The captain listened with rapt attention to Brin's tale, nodding occasionally to convey his interest or agreement. "We don't see many this far north; as I understand it their kind is very nomadic, chiefly wandering the less inhabited forest regions of Serendipity and certain coastal regions. Which makes the appearance of this thief even more suspicious, in my estimation. That you managed to capture such a fleet-footed creature is no small accomplishment."
Leaning forward and resting his chin on interlaced hands, Capt. Halverk closed his eyes and took on an air of grim seriousness. "As to the break-in here... yes and no, I suspect. As I said, the thief made off with certain documents which we've yet to recover. We're still looking into exactly
what could have been his target, though I have my suspicions. In any event, the stolen records detailed items under lock and key in a very important vault, built into the basement of this very estate. It is for the safekeeping of seized goods and such items as have yet to be returned or disposed of by the Market Guard-- thus, you are right when you say that the Feral likely didn't find what he came for. Either that which he sought was not in the records or he was unable to break into the vault; it is constantly guarded and secured with a very special lock, all with the intention of making it unassailable by anything short of a small army."
"One way or the other, Sir Attlee, the thief started his illicit work here... and somehow it led him to the market to finch, of all things, a
lantern..." He stroked his beard thoughtfully, gaze distant. "
Something doesn't add up about it. There's something bigger going on."
"But," He leaned back, taking a slightly more at ease posture. "Details are sketchy at best. The servants who first sighted the Feral were attacked and knocked unconscious; the retainers whose job it was to guard my office and thus the documents claim never to have seen or heard anything out of the ordinary, though it's
impossible for any thief, no matter how gifted, to simply walk through walls of solid stone. We have yet to work out how the break-in was actually done, and were it not for the servants we wouldn't even have known what the culprit
looked like. I am
personally investigating... but none of the conclusions I can come to are anything but unwelcome."
"This occurrence has brought shame upon my house and upon the Market Guard. It has to be dealt with swiftly, the truth learned and acted upon. No other course is acceptable."
The refreshments arrived -- goblets of wine and a plate of small assorted baked goods, cheeses, and meats were placed on a table within easy reach of both men. Some of the tension in Capt. Halverk seemed to drain away as the delectables arrived, and he gestured to Brin to enjoy.
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Dinner, as one would expect, was a somewhat grand affair -- though the meal lacked the over-the-top pomp and circumstance one might expect of the indulgent nobles of Serendipity it was still possessed of bounty and dignity. A hearty stew with thick cubes of beef and generous wheat rolls buttered with a touch of honey and cinnamon was the main course. The captain's young wife, two sons, and daughter were all in attendance, eager to hear Sir Attlee's exciting story of roof-climbing and thief catching.
Shortly before the meal began the very same guard from earlier, Daelus, entered and spoke briefly with the captain in hushed tones, both men nodding in agreement before he left. "Seems we've been unable to find the merchant our thief stole the lantern from." He explained. "I've asked Daelus to secure it in the vault for now, at least until proper ownership can be established."
"As for the Feral... he hasn't spoken a word yet, but we'll see what a night in a cell does to loosen the fiend's tongue, eh?"