“What do you mean you can’t say?”

I asked the garrison captain.

“My apologies, Baron Ashbrook, I cannot currently deny or confirm that this was a garrison intervention. This garrison only deals with district affairs. If this was at a hig…”

“I don’t care about that!”

I cut him dryly.

“Right now there’s a six year old out there who was taken in broad daylight! I need you to either tell me where the garrison took this girl or I need you to get off your ass and find who impersonated these men!”

After leaving the orphanage, we had rushed to the stalls at the church where Coleen had said Silika had been taken. I had my driver go alert the authorities and get my people at the estate working on the matter. To my annoyance, a single guard was dispatched who only took a few statements, refused to answer any question before wordlessly heading back.

Angered by this, I headed for the garrison myself while Delian and Coleen gathered as much information as they could and waited for any words from my estate.

“A report has been drawn up and my team is investigating the matter. All there is for you to do is wait. We will find her in due time.”

I bit my lips. Something’s wrong with this conversation. The captain’s voice is too stiff and detached. His tone has too much certainty. It isn’t confidence or lassitude. It’s knowledge. This man knows something and simply refuses… Or can’t tell me.

“Then please send word to my estate as soon as there’s any development.”

I said before turning my back to the man and heading out of the building.

I made my way through the crowd back to the church. I spotted Delian and Coleen now joined by what looked like a panicked cotton ball.

“What do you mean: ‘They took Silika’?!”

I heard her say as I approached them. I recognised her. She was the Fey kinsmann from yesterday.

“Felicia! I’m sorry, but please focus. Did you hear anything about guards arresting or taking someone away during the festival? Did they let you know about it in advance or anything at all?”

I saw her tremble at these words, obviously she was quite shaken by the news. She stuttered for a few seconds before throwing her hands up.

“I don’t know! I heard a few people got escorted out for being too rowdy, but no kids being kidnapped in broad daylight! Who do you take me for?!”

I cut in before the conversation devolved into a fight.

“I just came back from the garrison. I think a gag order has been issued, they wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“A g-g-gag order?”

It was the young girl, Coleen, asking. She had insisted on coming along, claiming she could be useful as a witness.

“It's military jargon. An order to keep silent about a specific individual or thing.”

I explained quickly. Although Delian nodded knowingly, I could tell from his expression that this information was just as new to him.

“So what do you say we do now?”

Delian asked.

It was a dire situation. We could try waiting it out, but this was risky. Having been part of the kingdom’s military, I was all too aware of the treatment of prisoners. Even more so if the crime they were suspected of would warrant a gag order… She was a child, so they might go easy on her, but it wasn’t something I was willing to gamble on. We need to find her and fast.

“Kinsmann Felicia, Director Blaine, you seem troubled.”

A monotone voice said.

I turned around and was surprised at the sudden arrival of a tall kinsmann. The man had short dark hair and golden eyes. He wore a long dark robe with an embroidered mantle.

“Bishop Feldor!”

Felicia exclaimed.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you again, your excellency.”

Delian exclaimed before bowing to the man followed by Coleen.

An action which I quickly copied. Bishops were one of the highest forms of authority of the church. They had supreme religious authority over the domain to which they were assigned to and could lead armies against heretics in time of strife.

The capital city housed many churches, but when a septenary was erected, it was far from unusual for higher members of the clergy to make it their parish. After all, the opportunity to cooperate with kinsmann of other heritage was a rare privilege. Bishops were men and women worthy of respect, yet this man simply waved aside our greetings with a single nod.

“We’re looking for a missing child, your excellency, but there are some complications.”

I started explaining.

“A missing child? One of yours I imagine?”

He asked while turning to Delian who nodded gravely.

“It’s Silika. She was taken in broad daylight.”

The Bishop, Feldor, did not show any emotion on his face at this news, but somehow I could tell he was perturbed by this news in the quick movements of his eyes.

So he knew Silika…

“And you speak of complications?”

Delian nodded at the question and looked at me.

I cleared my throat and explained the situation at the garrison. When I finished my explanation he looked pensive for a moment before looking up at me.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch your name sir…?”

“Baron. Baron Marshall Ashbrook. Son of Count Ashbrook of Clotop.”

I answered.

“Mmh.. Yes I’ve met your father. Some 8 or 9 years ago, and you were…”

“Leading troops against the Heillhs empire.”

I confirmed.

“Yes, it all comes together. Your presence here must mean you have yet to take your place at the head of the county?”

“Correct.”

“Yes, it's coming back to me. I met your father some 8 years back… And you were..?”

“Leading troops against the Heillhs Empire.”

I answered before continuing.

“But I think we have a more important topic to discuss, don’t we?”

I tried to stir back the conversation to the issue at hand, but he simply shook his head and carried on.

“What we need right now is information from someone within the garrison chain of command. I don’t suppose you have any garrison commander in your entourage.”

I shook my head.

“After the war, I’ve… Been focused elsewhere.”

He glanced at Felicia for a moment who simply tilted her head with a smile.

I couldn’t tell what their silent conversation was, but he simply nodded and moved on.

“Then I have no choice but to elevate the matter. Kinsmann Felicia, would you be so kind as to fetch a carriage?”

She nodded and quickly headed to the side of the church.

“I’m sorry, your excellency, but can I ask where you’re going?”

Delian asked him. He was obviously a bit put off by the side tracked conversation.

“We are going to the Scorn cathedral.”

Momentarily, Felicia came back with a carriage and driver. Felicia had to stay at the church as she was in charge of the festival, and so Delian made arrangements with her to go take care of the orphanage if he was too late getting back, while Bishop Feldor went and fetched some things from his office.

Seeing that the young girl still accompanying us was getting restless on her feet, I helped her onto the carriage and took a seat as well.

Although she had remained quiet most of the time, I knew we couldn’t just send her back to the orphanage quite yet. She was our only witness and the only person who could identify the kidnappers with certainty.

Sitting in the dark cabin, she stared at the empty seat in front of her for a moment. She had a sad and guilty expression on her face. I wanted to tell her it wasn’t her fault, but before I could say anything she started sobbing uncontrollably.

Some instinct took over me and I immediately crouched in front of her.

“Hey! Hey! It’s okay! It’s okay! We’ll find Silika, don't worry.”

“I-I-I-I… I-It’s m-m-m-m-y f-f-f-fault! I-It’s a-a-a-all m-m-m-my f-f-f…”

“It’s not your fault. You did all you could!”

I said, trying to sooth her in vain.

“I-I-I-I sh-sh-should ha-ha-ave s-s-s-s-stayed. I-I-I sh-sh-sh-sh… I Sh-should hav-v-ve pr-pr-pr-pr-pr…”

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

“I sh-should h-have pr-protected her.”

I could tell that there were a lot of things she meant to say. Hateful things. Mostly aimed at herself. I knew that feeling.

Every time I close my eyes, I can see Lilica’s face. The tears streaming down from her gorgeous silver eyes. Her confused and pained expression as she looks at me helplessly as I hold her. The blood stained the sheets where we sat as it dawned on us that our daughter was no more. I could remember her skin turning pale, her eyes growing weak as she stared at me, begging me to save our child, to save her. I remember her last breath on my cheek as she told me one last time that she loved me…

But this isn't about me. It’s about the girl in front of me. Coleen. A 8 year old girl whose friend was just kidnapped in front of her eyes.

“Coleen.”

At the mention of her name she looked up. It was probably surprising to her that I even bothered to memorise her name. She probably only saw me as another austere and proud nobleman.

“You did EXACTLY what you had to do.”

I might not be versed in childcare, but I was versed in the art of war.

I put my hand on her shoulder like I had done to many of my men before.

“You were outnumbered and outmatched. If you had stayed and fought, you would also have been taken and we would never have known what happened to you girls. You didn’t run away. You retreated and called for reinforcement.”

I then put my other hand on my chest.

“We are the reinforcement, and I give you my word that you, me, uncle and everyone else will bring Silika back safely.”

She rubbed her face as tears continued streaming down and took deep breaths. She put her hands down, closed her face and took one last breath, before opening them again and looking at me.

“Okay.”

She simply said.

I smiled.

“Okay.”

I pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her so she could wipe her face. It was starting to become a habit, but then again, I didn’t normally have a habit of making young girls cry.

Delian and Bishop Feldor finally arrived just as Coleen calmed down and the carriage departed.

The ride was silent for a while. After all, we were almost all complete strangers. Only acquainted out of circumstances, so I tried to initiate some conversation.

“Your excellency, but I am curious. How exactly do you know Silika?”

Although it was meant to be an icebreaker, I was legitimately curious, and to my surprise a slight smile cracked at the corner of the bishop’s lips.

“During the Septenary baptism ceremony, she was the only child who came to me to receive her Scorn blessing.”

He said with a certain amount of pride much to my surprise. It’s true that Scorn was not a very popular baptism choice, especially for children, but to have only a single child amongst hundred was nothing short of disastrous for a god’s following.

“Pardon me if this sounds rude, but isn’t the Church of Scorn worried about such a small number of new baptised children?”

I asked him to which he simply shrugged.

“Firsland does not have a particularly strong Scorn followership, but if you head east to Morrow and Avlir, you will find a much greater presence. Furthermore, many of our followers are converts who have reached adolescence or adulthood. Our goddess’ teaching allows the confused and lost to redirect their emotion, this is rarely necessary for a child of baptism age.”

He simply explained.

I had only once travelled outside of Firsland in my life, so I couldn’t tell if what he said was true, but I had heard that other kingdoms were vastly different from what we might imagine… But his last comment caught my ear even more.

“If it’s rare for a child to request a baptism from Scorn, then do you know why Silika decided to?”

“Oh! I k-kn-know!”

Coleen exclaimed.

We turned to her. She still looked chagrined, but her expression was better. Her stuttering also seemed much less pronounced. Perhaps it was tied to her mood?

“Sh-Sh-she t-told m-me that b-b-bishop F-f-feld-dor r-rem-m-mind-ded h-er o-o-o… O-of A-alkie a-and G-g-g-gled-die”

“Children’s minds are truly curious.”

Feldor commented, yet he didn’t look bothered by the fact that his goddess was chosen by mere luck.

“Alkie and Gledie? Who are they?”

I asked Coleen.

“A-Alkie i-is h-her b-b-bunny p-p-pl-pl-plush! Sh-sh-she a-a-always c-c-carries it w-with her.”

I did remember her carrying a stuffed animal with yellow and black colours. Now that I thought about it the similarity was quite funny, but I kept myself from chuckling.

“And Gledie?”

I asked her.

“I-I-I-I d-don’t r-r-re-rea-really k-know. S-s-someone f-fr-from b-before t-the o-orph-phanage. Sh-she d-d-doesn’t l-like t-t-talking about it, b-but s-sometime sh-she talks ab-bout G-gledie.”

She looked downward as she said that, as if she was hiding something, but I didn’t want to make her upset again, so I didn’t press on.

“Speaking of Ashbrook, I was wondering. How do you know Silika?”

Bishop Feldor asked.

I instinctively glanced at Delian, but this one simply stared back. I didn’t really know where the line stood at, but lying to the man of god, even if not my god, felt wrong.

“I am planning on adopting her as my daughter.”

There was a shocked silence in the carriage.

“W...W-Why..?”

Coleen asked.

Her question, reflecting my own confusion.