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Alfred’s ears bent in worry as he replied; “I know a few from my days in the RMC, but I haven’t seen them.. They usually come through for free meals a few times a week, but I haven’t seen them at all in the past two. I stopped by the shelter a few blocks from here to check on them, and Mr. Wayne said that he hadn’t seen them, either..”

“Are ya sure that they didna go ta Dragonhorn ta help wit the harvest?” Skye asked, knowing that many traveled there to earn cash.

Alfred shook his head; “If they had, then they would’ve taken their belongings with them.. Mr. Wayne said that the number of people is dropping drastically, but most are leaving their few possessions at the shelter.. Pictures, clothes: things of that nature. Does that sound right to you?”

“Sounds like someone is making them leave,” Shasta commented before turning to Zas; “Is the RMC aware of this? Were any orders issued lately that would explain this?”

Zas shook his head; “Not that I’m aware of, and all orders have had to be approved by me. Since Someone is too busy with her wedding to help with the paperwork..”

As Shasta’s ears went back in annoyance, Genie looked at Alfred, and asked; “When were the disappearances first noticed?”

“Shortly after the Highland Raid party left. The reports have been steady since then,” Renee answered.

Skye and Tidas shared a worried glance that wasn’t lost on Alfred. He could smell death in the air all summer, and asked if Zas and Shasta had noticed it. They nodded in the positive, then told him that it was reported that the sewer system was backed up.

.....

They assumed that the smell came from that, but Alfred had the keenest sense of smell in the kingdom. He could tell the difference between human waste and rot, and knew that there was more to it that what he was being told. It wasn’t that he thought his friends were lying to him..

‘I think we’re all being played, but what game are we in? What the hell is going on with this city lately?’

As soon as Skye and Tidas had left for the Highlands, the smell had started to grow stronger. There had always been a subtle rank to the city, but it had never smelt like rotten corpses this bad before. As Alfred tried to organize his thoughts, Renee bumped him out of the way to set the other trays down.

Genie put his hands together, and thanked Alfred for the food. Skye stared at it a moment before the burning in her belly won out over her worry. Grabbing a chicken pot pie, she dug in slowly as everyone else started to divide up the food..

Genie was content with just his drink, and plate of roasted potatoes. Tidas and Zas played rock, paper, scissors to decide who got the beef pie, and who got the turkey pie. Shasta and Lawrence were going after the surf and turf platter that Alfred always made for Shasta.

As they picked at the food, she realized that Lawrence had a listless expression on his face..

“What’s wrong, hon? I thought you liked seafood,” Shasta asked.

Lawrence sighed heavily; “Oh, the food’s great. I’m just having a childish moment, that’s all..”

Seeing the confusion on her face, Lawrence spoke low; “I’m...I’m jealous. Tidas is already the in the top five of the most powerful people in all of the kingdoms, Skye aside. And he gets Another trait? Marco gets Another?! That ass! But I don’t have Any magic.. It just...sucks.”

Shasta was trying her hardest not to giggle at his grumpy face as she said; “They may be stronger than you, but neither of them is as capable as you are when it comes to running a kingdom. That’s a special skill, too, love. What do you think would happen to Alcon if Either of your brothers was in charge?”

“Chaos,” was Lawrence’s short reply.

As Shasta tried to put her future husband’s mind at ease, everyone ate heartily. There was an odd tension, but they didn’t let it ruin the food. Alfred and Renee even sat down and nibbled as they talked with Zas and Tidas about the missing homeless. As the conversation evolved, Skye asked; “Could the slave trade be startin’ up again?”

As Tidas tensed up all over, Zas answered her; “I don’t think so.. If anyone was trying to start it again, then we would’ve seen similar reports to what it was like before. People with money don’t want broken vagabonds for their slaves. They want young, pretty, and strong people.. And especially Fae.”

Tidas rubbed at his chin; “But it can’t be ruled out until we at least have a lead as to where the missing people went. Maybe the slavers changed their tactics, to avoid getting caught this time? Not many reports are filed on missing homeless people.. They would make an easy hunt for those monsters.”

“I’ll launch an investigation as soon as I leave here. We need to know if this is happening in the other towns as well,” Zas added.

“How’s yer family doin’? Aren’t ya due fer another reunion?” Skye asked as she shoveled.

Zas beamed at Skye; “They’re doin’ really good, thanks. Lawrence over there is helping me cover the cost gap between the reunion and their wedding, since Shasta wants them here. We all see each other like family, so she wants them here for her special day.”

“Yeah! A day a bunch of them thought would never come. I’m having a tiny cake made just to smash Neil’s face in!” Shasta got out in between bites.

“He’s twelve: what’s your excuse for being a brat?” Zas quipped.

“...Killjoy,” Shasta muttered, making Lawrence have to cough to cover his laughter.

“Speaking of brats: how’s Mary handling all of the grandbairns?” Tidas asked before taking a large bite of a kind of creamy beef pasta with mushroom and onion bits mixed in.

Zas’ entire demeanor lit up as he replied; “The little ones are a handful when they’re all together. It’s like they lose all their senses when there’s more than two of ’em. Mary’s having a hell of a time tryin’ to corral them.”

“Ya should take Peggy wit ya. Give her a day, and she’ll have those bairns in line,” Skye partially joked.

“She’s not kidding.. I’m in my twenties now, and that woman still scares me,” Tidas added, making Zas and Skye burst out in laughter.

As the food disappeared, and the day grew short, the group finished off their meal, then relaxed until the regulars started to pop up. It wasn’t that they minded the others, it was just that the constant stream of compliments and well-wishes made having their own conversations impossible. Alfred and Renee tried to hold them back, but as the tavern filled with people, it became impossible to keep the peace.

After they had waded through the scores of admirers; Skye, Shasta, and Genie headed back to the palace. Tidas, Lawrence, and Zas all headed off towards the RMC building to start on the paperwork to create an investigation into the missing homeless. They were all saying their goodbyes when a palace guard ran up to their group with a strained expression..

“Prince Tidas is to return to the palace, and report directly to the King’s quarters. Princess Skye is not required at this time. King Lawrence may attend as a formal witness.”

“That doesna sound good,” Skye commented low before addressing the guard; “Am I forbidden from attending?”

The man was surprised to hear the princess speaking so clearly as he replied; “I was merely given orders to relay the messages to your graces. It is all I know.”

As Skye’s beautiful face turned crestfallen, the guard added; “But: it was not expressly forbidden, either..”

Skye smiled at him before he politely bowed, then went to report back to the palace. His face flushed from surprise. It was the first time that he had seen the princess up-close, and now he understood the gossip.. ‘I’d fight with my brother over her, too..’

They let the guard get a head start, and discussed their new plan. Zas would go start the paperwork with Shasta’s help while Skye, Tidas, Lawrence, and Genie headed to the King’s Quarters. As they all parted ways, Tidas swallowed hard as he imagined the amount of fury he was about to see coming from his father..

************

“Do you have Any idea what kind of position you’ve put me in?! Your arse is lucky that I’ve already sent word to Sai that you’d be your wife’s escort! If not, I’d throw your arse in the dungeons for a month! What the Bloody Hell were ya thinkin’?!”

The King’s words rattled around in Tidas’ head as he and Marco sat in chairs directly in front of him. He used to do the exact same thing when Tidas was a child, and would scold him for his bad behavior. The man before him was much older, but still sent a chill down his spine as he screamed.

Magnus couldn’t believe that he was yelling at his sons for fighting, and made his shock plain for them to hear. He lectured Tidas and Marco for a solid hour before Skye stepped in, and calmed him enough to not yell. It didn’t stop his tirade, but at least his veins weren’t bulging out of his forehead anymore.

Skye had to stop a series of small heart attacks from starting as Magnus’ anger boiled over. She had never seen him so angry before, but understood where he was coming from..

Before he had betrayed his brother, Richard and Magnus had made the kingdom strong again after their father had nearly brought it to ruin. It had taken them from their late teens to their late twenties to restore Alcon, and Magnus’ greatest fear was seeing his sons fighting amongst themselves..

‘If these two can’t get their shit together, then they’ll take the entire kingdom down with them..’

Magnus narrowed his eyes on his sons as he stated as clearly as he could; “An entire kingdom looks up to you two for guidance and justice. If you can’t get your heads out of your arses, then I’ll strip you two of your birthrights! Do you hear me! I’ll hand Alcon over to Lawrence before I’ll let you idiots destroy it!”

“Don’t drag me into this. And I’d never accept ruling Alcon, anyway. I’d rather not fight the other kingdoms,” Lawrence stated.

Magnus sighed deeply as he looked at Skye.. ‘Sometimes I wish I could just give the kingdom to her, but the nobles would have us in a civil war by nightfall..’

As Magnus fretted over what to do, the guard at the door poked his head in, and called out; “Lady Marie MacArthur has arrived, My King.”

“Thank the gods: the voice of reason has returned! Send her in!” Magnus bellowed as the guard swung open the door.

Marie looked like she hadn’t slept well as she entered the room. Skye immediately felt a pain in her chest as their eyes met: she’d obviously been crying quit a bit. As Marie greeted Magnus and the others, she put on her best courtier’s smile, and asked; “What’s this I hear about my nephews getting into a fist fight over a painting?”