Both Gigi and Susie were alarmed when they found me unmoving, staring out into space.

"Hey... Alana, you okay?" Gigi spoke hesitantly, seeming to sense something was wrong.

"A-ah, I just... need a bit..." I had no idea how long I had sat there trying to think of anything.

"Want us to come get you at dinner?" Susie was peering at me nervously.

"Yeah, sure." I went back to reading the letter over and over again. I was trying to find something to bring me some hope, to tell me what had happened or where my family was. There was nothing.

I was still a bit numb when they came to get me. I ate dinner mechanically, rebuffing all attempts at conversation. That night I skipped our normal evening gathering, instead returning to my room to be alone and think.

My family weren't confirmed dead. That was important. Similarly my dad was out there, somewhere. I needed to find out if mom and John had made it, or alternatively find dad and Mystien. If I could do neither of these things... I didn't know. I was hesitant to stay here at the orphanage, but there was something important.

They needed help here. Frankly I couldn't abandon them, not after everything. I had some people here who I could at least nominally call friends. This famine was also getting worse the longer the war drug on. It just didn't feel right to go until I knew that that at least was sorted. I already had dreams of starving villagers, nightmares of starving orphans would only make it worse.

I also needed to consider if my family would be able to find me. The odds on that weren't good, but I didn't know what to do about that right now. Perhaps I could contact someone who knew them well and tell them to let my family know if they ran into them? Would that work? Maybe, but the list of people who might know that I knew of was short.

Jackson perhaps, he'd trained me for a bit and if I could find him he might run into them somewhere, but he was a flight risk anywhere he went. I had no contact with Veska. I could go see her, but that would take me back into Hazelwood, not a great prospect. She'd also absolutely demand some form of payment, who knows what. Mystien mentioned a friend of his in the capital too... what was his name? Lucien, yeah he owned a tavern or something. He might have a way to contact someone. They weren't great leads, but they were leads.

Perhaps the priests could help. I might guess that the village priest Rosk knew something, if he was alive. I could go ask Father Mannory to try and contact him, but I wasn't sure how that would go down. The worst he could say was no, and it was the easiest lead. That sounded good, I'd speak to him after dinner.

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Making it through the next day was a real struggle. All I wanted to do was finish so that I could get back to the temple and accost a priest. Was that too much to ask? You'd think not, but with spring the taverns were getting absolutely swamped and I was run ragged the whole afternoon. By the end of my shift I hated customers vehemently. I angrily grumbled to myself about their irritating demands as I walked back to the temple, even if they hadn't done anything that bad.

Cornering the man was a bit harder than I'd thought it would be. He was a wily sort, and seeming to know that I was looking for him and hid in his office through dinner. Or he was just as busy as I was, one of the two. Eventually though, I tracked him down and beat on the wooden door.

He popped it open, looking down at me with a quirked eyebrow.

"What brings you to see me? Hopefully nothing bad."

"I tried to send a letter to my family back in Orsken."

"Oh? Did you manage to get hold of your family then? That's wonderful news!" He seemed genuinely happy for me. Until he saw my face at least.

"No... actually the village has been destroyed. The messenger couldn't find any lead either. I was hoping... Um, there was a priest in the town, Rosk, is there any way you could contact him? He might know something." I looked at him hopefully, unsure of what he might be able to accomplish with his magic.

Father Mannory opened the door fully. "Come in and sit, do you have the letter from your messenger service?"

I slipped in as he was pouring tea for us, handing over the slip of paper I'd gotten once he'd passed me the cup. He took a few moments to look over it, frowning.

"I sent someone out to get his information on your story, but my messenger hasn't quite returned yet. I'll have to look into what happened but I imagine that Rosk is making his way back here. We are the main temple in the region, so once his assignment is done he should return."

"Why hasn't he come back then?" I asked. This was all too much. I just needed to know, needed to know if my mom and brother were alright.

"Be calm Alana, it often takes a priest a bit of time to travel. Most towns we stop in have some need of aid, and unless we are rushing off to some emergency we will try to provide it."

I knew I was being selfish, but I wanted to go home. Even if there was no house left, I could at least be with my family. I was desperate, almost ready to cry. If that stupid priest could just hurry up and get here maybe I could go with mom and John again, or at least find out if they were alright.

Father Mannory interrupted my spat of self-loathing. "Is there anyone they might have told where they went? Perhaps a cousin in a nearby town, or a friend?"

"Well, Mystien has a... friend, in Hazelwood, and she seemed to know dad. I don't know if mom or John knew her though."

He blinked, "Mystien?"

"Oh, he was a wizard who lived in our village, he trained me to do magic when I was first learning."

"You've never mentioned him before, is there anyone else who taught you?"

"There was a bard named Jackson, he helped me learn basic healing." I hoped I wasn't giving away any secrets here.

"I see, and you said Mr. Mystien had a friend who might know something. Is there a way to contact her?"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Oh, she owns a tavern in Hazelwood. I don't know if she'll tell me anything without payment though." I let that sentence slowly drop off. There was no chance of getting free information there.

"That would be Veska then wouldn't it?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

I was legitimately surprised by that response, and my face must have shown it.

"I used to live in Hazelwood Alana. I do know the larger business owners; at least some of them. As it stands I've already sent a message to her asking for some details as well. If she knows anything she might let us know."

"Oh... I um... thank you." I knew he was doing some of this for his own reasons and beliefs, but if he was willing to help me find my family, I didn't care.

Father Mannory gave me a kind smile over his tea. "I know that it is hard when people tell you to be patient. In this case though it is best to just wait a bit. Things will come as they will, and we have more than enough problems without struggling to find something that is likely already coming to us."

"Yes Father Mannory." I wasn't much for platitudes, but I had to admit he was probably right here.

"Now, run along. I'm sure the other girls are eagerly waiting for you to bring them some extra snacks."

I flushed red. I hadn't been hiding it precisely, but I was being quiet about making extra food for us. "Um..."

"I'm not angry Alana, but the boys might be a bit cross if they find out. So do try to keep it quiet." He waved me out and I skidaddled. We both had a bit of work to do before morning apparently.

That night in our normal after dinner gathering I got promises from the girls to not tell the boys about the extra food. Adding threats that it might dry up if they found out.

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One day as the spring went on, slowly making its way toward the heat of summer, I was working the counter when a familiar figure walked into the door of Haven's House. Mr. Haven had joined me at the counter that day and he looked up too, smiling.

"Jackson! How wonderful to see you again. Welcome to Haven's House." My slightly energetic greeting made Haven turn to me and cock an eyebrow.

"You two know each other?" He asked, seemingly surprised.

"Nope, no idea who the kid is." Jackson replied smoothly.

"We met a couple of years ago. You came to give me some 'special training'."

"Wait what!?" Haven's face immediately turned to the newcoming bard, hardening like stone.

"Whoa kid, no, no that never happened!" Jackson stammered, looking a bit afraid at the tavern owner's glare.

"What? Yeah it did, in Orsken, you were there with me for three days." I was probably playing this up a bit more than was totally proper, but...

At this point my boss was pulling out the overly large stick he kept beneath the counter to deal with rowdy customers. "I knew you were a bad egg you little pervert, but a kid?"

"Hey, wait, you know me Haven, I would never." He was almost to the door at this point.

"Yup, Mystien called you in to teach me to heal people, don't you remember? You stayed with him and helped with his lessons."

Both men stopped at this point and looked over at me. It was obvious from my mischievous grin that I'd been messing with both.

"He's a nice guy Mr. Haven. His techniques even helped save some people."

They were both now giving me unamused looks.

"Wait..." said Jackson, looking at me intently. "I remember you, you're that kid the old man wanted me to train."

"Seriously," my boss said. I couldn't help but laugh at his deadpan delivery. "Go do some dishes kid, before I decide to tan your hide." Giggling as I retreated, I fled to the kitchen.

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Jackson ended up taking a room here. There was plenty of work for him in town, so he didn't really need a job. It was a few days before I managed to get a chance for a conversation with him. I was quite eager, but giving him a bit of time to cool off seemed the wise choice.

"Hi again!" I plopped down beside him where he sat eating an early lunch.

"Here to accuse me of more impropriety?" Jackson glared at me. It would seem he was still a bit sore about that.

"Not at all. I just wondered if you'd mind answering some questions for me."

He sighed, "Are you going to pester me until I do?"

"Most probably yes."

"Fine, ask away then." He seemed a bit tired already.

"Do you know where Mystien went?"

"If I had to guess he's at home in your village. What in the world are you doing out here anyway?"

"Nope, Orsken's gone. Before you ask, no I don't know exactly what happened, I got kidnapped."

He froze and looked at me, blinking.

"Gone? What do you mean gone? How could a village be gone?"

"Gone as in destroyed. From the sounds of things someone burned it to the ground."

"With that old codger and your pops there? Who would burn it? An army?"

"Nope, my dad and Mystien disappeared when they got called up for the draft, do you really not know where they ran off to?"

"I'm... sorry kid, but I don't. I've been staying off of Hazelwood land for awhile now. He was getting pushier and pushier about wanting healers after the Shield left." He leaned back and stretched, looking a bit put off by that fact.

"I'm aware, it's his daughter's guards that kidnapped me." I got the chance to deadpan this time.

"Bold choice on them, most priests would go absolutely crazy if they saw that."

"Yup, it was a bad plan on their part, but that's not important. What is important is me finding my people, any ideas?"

"Can't say I do kiddo. You could put out some feelers, but other than that, just go find some of their old friends. They might get a letter or something one day. You want anything else?"

"In fact I do, I need to learn to fight. Being a bard I'm guessing you know all the best tricks we can do in combat, and I'd like you to teach me."

That got him laughing again. "Now that might be the most interesting thing I've heard all week."