Chapter 21: Not Bad For Fifty Buttercups

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The group sat at the table with Verano, Bob (still invisible, mostly evidenced by a floating toothpick) and Chekhov. Wintergreen brought a round of beers.

Dandelion took out the black dagger that one of the creatures had dropped in its mad scramble away from Lacrie's light. She held it out gingerly. The edges had the look of chipped glass.

"Obsidian," said Kaergat.

"Yep, those are the buggers alright," said Chekhov. "Insomnids."

"Insomnids?" said Lacrie.

"Or the 'Unsleeping'," said Bob, waving his toothpick around.

"Right. Nasty buggers," said Chekhov. "They don't give up easily. Last time I met a few, I ended up using all the fireballs I had on me."

"They regenerate," explained Verano.

"Is it magical?" asked Kaergat. "I don't sense an aura on it."

"Naw," said Chekhov, filling a pipe with marijuana. "But obsidian lets them channel their draining attack. If they cut you, it'll suck you dry just as if it were their own claws. Horrible way to go, I've heard."

*

The next morning, the team found themselves in a bit of a funk. Brunhild had beer for breakfast (Kaergat managed to convince her to have some cold rat meat to balance it out a bit). Dandelion started on her marijuana and Lacrie meditated quietly as she waited for her breakfast to arrive.

Kaergat broke the silence. "We need some direction," he said with frustration. "I am looking at the quest board."

"Ah, fight trauma with more trauma," said Dandelion. "I'd question that, but what do I know? I'm just comic relief."

Kaergat came back a few minutes later and slapped a piece of paper down on the table. Lost child. 50 sovereigns reward. Enquire at Wontague mansion.

"50 buttercups? Not bad," said Dandelion.

"Only 50 gold for saving their kid? When they live in a mansion?" balked Brunhild.

"Do you want to replace your sword or not, Brunhild?" asked Kaergat.

"Whatever," said Brunhild, putting her forehead back onto the table.

They went.

*

"Thank you for coming at such short notice," said Lord Wontague.

Wontague happened to be a gnome. Lacrie cursed herself for making a big deal out of it, but it certainly stood out to her. Wontague seemed to have a chair specially built for occasions such as this one: it was unusually tall to allow him to speak to them without being looked down upon.

A butler poured out five cups of tea.

"Five sugars, please," said Dandelion. The butler obliged.

"So... your child is missing," said Kaergat.

"Yes. He's sixteen, a young man. His name is Gnomeo."

"Gnomeo," said Kaergat.

"A classic gnomish name with a long tradition," said Lord Wontague.

"I'm... sure..." said Kaergat.

"Anyhow. Gnomeo has been gone for three days. We have started to fear the worst."

"Has anything happened recently that could suggest what might have happened to him?"

"Oh, nothing out of the ordinary. An altercation or two. A bit of moping. The usual teenage stuff."

"What was he moping about?" asked Lacrie.

"Oh, nothing relevant. Silly things."

"Anything that could give us a clue could be relevant," said Lacrie.

"Well. There was this boy. Julius."

"What about him?"

"Gnomeo got it into his head that he might actually be 'in love' with Julius. Ridiculous idea."

"Why is that ridiculous?"

"A boy his age doesn't even know what love is! It's absurd!"

"Oh," said Lacrie.

"And... it's just... unnatural."

"Oh," said Lacrie.

"I'd be completely embarrassed if Gnomeo were to be seen dating Julius. It would dirty the family name."

"Ah."

"A gnome dating a human? Preposterous!"

"...Ah."

"Did Julius say anything before he disappeared?" asked Lacrie.

"Typical silly teenage things."

"Such as?"

"Never forgiving me for forbidding him to see Julius and whatnot. Not understanding how I obviously have his best interests in mind."

"Can you tell us where Julius lives?" asked Kaergat.

*

"Sorry for intruding like this," said Kaergat to Lord Quapulot. He politely received a cup of tea from Quapulot's butler.

"Not at all. I'm glad you came," said Quapulot.

"Do you have any of those fancy biscuit things?" asked Dandelion as she received her own tea. "You know, the type with the artistic chocolate bust on them that makes you feel like you're straight-up eating money?"

"I will see what I can do," said the Butler, gliding away.

"So, Julius also went missing, yes?" said Kaergat.

"Yes. Three days ago."

"Let me guess," said Brunhild impatiently. "You forbade him to date Gnomeo, on account of his species."

Quapulot looked genuinely bashful. "It's not that simple," he said. "I didn't 'forbid' him, exactly. But when Lord Pineapple Discombobulate the Second is voted into the triumvirate, humans won't be able to marry gnomes anymore. House Quapulet is an ancient house, and Julius is my only heir. We need him to be able to have a legitimate child."

"You say that about Pineapple like it was already decided," observed Kaergat.

Quapulot shrugged. "I know politics quite well. It's what I do."

"Is there anything you can tell us that might help us find Gnomeo and Julius?" asked Dandelion.

"Well. There was one thing."

"What?"

"I found this piece of paper, scrunched up in the waste paper basket."

Quapulot carefully smoothed out a piece of paper. It had the image of a skull with a flower growing out of it. Underneath was a single word. Midnight.

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