“Rueban! I should have known you’d be involved.” Eric said angrily as he drew near. “Return my friends! Hand over Blake! I’m taking both of you under arrest!”

“Arrest?” Rueban answered with a questioning smile. “Whatever for?”

“Don’t bother lying!” Eric yelled, as he and his men halted within a few yards of the amused enchanter. “I know you and Blake stole my dragon, Rex and the catgirl, Karla. You kidnapped her!”

The caravan master shot Rueban an annoyed glance, was that what the shady enchanter was involved in? He wanted no part of this.

“You’re mistaken,” Rueban replied, “We merely captured a run away slave, I have a recording of a Carla, with a “c”, providing testimony to that extent. She said that she’d taken the catgirl to town and then girl ran away. It is perfectly legal to…”

“Don’t give me that!” Eric exclaimed, dismounting from his horse to approach the enchanter on foot. “You have an enchanted truth gem, right? Take that out and repeat what you just said!”

Rueban’s smile grew deeper. “You mean this?” He asked, drawing out a blue glowing gem. “I told your father that it would stop glowing if anyone holding it lied, right? But I was lying when I said that, it’s just a colored light gem I can turn off at will.” Rueban lied, causing the gem to turn off. “See?”

Eric frowned, “That was a scam? You aren’t convincing me of your trustworthiness. Where are they? I’m taking them back, your legal arguments mean nothing to me.”

“They already ran away,” The caravan master interrupted sourly, “You are welcome to search my caravan if you doubt my word.”

“Let’s not be so hasty, not even a duke’s son can ignore legalities. Here’s an important one; your catgirl is a murderer. She killed Blake. That means, you can’t just take her back with you, she needs to be turned over for sentencing, likely life in a salt mine or a one way trip to a gladiator pit. Sad to say, there’s no chance you can just make things go back to how they were.” Rueban informed Eric with false sadness. He figured that as long as Karla was “out in the wild” he, or his investor, had a chance of recapturing her and the elusive dragon. He suspected that the dragon would not abandon the catgirl, so to capture one was to capture both.

Eric was shocked. “Karla killed Blake?” He asked softly.

The caravan master nodded. “I got lots of witnesses, your highness, cat girl stabbed the man when he threatened to whip her.”

“So it was self defense?” He asked more resolutely, “Then…”

“That hardly matters,” Rueban pointed out. “A slave can’t kill a free man for any reason. No defense exists. Besides, Blake was trying to recapture her. He would have been legally allowed to kill her without fear of repercussions. Escaping or escaped slaves have no rights.”

“You kidnapped her! She wasn’t running away!”

“Doesn’t matter, even if you could prove that, and you can’t, she’s still a murderer. If a duke associated with the “pro-slavery” faction of the kingdom were to try harbor her, it would be disastrous politically. Your father will never agree to it.” Rueban pointed out mercilessly.

Eric shook his head in frustration. A part of him wanted to chase after Karla and Rex regardless, but the politically savvy part of him realized Rueban had a point.

It would be dangerous for him to bring Karla back, she’d likely end up going to the salt mines once his father returned. With so many witnesses saying she killed Blake, the duke’s own employee, his father would have no choice but to allow the law to take her away. Karla’s dream of becoming assistant stablemaster at the duke’s manor was dead. The best Eric could do for her and Rex was to buy them time.

“Very well, since you have your legal arguments all prepared, I’m taking you back with me.” He told the startled enchanter.

“On what grounds?” Rueban asked, wondering what Eric was thinking.

“On the grounds that your testimony is necessary for the criminal case against one of my father’s slaves. Your testimony with regards to the murder of one of my father’s employees and with the allegations of theft of my father’s property. I claim that is more than enough reason to hold you for the five days it will take my father to return to question you himself. If you manage to impress him with your legal arguments, he’ll be the one to let you go. Until then, I’ll hold on to you.” ...so Karla has more time to get away, he added privately to himself. But, there was no need to say that outloud, Eric didn’t want to be accused of “aiding and abetting” a wanted murderer.

Rueban turned to ask the caravan master for support. The caravan master shrugged. He didn’t really care much what happened to Rueban, he wasn’t going to risk offending a powerful duke just to protect him. “I won’t chase the slave,” the caravan master said. “And, unless you want my men to testify against the girl...” the caravan paused to read Eric’s face, Eric clearly didn’t want more evidence against Karla, “then, this is your father’s affair, I want no part of it.” The caravan master concluded.

Rueban sighed, well, he’d send a report to his investor with the caravan master. According to his probability detecting dungeon core die, the jar of blood in his wagon already held the secret of saving Rueban’s life. He just needed time to study it a bit further.

Compared to that success, losing the dragon and the payday he was expecting for delivering it, was a small loss. His investor would be angry, but some of that anger would spill over to the caravan master who refused to mount a pursuit. Rueban figured that the investor would simply take the matter of Rex’s capture into his own hands rather than try to punish Rueban. Rueban had separated the dragon from the duke’s son, that made things easier, so this hadn’t been a total failure.

“Let me take my wagon and the research materials inside. Let me keep doing my research while in your custody and I will accompany you quietly.” Rueban finally replied. He could just as well continue his work while sitting in a locked “guest room” in the duke’s manor.

Eric hesitated, thinking he didn’t have to give Rueban anything, but then he sighed and nodded. Eric knew he was on shaky legal grounds, arresting a man who probably had a decent legal case to make, despite his obvious guilt. Accepting this small request seemed harmless enough if it meant Eric wouldn’t have to use force. His father would approve of Eric’s tact. Clearly whomever was backing Rueban had political power, or the man wouldn’t be so confident. No need to make things harder on his father if it came to a political battle.

Use this time wisely Karla, Eric thought to himself, I’m afraid soon enough there will be others chasing you and Rex. Eric just wished he could talk to them, warn them of their peril, hear her voice one last time.

As the duke’s men escorted Rueban back to his wagon and made preparations to escort the enchanter back to the estate, Eric felt something wet land on his head.

Cursing softly under his breath, Eric looked up, sure enough, a small bird with shiny reflective black feathers was flying overhead. Eric reached up to touch his hair and felt wetness. Examining his hand, he found… bird poop? Gross! Eric wiped his hands, imagining he could feel something moving across his scalp down to the sides of his head.

Sixxy told Idea excitedly.