Enju had the eyes of a worried man as he glossed through the letter An had sent him. Nihka's missing? She was there a moment ago, a warm, wide smile on her face. He can remember it as if it was yesterday. He went to Gridania the moment he got dressed up, and began his search. He talked to the vocate, and several citizens with a hint of worry in his eyes. It took him several hours of asking about a Keeper in the Amphitheatre, but eventually one citizen said what happened.
He could remember the words, or so he thought he heard the civilian as. "Oh, that one? Poacher got arrested. Surprised they were so bold as to be in the middle of the city." His rage was boiling at that, though to make a scene now would only make things worse, as Reppu reminded him earlier when he talked along the pearl with her about Weylan. The memory, or the memory they shared unwillingly played out in his mind, and he let out a long, soft sigh. He asked the civilian where they would take her, and the Wailing Gaol was the best answer he could get, so he went there, brows furrowed.
At the Wailing Gaol, he asked the receptionist about Nihka. Released today, they said, her pearls returned. Maybe..he tried to contact her, and knew he would get no response. A vain hope, but one he had to try. He looked to the receptionist, stating, "If she was released and her pearls are returned, then why is she not responding?" The receptionist didn't have much more information, but did give a name: Egbert Stone.
A cold trail. The worst scenario that one can have when locating someone. He remembers of times past, where a trail often meant one was dead or worse, loyal men turned heretic, heretic turned dragon. The fires of a hamlet. 'Oh Twelve, why must it be now that these memories return?' he lamented. There was one last place he could try, as the moon rose high above him. The ferryman.
He looked to the man, with a stern look, asking about a Keeper of Nihka's description. The ferryman blinked, talking of Nihka..
"Oh, Nihka? She's a sweet girl, quiet too. Takes the ferry to and from the Lavender Beds often, but I haven't seen her in a few days now. But she spends her time in Ul'dah now anyway."
Enju finally found someone that liked her, and this was when his face broke that mask of emotion. He looked worried, scared in front of the ferryman, rolling his lips inward as if trying to find the right words. He blinked a few times, nodding to reassure himself. 'It's happening again..what if she goes missing too..' He thought, though looked to the ferryman once more.
"You haven't seen her? Truly?" Enju spoke, his eyes pleading for aid toward the ferryman. "She's been missing and was released this morning. If you have any information, please.." He said that last word in a near breathless tone.
Seems the ferryman shared his grief. "I'm sorry, ser, but I haven't seen her. Wait, there was last night at the Amphitheatre...Probably headed back to Ul'dah."
Enju knew of this information already, and so did everyone else. He merely shook his head. "I wish that were true. Thank you for your help." He looked toward the West, to the Serpent Gate, though knew it was already late. How is he going to tell Anstarra? She was right there, in front of him last night. Twelve, why didn't he just stay there? He could have stopped this! It was his fault...
He asked the ferryman to take him to the Lavender Beds, a long boat ride of rotten silence the whole way through. He waved the ferryman in thanks before checking Nihka's room. Empty. At least he won't have to explain to Sehki what happened, or lie to her. He slumped in a corner of the room, sitting down by the wall. All that's left is to relay his information to Reppu, and to listen for Reppu's information in turn, if she had any.
He could remember the words, or so he thought he heard the civilian as. "Oh, that one? Poacher got arrested. Surprised they were so bold as to be in the middle of the city." His rage was boiling at that, though to make a scene now would only make things worse, as Reppu reminded him earlier when he talked along the pearl with her about Weylan. The memory, or the memory they shared unwillingly played out in his mind, and he let out a long, soft sigh. He asked the civilian where they would take her, and the Wailing Gaol was the best answer he could get, so he went there, brows furrowed.
At the Wailing Gaol, he asked the receptionist about Nihka. Released today, they said, her pearls returned. Maybe..he tried to contact her, and knew he would get no response. A vain hope, but one he had to try. He looked to the receptionist, stating, "If she was released and her pearls are returned, then why is she not responding?" The receptionist didn't have much more information, but did give a name: Egbert Stone.
A cold trail. The worst scenario that one can have when locating someone. He remembers of times past, where a trail often meant one was dead or worse, loyal men turned heretic, heretic turned dragon. The fires of a hamlet. 'Oh Twelve, why must it be now that these memories return?' he lamented. There was one last place he could try, as the moon rose high above him. The ferryman.
He looked to the man, with a stern look, asking about a Keeper of Nihka's description. The ferryman blinked, talking of Nihka..
"Oh, Nihka? She's a sweet girl, quiet too. Takes the ferry to and from the Lavender Beds often, but I haven't seen her in a few days now. But she spends her time in Ul'dah now anyway."
Enju finally found someone that liked her, and this was when his face broke that mask of emotion. He looked worried, scared in front of the ferryman, rolling his lips inward as if trying to find the right words. He blinked a few times, nodding to reassure himself. 'It's happening again..what if she goes missing too..' He thought, though looked to the ferryman once more.
"You haven't seen her? Truly?" Enju spoke, his eyes pleading for aid toward the ferryman. "She's been missing and was released this morning. If you have any information, please.." He said that last word in a near breathless tone.
Seems the ferryman shared his grief. "I'm sorry, ser, but I haven't seen her. Wait, there was last night at the Amphitheatre...Probably headed back to Ul'dah."
Enju knew of this information already, and so did everyone else. He merely shook his head. "I wish that were true. Thank you for your help." He looked toward the West, to the Serpent Gate, though knew it was already late. How is he going to tell Anstarra? She was right there, in front of him last night. Twelve, why didn't he just stay there? He could have stopped this! It was his fault...
He asked the ferryman to take him to the Lavender Beds, a long boat ride of rotten silence the whole way through. He waved the ferryman in thanks before checking Nihka's room. Empty. At least he won't have to explain to Sehki what happened, or lie to her. He slumped in a corner of the room, sitting down by the wall. All that's left is to relay his information to Reppu, and to listen for Reppu's information in turn, if she had any.