The Debt Of Fate
Chapter 155: Save Precious time.

Chapter 155: Save Precious time.

At the same time, the men dispatched by the captain to investigate came upon the box and the bag of clothing that Anastasia had hidden among the bushes. Anastasia, not being skilled in the art of escape, had left traces that, with little effort, these men could follow.

Moreover, owing to the no-movement order issued earlier, the roads lay deserted. As it had not rained, there were no clear footprints, only faint impressions but faint though they were, they sufficed for trained eyes. After scouring the surrounding area and finding nothing more of note, the guards determined to return and make their report.

"The one who abandoned these things seems to have continued on towards Lowe. Shall I pursue?" one of the guards inquired.

"There is no need," replied the second. "Judging from the faint footprints we observed upon the road, this person passed through during the night. He flees, and at great speed. He is likely already within Lowe. As we know neither his face nor his name, it would be unwise to inquire after him and risk exposing ourselves. Better we return to the captain at once."

Thus the two soldiers agreed and hastened back to camp. Having no horses, it was only after several hours that they arrived, bearing with them the items they had recovered.

"What lies within the bag?" the captain asked upon seeing them.

"We know not, Captain. We discovered these two items after observing faint tracks. It appeared that the fugitive had paused briefly to discard them. We dared not examine them closely, lest we disturb any clues," answered one of the soldiers, a cautious man by habit. Apart from looking about for additional signs, he had not meddled with the objects, particularly the small box, which seemed of exceptional craftsmanship.

The captain nodded and took up the bag first. Upon opening it, he found only a set of women’s garments within simple, patched attire, the like of which might be worn by any commoner. There was nothing remarkable about them, nothing that might aid in identifying their owner.

He sighed, then turned his gaze upon the box. The two items together presented a puzzling contradiction: the clothing bespoke poverty, while the box suggested great worth.

The captain fell silent, lost in thought. At length, his mind returned to the disturbances of the previous night, when those suspicious men had stirred up commotion under the pretext of theft. He had supposed their aim was merely to flee amid the chaos. Yet now, beholding these incongruous items, he could not help but wonder if a servant had seized the opportunity to steal and flee. Or could the box be the objective of the men? He quickly dismissed the second option. Those men were skilled and if they wanted the box, it would not be left behind.

"Fetch me the list of stolen goods," he commanded one of the nearby guards, who at once departed to obey. After the camp had settled, those within had been ordered to report any missing property. A few items had since been recovered, which the captain intended to restore to their rightful owners. He reasoned that if anyone were missing a box of such evident value, they would have certainly made it known.

When the list was brought, they consulted it carefully but nowhere was there mention of a missing box. Given its craftsmanship, it must surely have contained something of great worth. That no one had claimed it suggested only two possibilities: either the person who carried it was its rightful owner, or it had been stolen, and the thief dared not report the loss. Perhaps a servant had pilfered it, hoping to conceal the deed.

Yet if the former were true, why would the owner be clad in rags? Even if seeking to hide their identity, the choice of such patched garments seemed extreme. If the latter, why would a thief abandon a treasure after going to such lengths to steal it? Perhaps, given the no-movement order, they had hidden it, intending to return for it once the mourning period had ended.

The captain took up the box and turned it over in his hands. The more he examined it, the more he became convinced it had belonged to a noble house.

"Captain," spoke a guard suddenly, stepping forward.

"What is it?" the captain asked with a frown.

"When we were investigating along the shores of Wiwell, I heard that not only had the princess gone missing, but also the box entrusted to her care by Her Majesty the Queen," the guard said.

At these words, the captain’s eyes sharpened, fixing once more upon the box. Indeed, such fine workmanship could have come only from the royal palace. He had hesitated to open it, fearing to damage or disturb something precious.

"Are you certain of this?" he demanded.

"Yes, Captain," the guard affirmed. "When the searchers went into the waters to seek the princess, word reached them that the Queen had ordered a message sent to the lady-in-waiting at the princess’s side, commanding her to safeguard the box. Only then did they discover that it was already gone."

"Do you know what was contained within?" the captain asked. If this was indeed the missing box, it would bring him great honor.

"I do not, Captain. Nor, does the general. Her Majesty did not disclose its contents. Might I suggest we first make a drawing of the box and dispatch it to the general, that he might inquire of the Queen whether it is the same?"

The captain hesitated. His hand itched to open the box and see for himself, yet the risk was grave. If he tampered with a royal possession and something was found amiss, it could cost him his life.

"Very well," he said at last. "Make a drawing of the box, and send it with all haste to the general."

His gaze turned sharply to the two soldiers who had recovered the items. "Did you open it?" he asked.

"No, Captain. We merely gathered the items and brought them here," they answered. Now that they knew the royal family might be involved, they were deeply relieved they had not meddled further.

"The general is far in Wiwell," the captain said after a moment’s thought. "Send another message directly to His Highness the Crown Prince, along with a second drawing. Let the lady-in-waiting herself confirm whether this is indeed the box."

He paused, considering the stakes. "This may well be a lead to the princess and to those who abducted her."

"Captain," ventured his deputy, "there is but one man among us capable of rendering a faithful likeness of the box. Shall we send him to deliver it directly to His Highness? It would save precious time."

Of course, the deputy’s real reason was clear: if this truly was the object sought by the royal family, the sooner it reached the Crown Prince, the better.