It was early the next morning. The first bell of the Church had not yet rung out to wake most of the denizens of the Undercity. The light of morning in the undergound was more a calculated increase in the glow of the bioluminescence, a movement of stronger fresh air from the grand machines of the Forest, and the natural waking of the livestock crying out. All this signaled a new day. Only some of these signs had begun, and yet Leliana was at her office door, and the door was ajar.

She had not yet had her morning sip of tea, and so she found herself staring at the door with confusion for a few seconds on the landing. She had certainly locked it the night before. She checked her pocket immediately. Her key was missing. Her confusion began to be replaced by a dread.

It must have been stolen from her. And who was to say if the person wasn’t still in there.

She braced herself for whatever she would find beyond the door. If they had wanted to kill her and gotten close enough to steal her keys, they could have done so already. They must want something else. If they had gotten into the room, the likelihood was that they had gotten it.

There was a slim chance she could catch the culprit, and so, without considering it any further, she grabbed the handle of the door and swung it further inwards to see if anyone was there.

No one. The room was empty of people. The windows were all closed. Whoever it was must have come in through the usual entrances. She walked around, a sinking feeling filling the pit of her stomach. She placed a hand over her heart as if to contain its beating as she stepped around her familiar space. Her papers were in disarray on the desk. Clearly there had been a paltry attempt to reorder things, but it was very clear to her. The drawers and cabinetry were also not in alignment with one another as they usually would be.

Her mind ran with possibilities. There were so many things that they could take, that could be used as leverage. Official documents from meetings with the leaders of the Families, future laws drafted but not ready to be announced. Private correspondence between Families and the Orphanage, either regarding any private arrangements between Houses and Diplomats or treatment of their ex-members. Not to mention many personal things of hers which if misused could possibly persuade her to act against her better judgment. She wouldn’t let that happen but all the same, the fear of blackmail was among the many things that could come of this violation.

She collapsed into her chair as the fear of what would come next took her. But she had to keep moving. With numb fingers, she went through her familiar drawers to try and deduce what was taken.

Money, to start. Only about 20 crowns out of the hidden box in her bottom drawer, but it was certainly gone. That couldn’t be it, but the fact remained. There must be more, and so she continued into each drawer, paying as close attention as she could.

Then she noticed the Dar Yi drawer had more crinkles and bends in its papers than she remembered. It had been put back almost perfectly, but clearly they had rifled through it in the heat of the moment. Of course. Things started to fit together then. Assuming she was right, her panic would at least partially be eased - she hoped. She noted what was missing from the papers.

Who would have dared come from within the Orphanage and been able to access her within the day to take her private key. Who would want money and information from the Dar Yi folders? If her new hunch was right, then it would just be a matter of stopping Arturri before he made a fool out of the Orphanage. Leliana had been too trusting, and she chided herself for it.

But why in such a hurry? Why leave the door so obviously ajar? As she closed the door behind her to leave the room again, she noted how much the heavy door did make a solid thunk when it closed. Maybe it was as simple as him noticing that and deciding not to risk it. After all, her room was also in the tower. How she wished she had woken up from noise and come to check. If he did make a fool out of the Orphanage it would only have been Leliana’s fault.

She imagined the Dar Yi watching and smiling as she pulled Arturri back to the Orphanage. The look from the Dar Yi Family Head, and the stories she would spread. She could hear them in her mind discussing this incident, ‘They can’t control their own, and we expect them to control criminals? They are a circus! How are we even supposed to allow Orphan Diplomats to really protect our interests? Perhaps things need to change. Perhaps the old ways of the Royals aren’t so suitable to us now.’

Well, that couldn’t be allowed to happen. Leliana would have to find him before he got to the Dar Yi. He had taken documents and money and that was obviously not acceptable. What he wanted them for she would soon find out. Did he plan to blackmail the Dar Yi with something he found? Her face turned red thinking of the embarrassment if she had to apologize for him. Blackmail seemed beneath a Dar Yi though, if Arturri did still consider himself one. Based on their conversation from the day before it seemed more likely that Arturri would want to somehow clear his own name.

She would not sit there thinking on it a moment longer. Leliana stood up and stormed down the halls. She had to track him down, who knows how far into this plan he had gotten. She also had to conjure an appropriate punishment, and tighten restrictions around there.

She would not let such a thing happen again.

First stop was to see Arturri’s room. She took out her keys for such things, but as she put them in the door she felt that it wasn’t even locked. She opened the door. A part of her had hoped that she would find him there, but she had been right. It was probably better than it coming from somewhere else.

Arturri’s room was cleared out. Not that he had had much to begin with. Leliana didn’t waste time, and turned and left it as her fears were confirmed. She went down to the tables where breakfast was being set up beside the courtyard.

Daress was up. It did seem as though she hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. In her hands was a letter. Leliana wondered from the look on the girl’s face if she had noticed anything the night before. Her reading didn’t seem particularly unusual - the girl was always reading something.

“Good morning, Daress,” she greeted cordially.

The girl looked up with a start, immediately putting the note underneath the table from Leliana’s view. “Good morning, Matron,” she said with a frightened voice.

Leliana was not born yesterday. “Where is Arturri, Daress?”

“Arturri?” Daress seemed out of sorts, confused by this sudden question.

The falsehood didn’t deter Leliana in the slightest. “Yes. I am looking for him.”

Daress was quiet, seeming to refuse answering the question.

“There’s no use trying to protect him, Daress. It is important that we track him down. If you want to be in any way considered for a Diplomat position then you must understand how important this is. Every second you waste is essential. He will make us a joke. Do you understand?”

Daress was only quiet for another moment before she broke into tears. She pulled up the note with weak and shaking hands.

Leliana’s eyes widened at this response. Arturri had only just arrived within the last couple of days, their relationship couldn’t have gotten serious so quickly. What had he become to her? Or what did she know?

She snatched the note quickly and read it. The handwriting was familiar. Leliana had taught this hand how to write. Leliana went to sit down across from Daress, needing to catch her breath.

‘Dear Daress, my darling. I wanted to thank you for being my best friend while I’ve lived here, and you will always be my best friend - know that - but I must leave. I have an opportunity tonight to really live, and I’m going to find out who I really am. I’m so excited, and I would have loved to chat with you about it in person, but if I don’t make the decision now, I won’t ever get another chance. I know that. And becoming a Diplomat isn’t what I really want to do. That is your dream. You knew that, but I love you for trying to keep me with you. Please don’t be too angry with me. I wish only to say goodbye. I really wish you every happiness. I hope we’ll meet again. I feel that we will in my heart. With love, Nadira’

“Nadira is gone. She told you she was going… Two of them. She went with him,” Leliana said it aloud as she pieced the information together. Daress just cried further in response.

A part of her was deeply hurt by this note. Nadira would not even say goodbye to the woman who raised her. Did Leliana really mean that little to her? This Arturri, who could, she reminded herself, actually be a murderer, had taken the thoughtless girl out into the world to do what? Play pretend?

She read the note again, as if she read it wrong the first time. Maybe there was more to be found in its contents.

“I’m so sorry,” Daress said between sobs.

“Don’t distract me,” Leliana said, ignoring her. Nadira had written ‘to find out who I really am’. Leliana would need to refresh herself on the girl’s origins. That could be a way to track her by waiting at the destination - but that could be far too late.

No. Arturri was the obvious one to find, and he would know where Nadira was now. She might have to call in some professional assistance. Although she didn’t want to make it a big fuss, perhaps she could hire a tracker who could be low key. Leliana would have to go to the market this morning.

She looked up at the girl across from her, who was trying to stop crying. Her face was a mess. Leliana searched Daress’ face. “Did you know anything about this?”

“Of course not!”

Leliana leaned forward, unimpressed by her emotional camouflage, “When did you get this note?”

“I saw it this morning when I got up…”

The sounds of the dawn bell tolled as they spoke. “And when was that?”

“I… I haven’t been sleeping well…”

Leliana heard that as hours ago. And Daress didn’t go to her with the information immediately. She had wanted to hide it from her. “Nevermind, Daress. I must go and do some errands. You are to keep this a secret between us. If anyone asks, Nadira and Arturri are just doing errands for me today. I will speak with you when I get back.”

“You’re going to find her?” Daress asked hopefully, wiping her face on her sleeve.

Leliana lowered her veil down over her face, and took a stand to leave. “Of course I am.”