Tam sat on the stairs of his home in Austice, staring at the doors as servants quietly crept around him.

He had barely eaten, slept, or even moved since his sister had disappeared three days ago.

His mother had left that morning with his father to interrogate some of the local mercenaries they knew in the city who could potentially know of someone being hired for a kidnapping job.

The only problem was the mercenary hired was most likely from Rollom or Sorlia, and it wasn’t as though there were any organization of the groups to track aside from what the brothels reported to the Viscountess– who happened to own the majority shares of nearly ninety percent of the brothels in Daxaria.

They had sent messages to the magistrates of the cities to round up any and all mercenaries who could have taken a job offered by a peasant man named Roscoe.

In the meantime, Knights scoured Austice and the roads leading to and from Austice. After they had contacted Roscoe’s estranged wife, Lorelai, they learned that he did not have the money to purchase a boat ticket. Even so, all trading ships were thoroughly checked before being given the clear to leave the port.

Suffice it to say, word about the two missing women had completely spread throughout Austice, and was rapidly moving through the rest of Daxaria as well.

The King had not yet set an award for their return in order to avoid a flood of misinformation from the general public that could become interested simply for a quick copper.

They weren’t quite so desperate yet.

Still, day in, and day out, everyone worked to find them… everyone except Tam.

He sat on the steps, his fingers locked, and his teeth clenched.

His dark eyes were fixed on the doors, and he didn’t say a word.

Servants tried to ply him with water and food, but he barely ate or drank any of what they offered.

At long last, Raymond, their cook, was summoned. His beard more snowy than black, and what remained atop his head trimmed short, he listened to the maids' concerned whispers and found himself standing before the future lord, drying his hands on a tea towel, his apron caked in flour.

Tam had always worried everyone, but the large cook believed wholeheartedly in him. It didn’t matter that Tam didn’t like to be in big spaces, or crowds. As a child, Tam would wedge himself between the storage shelves in the kitchen and read for hours. He often would retreat there to hide from Kat when she would refuse to let him read in peace.

Admittedly, Raymond was embarrassed to say he favored the lad. Tam was quiet, and didn’t talk much– which was far more a Troivackian tendency than a Daxarian one. More than that, however, despite everyone always being critical of Tam, the old cook believed that the son of his Masters was actually far stronger than anyone knew, but something… something in him required everything he had to hold back.

There was a fear in Tam, but… it felt different than men who had seen violence, or death. It was… something far harder to understand.

Slowly, Raymond lowered himself onto the step beside Tam, the tea towel was lightly flipped onto his shoulder as he then mimicked the young man’s posture of leaning his beefy forearms on his thighs.

“You don’t need to tell me to eat or sleep. The maids do that plenty.”

Raymond cast a sidelong glance at Tam, his dark eyes searching him before he let out a long sigh.

“Not everything’s about you, Tam. I just came out here to pass gas. I figured since you’ve become a statue you wouldn’t mind.”

When the future Viscount still didn’t respond, Raymond fully turned his head to face him.

“Why are you sitting here like a pup waiting for its master to come home?”

There was a brief flutter in Tam’s dark eyes before he blinked and momentarily dropped his gaze.

“Funny that that’s what you call me, because that is exactly what I feel like right now.”

Raymond continued to stare at Tam, and waited. He knew there was more festering in the lad’s heart.

“Kat always… always says how useless I am because I don’t try. It’s never bothered me, but now… now I can see why… why I should maybe…” Tam let out a grunt and dropped his face to his hands and began rubbing his eyes wearily.

“What exactly is it you think you should be able to do right now?” Raymond asked quietly.

“At the very least? I should be able to do what Likon is doing by looking for them, checking with contacts… But I’ve never made contacts anywhere. For anything. I’ve made myself alone, and I’ve not started taking over any of Da’s work and even that… even if I could take on his duties a little bit right now so that maybe he wouldn’t have so much on his plate as he burns his magic day and night trying to find them. But I’ve always refused to learn.” Dropping his chin to his chest, and feeling an ache in his throat, and moisture behind his eyes, Tam knew his next words would not come easily.

“Kat was right. I’m running away from it all, and I can’t protect or help anyone. Worse than being useless… I’m a burden.”

“Why have you refused to learn everything or to make connections, do you suppose?” Raymond managed to keep his tone light, but everyone knew it was the mystery worth a gold pile to discover the answer to.

“I’m scared,” Tam replied bluntly. “Kat isn’t scared of anything– even though I know she should be,” he shook his head before continuing. “I’m scared of what my magic does.”

Raymond waited with his breath held. This was more information than anyone had received from him. He watched as, in a move entirely like the lad’s father, Tam reached up and rubbed the back of his neck slowly.

“Something happens to me when… when I use it, and… I don’t know… how to control it, or what happens exactly, but it is… terrifying. It’s shameful how terrified I am of ever using it again, but I can’t… I can’t do it again.”

“So that’s why you refused explaining anything to everyone? You were worried that they’d make you try to use it again to help you understand or control it?”

Tam nodded, his eyes suspiciously wet, and once again fixed on the doors.

“What is it about… big rooms and crowds that make you so uncomfortable with it? Is it that you’re scared you’ll hurt people?” Raymond could feel his mind piecing together the information rapidly, but there were many puzzle pieces missing.

“No. I’m not,” Tam chuckled bitterly. “Nothing as good or noble as that. The absolute truth? I’m scared of what it does to me.” A look of utter self loathing filled every crease in the young man’s haggard face. “Isn’t that pathetic? Making everyone cater to all of my fears… making myself cumbersome.”

He shook his head and his folded hands gripped together more tightly.

“I don’t want to live like this anymore. I can’t… I can’t not even try…” Tam’s dark eyes lifted to the great doors once more. “The best thing about me right now is my last name, but I’ve never really deserved it.”

Raymond opened his mouth to disagree vehemently, but the future Viscount wasn’t finished.

“I’m going to start learning with Da. I’m going to start going out with Likon when Mum sends him on her errands to the brothels. Just because I never want to use my magic again, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try my hardest to live like a regular human.”

Raymond felt a small flame of pride burst in his chest as he watched the young man’s face suddenly seem a bit brighter as his resolve burned in his eyes.

Wordlessly, he reached out his large hand, and clapped it down on Tam’s shoulder, nearly knocking the lad down the steps face first. Raymond’s hand tightened its hold and stopped Tam from pitching forward, making the younger man allow a small tired smile lift the corners of his mouth.

“Now we just have to find Kat and Alina, and… hope they’re alright.”

“With your sister involved, I’m more inclined to be worried about the kidnappers,” Raymond announced with a small shrug before dropping his hand away from Tam’s shoulder.

Tam shot the cook a flat glance. “Raymond, this is serious. They could be hurt.”

“Your sister would’ve gotten scared then and your Da woulda’ found them,” the cook countered defensively. “Besides, if they do touch our Kitty Kat…” Raymond’s eyes darkened, and Tam saw the man’s mind turn to a place that he didn’t visit often since becoming a cook in Daxaria.

It was hard to believe at first glance, but Raymond had been a Troivackian squadron leader at one point…

“If they hurt a hair on her head, I will squeeze their heads in my hands until they explode like melons.”

Despite Raymond’s voice being quiet, the threat was completely sincere.

Tam nodded in silent approval.

After a moment of quiet between the two men, Raymond then stood, shaking the murderous and gorey thoughts from his head with a grunt as he straightened then turned to face Tam with his eyes once again kind.

“You’ll be alright, Tam. Just take a deep breath and think logically like your mum and I taught you.”

Tam gave a half smile of appreciation, and gave another bob of his head as Raymond turned and began walking away, a sudden smile on his face brightening his normally stern features.

Confused for all of three beats, the most rancid smell Tam had ever smelt stung his nostrils sending his hand flying to his nose to try and block out the odor and a yelp of distress yanking free of his mouth before he could stop it.

Raymond’s cackle rang out in the great hall as the giant gas bag of a man left behind his latest victim.

*

Alina awoke to the sound of the cabin door banging open and their three captors flooding in, all wearing grim expressions.

Without a word, the men stepped forward producing three blindfolds, making Alina shrink back nervously, and Katarina, in her typical fashion, grin wryly.

“Oh good, you’re finally listening to Dexter’s advice. Alina, don’t be scared, they are just moving us to a new location because they’re noticing the Knights' activities are increasing.”

Alina didn’t bother looking at Kat, and instead looked at the three men to see their reactions. Dexter’s expression remained stoney, Roscoe’s was already stormy, and Patrick was rolling his eyes irritably at Kat.

“So you’ve most likely heard by now who we are. Why not let us go before you make things worse?” Alina asked, forcing her voice to remain calm.

“Then have you two tell them everything? I don’t think so,” Roscoe snapped while roughly tying the blindfold over Alina’s eyes, though his hands had a noticeable tremor.

“So what’s the new plan?” Kat asked brightly as Patrick tied her blindfold while yanking her hair roughly.

Reese Flint said nothing as anything he said seemed to agitate Roscoe further.

“We’re moving you. That’s all yous need to know,” Patrick gave Kat’s head a shove as he stood back up.

“That’s going to be tough with Knights patrolling the roads. Do you have a good plan to move three blindfolded and bound captives unnoticed?” Kat asked enthusiastically as though delighted at the notion of her captors planning something she’d been advising them to do.

“That’s for us to know an’ you to deal with,” Roscoe informed her while straightening and turning to the door once more. “As bratty as you’re being, I see you sweating like a pig,” he observed smugly.

Alina had noticed her friend’s affliction as well, but even more concerning was the fact that Katarina, as far as she was aware, had not slept at all in over three and a half days. Somehow, however, she appeared as alert and normal as ever save for the rapid increase of her body heat. The Princess knew her friend was a fire witch, and so took it as a sign of stress, but even so… it was worrisome.

“Finding a place to stash us so quickly means it’s a place you know well. They’ll have Knights there,” Kat called out, ignoring Roscoe’s observation of her damp appearance.

Roscoe didn’t bother answering as he stepped outside leaving Patrick and Dexter alone in the room with them.

“Kat… isn’t this bad?” Alina whispered worriedly to her friend.

The redhead let out a long sigh. “Not really. Chances are we’ll have to be out in the open at some point. We’re near some woods right now, and unless they want us walking to the next spot (which would be another absolutely terrible idea because that means more chance for evidence and tracks to be left), we have to get into a cart most likely. Seeing as it’s nighttime they’re hoping to go off the road undetected.”

“How do you know all of this?” the Princess couldn’t help but be slightly awed by her friend’s in depth deduction of the logic of their captors.

“I was awake when they brought us here, and when you two sleep, I have a lot of time to think. It’s really annoying, but it does make me admit my mother was right.” Kat let out a long suffering sigh. “If I use my head, great things can happen. Though understanding the half-assed plan of these dimwits I’d hardly call great.”

A surge of movement could be heard by the door and Kat grinned.

“Awe, Patrick. Did I strike a nerve? Good reflexes, Dexter.”

The redhead had accurately guessed that the wirey bloodthirsty Patrick had attempted to step forward and strike her, only to be stopped by the mercenary.

“I was just going to gag her,” Patrick muttered, though his bulging eyes said otherwise.

“A gag! Gods! I’ve been waiting for one of you to think of it! Twenty points to Patrick!” Kat cheered. “You all started with fifty points, but each day I annoyed you and none of you thought of it, I took off another ten points. I was worried we’d hit the negatives if I’m honest…”

Patrick threw Dexter’s hand off his chest and lunged forward, only for the mercenary’s fist to catch him in the gut.

“We know who they are. Don’t do any more damage,” Dexter growled.

“I think you’re forgetting you work for us,” Patrick snarled after regaining his breath from being winded before shoving the mercenary away.

“Which also means I can quit,” Dexter responded evenly while taking a step forward.

“Hit him again! Don’t be shy on our account, Dex!” Kat called out happily.

“SHUT UP!” Dexter roared, making Alina and Reese wince.

The door opened again. “Grab them, and for the Goddess’ sake, be quiet! You want the whole kingdom to hear you?” Roscoe’s panicked but dangerous tone broke the tension of the room immediately. As Dexter and Patrick shared one final look of disgust at each other, then began moving over to their captives.

Patrick roughly shoved a rag in Kat’s mouth, and then hauled her up to her feet with great difficulty– she was taller than him after all.

Alina could tell Dexter was the one helping her up as his touch was far gentler than Roscoe’s, and while she was grateful for the small mercy, she was beginning to feel more than a little desperate to go home. As she began to try and think of a way to escape, she couldn’t help but feel disheartened, and even worse… utterly powerless. She couldn’t even run without having a breathing attack… and so… with her shoulders slumping ever so slightly, Alina resigned herself to her fate of being half dragged across the cabin floor to the outdoors where a cart and horse sat waiting.