Playing the Game

Chapter 48: The Missing

"Where is Arrian?!" Arlo roars as he escorts me to my first dinner in a week with the royal family. Brutus and Evander trail behind us, equally as dumbfounded.

Arrian has been missing all day. Apparently he came back to my room after his night break, but then vanished from his post without a word. If my dream was accurate, he wasn't sleeping during his break; he was chatting away with the Empress and harassed by the Emperor. Considering what Maximus asked him to do, I couldn't help but feel nauseous and afraid all day.

And then to make my day worse, Maximus ordered me to rejoin the family for dinner. I wasn't allowed to refuse any longer.

"How am I supposed to protect you when my men just wander off erratically?!" Arlo asks rhetorically, but I choose to answer him anyways to distract myself.

"I thought you were all the protection I ever needed? My one man army." I tease.

His face falls unexpectedly. "I'm not so sure about that anymore..."

His confidence had been wavering ever since the incident with Kilgorian and the poison. He didn't like how easily he was taken out, leaving me completely vulnerable.

I stopped our procession and grabbed him by the forearms to force him to look at me. "Hey... listen to me..." He looked annoyed by my concern, but I knew he still needed to hear what I had to say. "I trust you, Arlo. If anyone's going to get me through this, it's you."

Evander and Brutus step forward, agreeing with my sentiment.

"We may be able to protect her..."

"...But you'll be able to save her."

I can tell that our kind words are working, but being the grumpy brute that Arlo is he simply brushes it off with mock frustration. "Enough of this. Let's get you to dinner before the Emperor sends out a search party."

"Perhaps he'll loan us his search party to find Arrian." Brutus jokes.

We all roll our eyes, but the notion isn't completely farfetched.

~*~*~*~

The following morning I was invited to a brunch with the Empress and Princess Emrys. After the expected pleasantries and meaningless chatter, I bombard the Empress with questions.

"You wouldn't happen to know where my guard is, would you?"

"Which one?"

"Arrian." I state flatly, still somewhat annoyed that she didn't tell me who he was from the start.

She looks completely flabbergasted, but wasn't sure if it was just an act. "Why would I know where he's gone?"

I shrug purposefully. "I thought the two of you were on good terms..."

"Why would the Empress be on good terms with your guard?" Emrys asks, confused by this odd exchange.

I don't get a chance to elaborate before the Empress cuts in. "He is a polite man... that's all I know of him." She gives me a warning look, hoping that I wouldn't spill her secret.

"Two nights ago he went out for his break. According to some of the other guards, he didn't spend that time sleeping in the guard's quarters. He later came back to his post by my bedroom door, but then he vanished. He hasn't been seen since."

"What are you implying?!" Emrys asks, wide eyed and eager for gossip.

"I'm not implying anything. I was just wondering if the Empress has seen him since?"

"But you don't care if I've seen him?"

I turn the Emrys. I know she hasn't, but I ask her anyway to play along. "Of course I do. I was just getting to that."