A/N: Extra chapter now because tomorrow is going to be super busy and I can't guarantee a chapter then.
The Ranger'sDaughter: Gilan's back in Araluen enjoying retirement with Jenny. Kane is quite the fighter, especially with his family.
AER: The intensity gets worse...just wait for it. Weird one-shots that are odd...okay...
Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan.
Robin sighed heavily as she and Hazen left the last house on their list. No new maids. No new wards. Nothing. No sign of Maggie. No word of who would want to kidnap Mara. Nothing at all. Robin had just spent the past several days pretending to be Hazen's girlfriend for nothing.
"One more," Hazen said.
"Then we go back to Roscrea," Robin mumbled.
Hazen kept his focus on the path ahead. The only thing their trip had accomplished thus far was rumors. Rumors that would catch up to Hazen before they caught up to Robin. The apprentice of a wealth businesswoman wooed a prince? Good for her. But the crown heir of an important kingdom fell for some untitled apprentice to the point they snuck around his parents? Not so good. Mason and Scout would surely dismiss the rumors when they heard them. They may even tease the two about them, but Hazen would have a long ways to go to regain his reputation as a prince who could keep his affections in check.
"I wonder how Russ and Reese are doing," Robin said when Hazen fell silent. She knew how much more worried he became each time their efforts came up dry. They had Maggie, but they'd wanted Mara. Hazen took that personally.
Hazen shook his head. "Surely if Maggie was found there would be an official announcement the princess had come home. Everywhere we go people talk about how she's been taken. They'd announced she's been found just to call back the search parties if nothing else."
Robin didn't know what to say to that. She wasn't naïve enough to think Maggie was safe, but she certainly hoped she was. Maggie had done a very brave thing giving Mara's name as hers and taking her tiara. Those in the bridal suite had suffered a great deal when it engulfed. Robin didn't dare imagine what would have happened if the arsonist hadn't had a hostage he needed to remove as quickly as possible before lighting that fire. Mara had been the target. Hazen wouldn't rest until he found out why.
They came up on the final manor they needed to check. Sir Bartholomew and Lady Loraine lived there. Bartholomew was one of the last remaining knights who had been titled in an Old Kingdom. He'd pledged allegiance to Mourne, not Hibernia. He made a new vow under Sean's leadership, which led to his placement in this manor. He held a post similar to the one Noah would grow into, watching over the people of a portion of the fief and managing affairs to report to the baron, who would in turn report to Mason and Scout.
Sir Bartholomew and Lady Loraine managed an estate so small in comparison to their peers Mason planned to let it absorb into the care of a neighboring earl rather than appoint someone new. He was simply allowing the retired knight and his wife to finish their days there in the home they knew and loved. They'd both shown great loyalty during their years of service, Bartholomew as a knight and Loraine as a seamstress who headed the textile mill that made royal uniforms. Most retirees their age either took up apartments in Roscrea or moved in with children, but these two had no children and preferred life at the manor to life at the castle. The estate produced its own income, costing nothing financially for them to be there. Mason and Scout allowed them to stay and even made a point to visit once a year or so just to give Lady Loraine an excuse to put on a big show. She loved playing hostess.
"You're sure you want to do this again?" Robin asked.
"It's the last one. If we don't see anything promises after one night let's just go home."
Robin nodded. She hated seeing Hazen so beaten down, especially since it concerned his little sister. If Maggie had gone in Anne's place Robin would be doing the same thing he was. They made it to the gates and Hazen, as usual, was recognized immediately.
"Still liking that dress you made me buy you?" Hazen joked. Robin smiled at his attempt to lighten the mood before they had to pretend to be in hopeless love.
"I'm thinking I'll need another soon," Robin teased back. "This one has dirt on it."
Hazen chuckled. They were welcomed on the front steps of the manor and a stable boy ran out to collect their horses. They went inside to be greeted formally by Sir Bartholomew and Lady Loraine, however only Lady Loraine was there.
"We didn't know you would be joining us," Lady Loraine told them sweetly. She was dressed as though she were already entertaining guests.
"We weren't sure we'd make it before nightfall," Robin covered quickly. "We apologize for the inconvenience."
"None at all," Lady Loraine insisted. "I'm sorry miss, but you are?"
"This is Robin," Hazen said quickly. "She's my…friend."
He hesitated before naming her a friend, just as they'd rehearsed.
"Well, your parents will be happy you made it. They're just this way."
"Your parents?" Robin whispered as they fell in step behind Lady Loraine.
"I've no idea," Hazen whispered back.
They entered into the formal dining room. Sure enough, Mason and Scout were seated to one side. They both paused with goblets halfway to their lips to stare at Hazen and Robin. Hazen and Robin looked to each other.
"Where's Daniel and Julia?" Hazen mouthed as he sat across from his father. Their hosts were busy ordering more place settings.
Mason and Scout both shook their heads, signaling they'd talk later and went on laughing at some story Sir Bartholomew told them before the younger pair arrived. The knight and his wife put on a great show of a formal dinner but, as their hosts had a lot of years behind them, the night ended early. The guests were shown to a set of rooms in the far wing of the manor. It wasn't difficult for Hazen and Robin to walk over to Mason and Scout's bedroom.
"Alright, what are you two doing here?" Scout demanded the moment they entered. Their room had a small table meant for breakfast near a window she and her husband sat at. Robin took an armchair nearby while Hazen dragged over the vanity stool.
"Looking for Maggie," Hazen told them. "We were in this fishing village with no leads too long. Russ and Reese went to search orphanages and we are making rounds seeing if she was pawned off as a servant for the rich."
"Why would he take a girl he thought was a princess and pawn her off as a servant?" Mason asked.
"It was my brother's idea," Robin cut in. "There were absolutely no leads. Not at the docks, not at the inn, not at the taverns, not at the brothel…"
"The what?" Mason and Scout asked together. Robin glanced nervously to Hazen.
"Who went to gather information there?" Mason demanded. Hazen pointed to Robin.
"We'll leave that part out when we talk to your parents about this," Scout assured her. "Are you alright, Robin?"
"I'm fine," Robin promised. "I worked in the kitchen."
"What are you doing here?" Hazen asked his parents. "Where are Daniel and Julia?"
"Daniel and Julia are in the community scouting for leads," Scout told them. "We were hoping if the kidnappers are wanting a ransom they will come forward if it gets around we're in a relatively unguarded manor."
"They don't want a ransom," Robin sighed. "We were prepared to give one of my aunt's fully stocked ships and no leads came forward."
"If they wanted a ransom, they've had plenty of opportunity to get it," Mason said. "If they wanted to kill a princess, we would have heard about it by now."
"What if they found out it wasn't Mara and decided to dispose of her quietly?" Hazen asked. Both his parents snapped forward to slap him.
"Don't talk that like!" Scout hissed.
"We can't find her," Hazen pleaded. "There are no leads. It's like we're chasing a ghost."
"She's somewhere. She has to be," Mason said firmly.
"We found her dress, a bottle of dye, and locks of her hair in a clearing in the woods," Robin told the Hibernian royals, hoping the information would be helpful. After all, Mason trained to be a Ranger and Scout studied at the Academy. They could see things others didn't.
"When?" Mason asked.
"It was just outside the fishing village we'd set up in. Before that we followed word of a man traveling with a disoriented young girl."
"Disoriented?"
"Our guess is drugged," Hazen mumbled, rubbing the spot his mother had slapped on his arm.
"Has anyone tried attacking the two of you since you've been on full display here?" Robin asked. Mason and Scout both shook their heads. Robin bit her thumbnail, a nervous habit her parents never cared to break her of. Mara's parents weren't targets. Her brother wasn't a target. She was too young to have so greatly offended any of Hibernia's enemies on such a personal level.
Who were these people really after?