The mother superior eyed the letter sitting on her table. Her graying hair peeked out from her black cowl. Creased lines of worry, spread across her face, as her fingers absently traced over the sides of the letter. The letter was written with an emerald colored ink. Graceful fluid motions undersigned the letters' importance. A sealed wax emblem sat unbroken. The imagery pressed into the blue wax was of an Elven nature. Two other priestesses sat watching her. A nervous energy undercut their movements, as the trio sipped from a plain tea set.

"What does it mean?" The blonde priestess asked. "We've never received anything from the elves."

"It must be a declaration of war." The brunette priestess said anxiously. "They've come to purge the other churches that do not align with their doctrine."

"Assuredly not. Why would they bother to warn us then?"

"To make us suffer more. Have you heard the news from Trira? The town's in shambles. The guard evacuated the town! Clearly they were attacked by the elves!" The brunette priest prattled on.

"Daughters, please do not give way to idle speculation." The mother superior interrupted. "We've received no official communication regarding Trira. Wait until the lord speaks on the matter."

"He's trying to control the narrative!" The brunette blurted out.

"Pfft. He's too busy with his little fighting ring to care." The blonde said.

"Enough chatter. Let us read." The gray haired beastkin said calmly. Reaching for a letter opener, the head priestess broke the seal. The two other priestesses sat anxiously, waiting for the mother superior to start reading. The mother superior took out the white sheathed paper. The letter was written with a steady hand. Neat flowing script covered the single sheath of paper within.

"What does it say?" The blonde priestess asked.

"To our most esteemed sisters in faith and service to the one true Goddess. Within the city of Hueryss, there is a human male. He is of utmost importance to our Queen. He should be captured and returned to our care immediately. His survival is important. See that he comes to no harm, and that he is turned over to our Queen's protection. Do so, and you will be rewarded. Our Queen is generous, yet also wrathful. Beware, he does not travel alone. His companions are strong, and the man is crafty. Do not let your guard down. We will be within your dingy city, watching from the shadows."

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The mother superior frowned, as she finished reading.

"Is this a joke?" the blonde priestess asked. "Are we supposed to be some kind of bounty hunters?"

"A human? What's so important? Did he steal something from the elves? Will they tear apart our city looking for their quarry? Why do they want him?"

"The letter does not state." The mother superior said plainly.

"They're playing some kind of game! We should be careful!" The brunette priestess blurted out.

"Yes. That much is obvious, they are deliberately withholding information from us. They specifically withheld the 'why' for his capture."

"The most obvious answer is some kind of criminal. Perhaps he desecrated one of their precious trees." The blonde priestess said calmly. She sipped her tea confident in her deduction.

"No. He is not some common criminal."

"Why not?"

"They want him alive and unharmed. Unharmed is the key. What would the Queen care if the criminal was killed during his capture?"

"Then what?" The blonde priestess asked.

"He is obviously important to the elves somehow." The brunette priestess answered quickly. "Perhaps he is Royalty from Rennes. A hostage?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps he has some knowledge the Queen wishes to extract." The mother superior let the letter fall against the table. "We only have speculation. Regardless, we will capture him. If he is of no use, we can return him to the elves."

The two other priestesses nodded in agreement.

"What happens if we fail?" The brunette priestess asked.

"We will have angered the elves, and they hold grudges like no other." The mother superior said grimly.

"Who wrote it?" The blonde priestess asked. "Are they important?"

"Ah, a moment...." The mother superior said as she held up the . She stared for a moment at the signature near the bottom right of the "Princess Tyrella, first of her name, protector of the sacred ironwoods, holder of the ancient ways. Oh my... not the Queen but her firstborn?"

"We should hurry." The brunette said, as she shot up, knocking her knees into the table. "The sooner we handle this, the safer we will be!" The blonde priest nodded.

"Lyra bring Damon." The mother superior said, turning to the blonde priestess. "I heard that he turned away a human earlier. I will punish him severely for mistreating our quarry. Sutra go talk to the templars, send them out into the city. Begin the search. Check the inns first. Be discreet, he may not know, we are searching for him."

The frazzled brunette nearly ran out of the room. She had already left the room by the time the other priestess rose. The blonde priestess drained her teacup, before walking out to find Damon. The mother superior returned to the letter. Reading it again and again, a gnawing worry grew within her. Something was amiss, but she couldn't place it.