The woman apologized for her initial distrust, then proceeded to introduce herself to us as it was appropriate. She was Briseida, the fourth daughter of the Elaus family. She belonged to a dynasty from the Cassinger kingdom engaged in the trade of crops. Three generations ago, they were simple farmers selling their harvest on the border of the Stavenger kingdom to survive. However, the kings of Cassinger offered them vast farmlands in exchange for directing a portion of their work's fruit to the capital's reserves. That's how they grew to have everything they had. Briseida had settled in the Port of Durkmon twenty years ago with the goal of managing maritime transport. However, she met her future husband, and together they had Irene, a ver y curious girl whom they lovingly cared for during fifteen years in which she was a great daughter, student, and citizen.

Briseida spoke with great propriety and eloquence without much hesitation, but recalling her daughter seemed to affect her. She paused to try to control her emotions and then continued with her story.

—We thought our daughter was so good that we didn't believe Durkmon had the educational level to exploit her potential. That's why almost three years ago, we sent her to the City of Elker to continue her studies.

»She lived her first school cycle in the public school, as I wanted, because in Cassinger there is no such thing as private education. However, her father insisted that belonging to a prestigious school would allow our daughter to enjoy a better status in the future. This kingdom is as rich and advanced as you want to consider, but its social system seems to me the most primitive. I accepted only for the sake of my daughter, so she wouldn't suffer among these people, but if I had known what that decision would lead to, I would have preferred to educate her at home than to endure this sorrow.

»My husband was satisfied, and our daughter, happy. She returned to Durkmon after finishing the first school cycle at Elker University and excitedly told us about everything she had experienced. She participated in many activities, made some friends, and visited many places in Elker. It was among so many anecdotes that she spoke to us about a certain Caisam, a boy from her class, with a special emphasis that only a mother could notice. Irene is a very calm and level-headed young lady. She was never imprudent in any sense, and I had no reason to worry about her. With that thought, I reassured myself, trusting completely in my daughter's judgment, although I shouldn't have. In the next school cycle, she came quieter than usual. In the next, however, it was the opposite. Irene descended euphoric from her carriage, seeking to embrace us from the first moment.

»She was as smiling as a little girl discovering a playground. Her heated youth had arrived a little later than usual, but those were clear symptoms that my daughter was already experiencing it. Even then, thinking about a thousand things, I asked her directly about Caisam. She melted with just hearing that name; then she confessed what was happening.

»—We are in love, Mom —she said without any hesitation and with an effusive smile—. I can't get Caisam out of my mind; I'm happy just remembering him, and the same happens to him with me.

»My husband, although equally concerned, is weak before our daughter and could only join in her happiness when I asked him to help me confront her. I would criticize him for being naive, but that was precisely what I fell in love with him, although that didn't mean I would stay silent.

I interrupted their conversation to remind my daughter that Caisam was a noble. I had asked her to be prudent about such things, and I let her know that I was angry to have been ignored.

»She apologized, saying she wanted to stay away from the matter, even when Caisam had fascinated her from the first moment she saw him, but he was the one who began to court her. She also said she had responded coldly to his initial approaches, but they ended up forging a friendship that became more intimate over time, until one night neither could hide what they felt.

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My master did not react to that declaration, but I blushed as soon as I heard it. Briseida had not paid much attention to what her words implied until she saw how I shrunk in my seat. She cleared her throat, containing her own embarrassment as best she could, and then continued with her story.

—She was referring to the occasion when Caisam had confessed his love, a moment in which she could no longer hide hers. She said excitedly that they were now a couple; that had happened a few days before she left for Durkmon.

»I didn't want to be pessimistic, but I couldn't hide my rejection as soon as she confessed that they couldn't make their relationship public. It was because of something related to that Caisam. I didn't get more details despite how much I insisted on my daughter, so since then, I have vehemently refused to accept their relationship, and my husband also had a bad feeling about it.

»Two cycles later, both of them surprised us. That Caisam had come secretly with her, and he intended to introduce himself to us; that's when we met him. He was a quite calm young man from what I could perceive. He had light hair that tended towards reddish, a sharp face, square chin, fine nose, and an athlete's body. He had come disguised as a common citizen, but his good taste in dressing was noticeable. He looked like a noble knight: a prince's demeanor and a warrior's arms. He was an attractive young man, in a few words, but not only that. He was also attentive, polite, and respectful. He never stopped showing how much he loved our daughter, sometimes with words, sometimes with small gifts, sometimes with simple things like hugs.

—He looks like the stereotype of a youthful knight —said my master.

—He was, I think so too —answered Briseida—. That's precisely why my daughter fell in love with him so quickly.

—Do you think Caisam had any hidden intentions?

—If you're asking about our position, I must tell you that he is quite humble among nobles. I see no reason for someone to bother seducing our daughter trying to take advantage... and you know how the people of Stavenger are: they hardly accept relationships with nobles from other nations, no matter how well-off they seem. No, that's not the issue. Irene is a very attractive young lady too; I have no doubt that Caisam was drawn to her for something other than that and, of course, her personality.

That question seemed to have irritated our guest a bit. My master used to bring up controversial topics to gather information from both the answers and the reactions, so he was accustomed to tempering different temperaments. It was common for him to apologize briefly before continuing, especially with the most sensitive Stavians, extending or refining as each person required. However, at that moment, he decided that none of that was necessary.

—I understand —he said in a friendly tone—. And what did the young man say about the secrecy of their relationship?

—Nothing —she replied after a sigh, visibly irritated for not having delved more into the matter—. He said he would reveal it to us when everything was

resolved. He even confessed that he intended to propose to our daughter when the time came, but until then, he couldn't say anything. He was very decisive in that regard, adopting the characteristic gesture of Stavian nobles while speaking: cold, cutting, and proud.

What brought Briseida to our doors was a problem that seemed catastrophic to them. At the end of the next school cycle, which happened four days ago, Irene was supposed to take a carriage to return to her parents' house in Durkmon, but something terrible and mysterious disrupted that routine. Briseida remained pensive for a while, as if trying to recall the details or, more likely, avoiding being too affected by them. The mind tends to fill the gaps of ignorance with imagination, and the ideas conceived in this way are usually devastating, especially for worried mothers like her. We let her take all the time she wanted until she finally resumed her narration, which I will now summarize.

At the end of each school cycle, Irene used to get on her carriage in the evening and contact her parents at night, before sleeping. But that day was an exception. Irene tried insistently to communicate with them near dusk. The parents couldn't answer her immediately, as they didn't expect to receive her call, but the girl insisted for so long that Briseida eventually could attend to her. She said her daughter tried hard to stay calm, but she could tell that emotions overwhelmed her. At first, she greeted awkwardly, then rambled with some incoherencies before choosing the message she was going to convey. 'Mom,' she said, 'I have to go.' Those are the words that remained imprinted in Briseida's memory, who only managed to give us a brief notion of what her daughter had said next as a form of farewell. The most remarkable thing about that message was her constant promises to communicate with them later and her assurance that she would definitely be okay. Irene abruptly ended the communication, and since then, they hadn't been able to contact her.