-five. The rumor is that he would have an affair with them, then send them away so they couldn't accuse him of anything."
"This is getting strange. None of this information was in the file." Catie sighs. "No wonder the people didn't want to cooperate."
"What's our next move?" Bors asks.
"I still want to talk to the families of the missing children. There's sure to be a pattern, and I'd like to know what it is."
"Well, who's first?"
Credit:
Titus Kelvin: The Restless Drifter
*Edited January 30th, 2021*