She gave the pair a look most serious with a long pause.

"Before we begin I must stress the absolute importance that you speak of none of what I'm about to tell you to a single soul." Her attention shifting between them as she spoke. Oliver and Slime nodded to each other first and gave their reply.

"We promise."

"Very good." Her smile was warm but there was a darkness in her eyes that left a pit in Oliver's stomach.

"Over the last fortnight we've received a pair of reports regarding missing persons. Upon initial inspection there wasn't much to tell. Vacant homes with nothing missing or taken. In both homes there was no clear evidence of any kind of struggle or signs of a break in. As our search continued we discovered that in one of the homes a meal was left untouched on the table. Our investigative unit also noted that both homes were on the outskirts of the eastern portion of the city parameter." She turned her gaze to Cedric indicating for him to continue as she shifted in her seat.

"And that is about all we 'ave to go on." The words fell heavy on the silent room. A subtle frustration in the concept of defeat weighted heavy with his delivery.

"What do you think happened?" Oliver asked.

Cedric shrugged while the queen shook her head.

"That's what I'm hoping you can help find out." Sitting upright once more.

Oliver's eyebrow rose in question as he looked over at Slime.

"But, how am I supposed to help find missing people?"

Her arm slightly raised as she pointed as his translucent companion.

"Slime? He's not a dog." His eyes narrowed on the queen who gave him a gently smile in reply.

"He knows to what I am referring."

It was Slime who now glared at the queen while Oliver turned his head curious to what she meant.

"For a queen, you seem to know a lot more about out kind than most." Bubbles slowly starting raising within him again. The queen leaned to her left resting her head into her palm as she shifted into the arm rest of her throne.

"It's my job to be informed."

the creatures eyes rolled, literally, in his head at her reply.

"Yeah fine, I can take a look and see if anything is monster related. But I doubt its anything other than goblins or imps." His eyes did a slow lap around his body examining the court. "In case you hadn't noticed your queendom is crawling with them."

Her playful smile was replaced with a frown as she nodded in agreement.

"We're working on it."

As their conversation came to an end the queen waved to someone out of Oliver's sight and out from the shadows came a guard as quickly as he could. He stopped before the pair handing them another rolled up parchment along with a badge.

"Pardon me." The guard said politely as he pinned the badge to Oliver's outfit.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The badge's shape was similar to a what knight's referred to as a heater shield. With a flat slightly arched top and a rounded bowl like bottom. On the badge was the print of queendom's flower, the stargazer. It's petals bore a silver sheen to it.

"That is badge should signify to anyone in the queendom that you are working in official capacity with the castle. Which should be enough to encourage most people to cooperate. However, if you find some are more tight lipped than others use that scroll."

He turned it over in his hand and saw that it was sealed with wax, wax that was stamped with another ornate design even more intricate than the badge he now wore.

"That is a letter of introduction from myself. Should the investigators on site give you an grief or question the badge, which given that you are a child they very well should, this will explain it."

Oliver nodded before slipping it into his bag.

"When should we begin?"

"Tomorrow. For now please head back into the city. We've arranged a room for you at the Inn. Cedric will come by in the morning to fetch you." She nodded to the Captain who softly bowed his head.

"What this oaf is going to be our baby sitter?" Slime mocked.

"Aye, and if you even wiggle out o line it'll be back into the bottle." He said tapping the glass that rested against his hip. Slime pressed his body down making himself smaller as he recalled his time trapped in it. Cedric let out a deep laugh before giving the queen a bow and waiving for the pair to follow him. Oliver turned giving a quick and deep bow before he turned to run after the captain.

Later that night

A cool night air gentled came into the room. Curtains waving from the draft as Oliver and Slime's dirty plates clutter the top of the only table in the room. Oliver leaned up against the windowsill his elbows dug into the frame while his head rested against his palms. He watched peacefully as people of the city slowly strode about as dusk slowly crept upon the queendom. He saw a mother and her daughter carrying basics filled with cloth and fabrics. An elderly man with a fluffy white mustache limped by with the use of a cane while carrying a small box tucked under his free arm. A pair of knights using their spears as a walking stick made the rounds. He noticed them peering into alleyways and small nooks and crannies between homes, boxes, and barrels.

As the sun finally dipped behind the horizon and the last traces of slight slipped away he turned his gaze to the skies above. One by one stars came into view. They came first dozen by the dozen until it was hundreds and finally the entire sky came to life. He lost all track of time as he watched. Tens of thousands of stars painted the night sky. Some parts of the sky streaks of a deep and rich purple swerved and stretched. As he took it in memories of home began shifting into his mind.

His heart filled with a gentle warmth as he recalled a memory with his father not too different from this very moment.

He remember sitting on an empty crate beside the wheat field back home. His father sat beside him, though he sat on an empty burlap sack laid out on the ground.

"Dad, what are all those stars up there?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, are they food? Or are they fires? What are they?"

Darcy let out a chuckle.

"We don't know son."

Oliver looked disappointed by the answer as he continued to gaze upwards.

"But I like to think each star is a far off world."

"World!? Like our world? Another world like ours?" Oliver jumped to his feet shaking his fists in excitement as he looked at Darcy. He smiled warmly and turned his eyes back to the stars.

"I like to think so."

"Somewhere out there, there might be another kid like me?"

Darcy nodded.

"Could be at this very moment another father and son are taking in stars just as we are now."

Oliver started waving his hands over his head.

"Hello out there! My name is Oliver! I hope you're having a great night looking at the stars like we are!"

His father laughed and Oliver then turned his attention to Darcy. Eyes focused with intent. His father cleared his throat and then waved his hand overhead as well.

"And I'm Darcy, Oliver's father. Wherever your travels might take you, may the goddess guide your path."

Oliver nodded happily as he plopped back down. The crate let out a loud groan as the boy dropped himself atop it. The pair looked fondly at the sky some more as the warm summer air slowly blew by.

Oliver returned from his daydream and his smile slowly faded.

"Where are you father?"