[Story] ATCv2, thrilling installment #14

Well, kind of. Maybe I'll add a bit to that, and maybe I'll change part
of it, but, well, here it is for now. I tried writing an expositionary
scene and it turns out I'm pretty bad at that. Just have a look for
yourself. Comments welcome as usual.

*****

'Just fill in that form, and let's be done with.'
Isrin was a patient person. He was a polite person. And right
now he was wondering what was worse: Being kept waiting for a full
five hours or the fifteen minutes trying to get this Captain Arris to
pass Laiva's description to the gate guards. Over thirty years as
village warden of Pala had not prepared him someone as dense as this
man.
'You have to understand that we can't issue a warrant just for
asking. So what did the culprit do?'
Isrin took a deep breath.
'There is no culprit and I don't want you to issue a warrant.
Don't you ever have missing persons?'
'Oh, when it's about a missing person, I'm afraid you'll have
to consult with cap...'
He stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Isrin's look.
'On the other hand, I could make an exception, since you are
here already and so on.'
'That would be... kind of you.' Isrin answered, cutting down
on the irony in his voice as best as he could muster.
'So, this is the right form.' the captain finally said after
extended rummaging in one of his desk drawers.
'First question: Name of the missing person.'
A lengthy pause ensued.
'You can't be serious.' Isrin broke the silence, already
knowing that the man was, in fact, being serious.
'Why don't you just copy it from the other form? The one lying
to your right?'
'Oh. Yes, I think I can do that. So that's Laiva Azanee, eight
years, dark hair and eyes. Place of residency?'
'Pala. In the village tavern.'
'Ah, sorry, but I'm afraid I can't help you then. The villages
of the Southern Forest are not property of the duchy, but a
protectorates of the duke's. You need to go to the south wing, second
floor...'
Enough was enough. Isrin had jumped up and grabbed the captain
by his collar.
'Listen, you...'
Before he could give the captain a piece of his mind, however,
he was hurled backwards and slammed into the ground by two burly
guards. Only then he realised that attacking an officer in the
headquarters probably wasn't the best of ideas.

'Isrin, Isrin. That could have ended badly, old friend.'
Commander Rowrig took a careful sip from the delicate china
cup he was somehow balancing in the massive hands of his.
'You are lucky I hadn't heard the ruckus you made. Without
someone convincing the captain that the whole affair merely was a
misunderstanding... Let's just say assaulting an officer is no
laughing matter.'
'The officer is.' Isrin grumbled.
'I choose not to have hear that. Although I have to admit he
is a bit... peculiar. He's one of the replacements, you see.'
That explained it. With the trouble in the south, most of the
duchy's original troops had been transferred to Iorn. The replacements
consisted of those they couldn't use down there. Anymore, in most
cases, although he could have bet captain Arris had never been even
close to a fight.
'Anyway, this isn't why you are here. Let's talk business.'
The captain carefully put down his cup and studied the two
partially forms in front of him.
'You are actually looking for a runaway and not a criminal, I
take it?'
Isrin nodded and the captain dropped one of the sheets into
the waste basket.
'Why?'
'Because she has run away?' Isrin replied irritated.
'Do I really have to remind you what happens to runaways in
the forest?'
Isrin shook his head.
'No, of course not. But as long as there is the tiniest of
chances... Look, how am I supposed to look in her parent's faces if I
haven't done everything in my power?'
The commander breathed out hard.
'All right, what would you have us do?'
'If you could just have the guards at the gates keep an eye
open? There is reason to believe that she is... She is coming here.
You see,' he added, noticing the raised eye brow of Commander Rowrig,
'she wants to go to the trials. That's why she had run away.'
'The trials? But she is a girl!'
--
emmel <the_emmel*you-know-what-that's-for*@gmx.net>
(Don't forget to remove the ** bit)

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