I didn’t see the boys for a couple of days after that. I had stumbled home that evening exhausted having spent hours helping out in the ninth as they managed the casualties from the assassination attempt. I carried stretchers, fetched supplies, boiled water, handed out food and blankets and generally just made myself useful until an older knight sergeant saw me on the brink of collapse and ordered me to go home. By then it was late into the night and the streets were eerily quiet; people had chosen to stay in for once and the city’s usual vitality seemed to have been drained. I was truly exhausted by the time I had crossed back into the Old City and I spent the last quarter mark in my pocket on a rickshaw ride home; the driver was glad of my custom on a slow night and agreed to take me home despite my quarter not quite covering the usual fare.
Sir Steven gave me the next day off and I must admit I gratefully accepted and slept most of the following day. By the time I was properly awake, washed and clothed it was dinner time and I met the rest of my squad there. Sir Yale was with his family tonight but everyone else was at our usual spot. The dining hall was quieter than usual, there was a tension in the air.
“Seems tense,” I said, sitting down.
“Yep,” Sir Micah agreed, “everyone’s on edge, rightly so, this is a bad business.”
“The prince?” I said, already knowing the answer.
“Yeah him,” Sir Pelli said, “he’s pretty pissed.”
“Well someone did try to kill him,” Sir Flynn said.
“Yeah so he says, convenient isn’t it that he's on the other side of the building when everything goes boom,” Sir Pelli said.
“Quiet Pelli,” Sir Steven said, “the last thing anyone needs is for you to mouth off on duty and some Parasian bastard overhears you and then everything’s a hundred times worse. We’re all thinking it but it won’t do anyone no good to say it.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get you,” Sir Pelli said, “I’ll behave.”
“Good,” Sir Steven said, “anyway I saw Sir Erik earlier and he say’s the Captain is going to say something about it tonight.”
“Caught someone?” Sir Micah asked.
“Don’t know but it’s probably something like that,” Sir Steven replied.
Things had lightened a bit by the time Sir Shi got to his feet, his expression troubled, and immediately the room fell silent.
“Gentlemen, I’m sure you’re all keen to know what’s been happening and I’ll be honest I’m not hearing much more than you. Everyone is panicking, command is all over the place - not sure if they’re conducting a man hunt or preparing for a siege, but whatever is happening the situation is grim. I know the speaker has been holed up in the prince’s residences trying to mollify him but he’s furious and already threatening war. Thirteenth reckon we’ll start hearing in a few days if there’s any signs the Parasians are seriously mobilising but we’d best assume they are. So from here on in, we’re on a war footing so that means, arms and armour at all times, permission from your squad sergeant if you want to leave the headquarters outside of your duties and Sir Oran’s squads, we’re moving the siege weapons up the Walls so that’s what you’ll be doing for the next week. As for the rest of you, we’ll be doing extra patrols, any whisper you hear about this, straight to me. The only way I can see out of this is we catch someone quick and hope that mollifies the prince.”
--------------------------------
I finally met up with the boys at lunch the following day, I was back at the fifteenth as part of my training schedule and I sat down to an unusually subdued Alex and Dene.
“Where’s Fig?” I asked.
“That’s the problem,” Dene said, “we don’t know.”
“He didn’t show up today, and I was talking to some of the other apprentices in the ninth and no one has seen him since the explosion,” Alex said, not looking up from his food.
“You don’t think,” I said, imagining Fig trapped under the wreckage of the temple of Melan.
“Don’t say it,” said Dene.
“I’m pretty sure they’ve cleared most of the wreckage now, if he had been I think we’d know by now,” Alex said.
“Then what?” I asked. Dene also looked confused.
“Think about it, it’s obvious,” Alex said, “who do we know who can cause explosions, is from a race with good reason to hate the Parasians and haven’t seen since the explosion.”
“No way,” I said, suddenly realising what Alex was saying. “Fig, he’s just not capable of something like that.”
“Isn’t he?” Alex said, “we all must think we’re capable of taking a life if we decided to become knights.”
“Yeah in battle but not murder,” I continued.
“Killing’s still killing and there’s plenty out there who would kill that Parasian toad if they had the chance.”
“Neesh is right Alex,” Dene said, “yeah we’re all capable of killing but this just isn’t something Fig would do. Even if Fig had wanted to kill Prince Lancel there’s no way he’d be comfortable causing collateral damage. He’d never have used his explosion magic to do it.”
Alex was silent for sometime after that deep in thought. Eventually he looked up at Dene and said, “Yes you’re right, Fig wouldn’t put other people at risk, not in the attempt and he wouldn’t risk the war that may be coming.”
“Good - we’re agreed,” I said, “but what are we going to do about Fig.”
“First, let’s see if he’s in custody,” Alex said, “if he is then he’s here and they can’t not tell us if he’s been arrested if we ask directly about him.”
“Can’t they,” I said sceptically, it sounded like something I’d do if I was in charge and the person I’d arrested had the potential to make a bad situation even worse.
“It’s the law,” Alex said, “the City doesn’t have to tell you who is in its prisons but if you ask about someone by name it’s illegal not to confirm they’re in custody if they have been arrested. It’s only in Paras that people disappear.”
So that evening, Alex, Dene and I marched over to the fifteenth’s prison block, somewhere I knew from my own brief spell in custody. The Knight manning the front desk gave us the look most knights of the fifteenth gave us apprentices when we wandered somewhere we weren’t meant to be.
“Can I help you?” he said as we entered.
“Hi, look one of our friends is missing and well this is the last place we can think of where he might be,” Alex said, taking the lead as usual; not that I wasn’t grateful. “We just want to know he’s safe with everything that’s been going on.”
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“Well you can ask,” the knight said.
“Thanks, so is Knight Apprentice Fig Aofinnaugh being held in lawful custody?”
The knight opened a book and rifled through it quickly.
“I can confirm the person enquired about is being held in lawful custody,” the knight replied. Even though we’d thought it was a possibility it was still a shock to hear.
“Can we see him?” I blurted out.
“Unfortunately not,” the knight said, “I suggest the three of you go about your duties and trust that your friend is being treated fairly.”
“Thank you sir,” Alex said, “we’ll do that.”
We hurried out of the building and back into the training yard; once we were sure no one was within earshot we started talking.
“Damn,” Dene said, “Alex was right, they’ve arrested him.”
“But he couldn’t have done it, right? I said.
“I think we’ve all agreed that even if Fig had wanted to kill Prince Lancel, that this isn’t how he’d have done it,” Alex said, “first question is finding out why they suspect him, second question is what can we do to help him.”
“First one’s obvious isn’t it?” Dene said, “he’s got that explosion skill. Second one, what can we do? We’re just apprentices at the end of the day.”
“Ok yes, he’s got the explosion skill but he can’t be the only person in the Militia with a similar skill - there are other fighting classes with a bit of magecraft in them; then there’s a whole college of mages sitting in their tower just across the bridge from Temple’s Rest. There are probably hundreds of people in the city who could have done it. Why suspect Fig?”
“I guess because he was there,” I said.
“Was he though? All we know is we saw him chatting to his squad sergeant before the Prince arrived and the next time he looked he was gone. He might have already left Temple’s rest before the explosion.”
“It’s worth checking out,” I said, realising there was no need to answer Dene’s second question. We were going to help our friend by investigating what had gone on.
“Exactly, look, let's go to the ninth and pay a visit to the girl you rescued Neesh, whilst you’re doing that me and Dene will see if we can find Fig’s squad sergeant and find out if he knows where Fig went. There might also be some gossip we can overhear whilst we’re there - surely the knights in the ninth know what’s going on.” Alex, despite his protestations, whether it was down to his noble upbringing or whether it was just him, was a natural leader. He always seemed like he knew what he was doing and listening to him made me feel more certain in my own actions.
“Hang on,” I said, “Captain Shi said last night we had to get permission to be out of headquarters when we’re not on duty, didn’t your Captains say the same?”
“Not mine,” Alex said, “he just said to be mindful about our conduct when we were off duty.”
“I think I remember something along those lines,” Dene said.
“Ok well I definitely need to get Sir Steven’s permission,” I said, “I’m sure he’ll give it, so let’s meet outside the ninth in two hours time.”
“Ok,” Alex said, “you two best get going. I’m going to head back to Temple’s Rest and see if I can find any witnesses.”
----------------------------------------------
Sir Steven didn’t have a problem with me going to the ninth to check on the girl I rescued, so that was my permission sorted even if I hadn’t been entirely honest. I met the other two as planned outside the ninth and after a quick discussion with the knight on the door we were let in and directed to the infirmary. The chaos of the other day was barely evident now, the training yard was largely back to normal, just a few piles of supplies under awnings were all the evidence that anything out of the ordinary had happened.
The infirmary though was a different matter, it was still crowded with civilians being treated - although healing potions were often enough complex injuries still needed medical care and plenty of time to recover. I spotted the girl and headed over, aware of the two others tailing off. Now I could take her in properly I could see she was a pretty little child with delicate features and golden blond hair falling in loose curls. She was sat up in bed talking and smiling to one of the servant girls who doubled as nurses during times like this.
“Hi,” I said, announcing my presence, “remember me?”
“Hello,” she said, cheerfully, “yes you’re the knight who rescued me.”
“Well I’m only a knight apprentice,” I said, not sure why I needed to explain that, “my name’s Neesh, what’s yours?”
“Rita,” she said, “nice to meet you Sir Neesh.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m ok thanks,” the girl said, uncertainty washing over her face, “the doctor gave me special medicine so that the ouchies went away. He can’t make my leg grow back though.” For the first time she looked sad. Not that I should be surprised about that, the girl had lost a limb.
“No I guess he can’t,” I said, sadly. Best not to dwell on it I thought. “Have they found your mummy and daddy?”
“Yeah,” she said brightening up, “Mummy came to visit me this morning and she’s coming back once she finishes work at the restaurant. My mummy’s a chef.” The little girl was clearly really proud.
“Oh a restaurant,” I said, “where is it? What kind of food does your mummy cook?”
“It’s called the Dancing Crab and we live upstairs, it’s by the fishmarket, that’s what mummy cooks: crabs and crayfish and prawns and shellfish” she said, “it’s got a big stripy yellow and orange awning and the door is painted yellow too.”
“That sounds really pretty,” I smiled, “and tasty.”
“It is, you should come visit Sir Neesh. I bet my mummy would make you something really good to eat.”
“I’m sure she would,” I said, “I’ll make sure I do once you’re all better.”
“Sir Neesh,” the girl asked, “do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Not at all,” I said.
“How did you get to be knight when you’re a girl?” she asked.
“Hahaha,” I laughed awkwardly, “sorry to disappoint you but I’m a boy.” I practically shouted that last part earning me a few confused looks from the people nearby.
“Oh, you kind of look like a girl though?” Rita said, looking a bit disappointed, “that’s a shame, I think it would be cool if there were girl knights too.”
“Me too,” I said, “maybe one day there will be?”
“Not me,” said the girl sadly.
“Who says?” I said, “it’ll be tough but lots of knights have lost legs or arms and can still be knights. If you really want to be a knight then you will need a special new leg and to train really hard but it is possible.”
“I don’t think mummy will be able to afford a special leg for me,” she said sadly. She was right they were common amongst injured knights, although I’d never seen them in Trieste, but they were made by master craftsmen working with doctors so they were really expensive - easily hundreds of marks I’d have thought.
“Well if you promise to work really hard at becoming a knight then I’ll help you save up for a special leg,” I said, afterall I didn’t exactly have much use for most of my salary.
“Really?” she said, her eyes lighting up.
“So long as your mummy says it's ok,” I said.
“We can ask her when you come visit mummy’s restaurant,” Rita said.
“Deal,” I said.
“What have you been agreeing to Neesh,” came Alex’s voice from behind me.
“Sir Neesh is going to help me save up for a new leg,” Rita said, excitedly.
“Really? Well in that case I better help out too, wouldn’t want people to think Neesh here was more generous than me,” Alex said cheerfully, “I’m Alex, and who are you?”
“Rita, nice to meet you Sir Alex.”
“Nice to meet you too Rita,” Alex said, “I’m really sorry but I need to borrow Neesh for a while, would that be ok?”
“Yes, so long as you let him come visit me again sometime,” she said, “bye Neesh, bye Alex.”
“Bye Rita,” I said, “and I mean it about your leg, we’ll talk to your mummy soon.”
With that I left with Alex and met up with Dene who had been waiting outside.
“So did you find out anything?” I asked.
“Not really, Fig’s sergeant sent him to refill a water barrel for the knights doing crowd control; he’d have had to have found a public fountain but it wouldn’t have taken him that long; except he didn’t come back with the barrel.”
“And anything when you went to the temple?” I said.
“No, I couldn’t find anyone who remembered much, certainly not whether a specific knight was there or not,” Alex admitted.
“So what do we do?” Dene asked.
“Well I have an idea,” I said.
“Let’s hear it, I’m all out,” Alex said.
“Well if we head back to the temple I might be able to use my tracking skill to see if I can pick up Fig’s trail and see if we can work out where he went.”
“That’s actually a great idea,” Alex said.
“Definitely worth a shot, even if the trail is a few days old there might still be something, particularly with Neesh’s luck,” Dene said.
“Right, what are we waiting for then!”