245 Jimmy's arrival

The settlement was in a muted state of panic. On the surface, the citizens went about their business, preparing for winter's arrival. Underneath it all, the search for the missing Commodore's son was underway. 

There was no trace of his disappearance from the hut; none of the guards stationed around the perimeter had noticed a thing. 

Haf was bewildered. The place had been thoroughly searched after Peter suspected a length of net had been cut, and Edmar had been nonplussed through the affair. Confused, even, as he ate his evening meal and watched.

Then he'd gone to bed. 

In the morning, he wasn't there, and no one knew how he'd left or how long he had been gone.

Brenna's escape had had an obvious method of egress, so the two did not seem connected… unless she had helped him with magic and covered their tracks. 

But what was the end goal? Haf shook his head. Surely the woman knew by now that Edmar would be cut out from leadership by behaving in this manner. It made little sense. 

A dark thought passed over his mind, but he shoved it aside. What happened on the boat had been an accident, surely, and nothing more. 

Yet, he wavered on his conviction to this belief. There were many strange events of late. 

He raised his hand and knocked at Caspian's door. Haf had ordered the search to begin as soon as he was told of Edmar's disappearance, but realized that in the heat of the moment he had not yet consulted with his other son. 

The natural next choice in line, when Edmar was disowned. Which, Haf couldn't deny, seemed inevitable if this enchantment couldn't be broken. He also would feel happier with some manner of proof that Edmar was not at fault for any of the previous occurrences. 

Of course, now, there was another option for who was next in line… or rather, who should currently be in charge, whether he wished to accept it or not. 

Naomi answered the door, still patting her hair into place where it was slightly disheveled. Haf smiled at his daughter-in-law. He could tell by her blush and the light in her eyes that Caspian was treating her well. For that, he was exceedingly thankful. 

He felt guilty for suspecting that his younger son might allow petulant feelings about being told what to do get in the way of building a healthy marriage. Clearly he had underestimated his son's honor. 

Well, underestimated one's, and over estimated the other's. 

"Good Morning, Naomi," He said, thrusting the self-condemning train of thought aside. "May I come in?" 

"Of course!" She jolted a bit and opened the door a little wider. "Please come sit down. Have you had breakfast?" 

"Yes, thank you," He replied. Cora always had food ready before dawn. He stepped inside as Caspian finished eating something strange from a bowl, with some eggs on a plate beside it. 

He decided not to ask about the strange food. If Caspian was bearing such change with aplomb, he didn't want to rock the boat and risk upsetting either of the newlyweds. 

"Edmar escaped." Haf didn't mince words. "They are searching for him now, but there is no sign. No one saw anything." 

"I'll join the search," Caspian stood, wiping his mouth. "Naomi, can you… of course you can handle everything here while I'm gone. You're more than capable." 

He grabbed a woolen cap and pulled it on, then leaned over to kiss his wife before walking toward the door, not waiting for further instruction nor invitation. 

Haf's eyebrows rose a little at the easy display of affection between the couple, but nodded at Naomi and followed his son. 

"We need to find Roland as well. The three of us should discuss a few things as we search." 

"Is it within your power to order him to join the search?" Caspian's question was sincere, not bitter as Haf would have expected. "He is a foreign emissary and prince." 

"And also my nephew. His cousin is missing, and I imagine he will join for that and other reasons." Haf was confident, especially due to the possibility that Edmar was being influenced by the Void. Perhaps even helped by it, given how clean his escape was. 

The Commodore's son nodded. 

"Have the boats been counted? If there is no sign of his escape on land, he might have fled by sea. The tide would have hidden the footprints by now, depending on when he left." 

"That is being looked into now," Haf replied. "Though I don't think it's the most likely thing. The man was half-crazed to get to Brenna, and she fled inland. I imagine he must have followed her." 

Caspian grunted in agreement, and the two hurried in silence towards where Roland was staying. They had given him a shelter near the Bridal Hut since the Rhone brides were his subjects on his father's side. 

It seemed right he should be near his people. At least, part of his people, as they now knew. 

They came across Mayra, who was already knocking at Roland's door.  She was by herself, for once. Haf wondered how she had ditched the soldier who always seemed to follow her. 

"Roland! I know you're still exhausted, but I need you!" She was calling. A very tired looking man opened the door with a sigh. Clearly he had hoped to sleep a little longer. 

"Yes, Mayra." There was irritation in his voice. "What is it?" 

"You need to come see!" She urged, grabbing his arm and turning to pull him, only to drop it as she saw Haf and Caspian approaching. 

Haf tilted his head in a silent question, but Mayra dropped her eyes to the ground. It was unlike the talkative, confrontational girl, and it worried him a little. 

"Good Morning, Haf," Roland stretched. "I take it from the solemn expression that something terrible has happened. Mayra, did you come to tell me about the same terrible thing or a different terrible thing?" 

If the situation weren't so serious, he would have been tempted to smile at his nephew's nonchalant reaction to the early appearance of bad news. Clearly the young man had seen a lot and was prepared to take things in stride as they came. 

It was a good trait for a leader. 

"Edmar is missing. There is no sign of him." He saw no reason to hide the news from the nosy Mayra. She seemed to have a way of finding out things regardless of whether she was officially informed, but thankfully possessed at least a measure of discretion in revealing what she knew. 

Roland nodded tiredly, and turned to Mayra. "And you… you wanted me to see something?" 

"Some…one." Mayra's eyes cut toward Haf. He held eye contact until she looked back to Roland and continued. "We have a little visitor." 

Haf frowned. There hadn't been the signal for any new boats, nor overland transports. He didn't think there was anyone that could get to the settlement without the watchmen seeing. Even the path from the non-Cetoan families was now watched at all times. 

"A little visitor," He mused aloud, and suddenly an ominous thought broke into his mind. "A halfling? One of the Void's spies is here?" 

His voice rose to call for soldiers immediately to apprehend the traitorous creature. 

"No!" Mayra rushed towards him, laying her hand on his arm. "I mean, please, Commodore, Sir," She pulled back her hand with a grimace. "Please, if you'll stay calm for a moment, I'll explain everything. Only, I'm not sure Jimmy wants to talk to too many people just now."

"Jimmy's here??" Roland finished shaking the sleep off and stared hard at Mayra. 

Haf looked between them with a measure of consternation. "Who?" 

"Please, wait here, if you will," Roland assured. "The man is a hermit, but has his moments of helpfulness. Too many of us might upset him."

"Sure, paint me like some sissy who's afraid o' people. Truth is, I just don't like 'em." 

"Jimmy!" Mayra said. "I thought you wanted me to bring Roland to you, not the other way around!" 

"You know I don't like bein' predictable," the man spat in the dirt. "Heard you got somebody missin?" 

Haf assessed the short individual before him. He had a bushy grey beard, and eyes that radiated a perpetual irritation at the world. Haf didn't trust the stranger, but it seemed Mayra did. 

"Can you help us? Have you seen anything?" She asked the man. 

"I seen plenty," Jimmy replied. "But as I just got here this mornin', I thought it best to check in. Finn asked me to make sure her man wasn't in too much trouble." 

Mayra's eyes turned to Roland, who gave a half-smile. 

"I'm fine, for now," He said. "Tell us why you really came." 

"Well, right down to business? No socialisin'? Your manners have gone downhill, but all right. I'm here to see about checking out a few of those other worlds since you banished a monster to the one I used to go to… but I suspect I'm not the only one."