Back to Chapter 21
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Edgar blinked.
“Ten people in the yurlodge with her and she just walked out?”
Daffyd nodded, anger and shame fighting on his features. “Lord Edgar, she was writing, answering messages we all thought. Then she was just...gone.”
Wanda held Laun’s braid. It was from the nape of her neck, the arm’s length hair still smelling of her sweat. “Sir, what could she be doing? My Mistress shouldn’t be alone right now...”
Edgar drew the girl into his arms and held her as the tears started again. “I don’t know what she is up to. She has always been unpredictable. This-” Edgar looked at the other Peaches, many having come running at the call that Laun had disappeared. “This is different. I want to find her, but I don’t know if she will let us.”
“Edgar-” Silar was at one edge of the yurlodge, his attention on part of the canvas that met the foundation dug into the Rosemond plateau. “She pushed her way through here. There is disturbed sand and a few of her hairs.” He looked over at Edgar. “And blood.”
Edgar didn’t even have to say anything. Those Peaches near the door were out and already of a mind to track and trace their own Mistress. The whole troupe started to scan for what Laun must have taken with her, finding nothing missing. Verat was the one to look at what Laun had been writing.
It was read aloud, many of those in the open rooms pausing to listen.
“Friends, Family, Lovers-
“There is too much to say. There is only one thing I can say. I am bringing the danger to the Royal Estate and to you. I am taking myself out of here to lessen the danger. You will ever be safer without me with you. It has always been the way.
“You will look for me. I cannot tell you not to.
“Laun”
There was quiet. People went back to what they were doing but many of them were thinking of what Laun had just left for them. She was saying farewell.
Feet pounding the hard dirt and sand outside came right before Lieutenant Beau threw back the entrance flap into the guest tent. “There are two horses and a uniform missing from the barracks,” Beau gasped out as he pushed through the Peaches on the stairs. “Midland’s uniform. She left the Sergeant’s rank on his bed.”
“Fuck!” Edgar had been holding the sobbing form of Wanda, but knowing that Laun might be trying to get back to the ship, back to the Midlands made him push her away. “Green unit! To the main road. You, find the rest of Flower unit and make a sweep along the edge of the Estate. Daffyd! Do you know where-”
The large blonde man snorted through his broken nose and nodded. “I’ll find them and send a pigeon.”
No hesitation. Edgar was Master Peach.
Onto Chapter 23 Where Girl chooses a name
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