[center][h1][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5157586] [color=MediumAquamarine]Arin von Astastel[/color][/url][/h1][/center]
“We have no suspects. And we doubt it's anyone in Eastormel. No one here is that stupid.” Arin almost snorted. If he had learned anything from life, it was to never underestimate the stupidity of people. Stupidity was like an abyss in that it was bottomless; a pandemic in that it can spread like wildfire and, if left untreated, can be deadly. Even the wisest, most intelligent, and the noblest of creatures have done something incomprehensibly stupid at the most inopportune time. 

“Right. We can't wait around here forever. If there aren't any other questions of the utmost importance to you lot, we should head out. The Underground is nearly a week's ride from here if we take our fastest horses.” [color=MediumAquamarine][i]“We”… so we will be babysitting her royal highness after all. I wonder if the King sanctioned this.[/i][/color] More than that, Arin wondered why they were being rushed out of the castle. They had just arrived and given no time to do anything. Did the crown not want them to properly investigate or was there more to this theft that even the King, or someone near him, didn’t want to disclose? If it was the latter… Arin’s eyes narrowed, the glint in them fading. [color=MediumAquamarine][i]Someone is going to be in trouble.[/i][/color] 

“Our first stop will be the town of Timberholde. If we leave now, we should reach the inn not long after nightfall.”

“[color=MediumAquamarine]Forgive me, ‘Lady’ Rynn, but before we leave, I would like to request that we look at the vault ourselves, as Miss Felmir suggested.[/color]” Arin nodded at Callista’s direction. “[color=MediumAquamarine]A fresh set of eyes may shed some light on the case.[/color]” Arin turned to redirect the princess’s gaze to the study, “[color=MediumAquamarine]I would also like to borrow any documents you may have on Eastormel Castle, before, after, and when it was built.[/color]” Arin turned back to the princess, ignoring the guards who looked like they wanted to deny the elf’s request, “[color=MediumAquamarine]I do understand that you believe time is of the essence.[/color]” [color=MediumAquamarine][i] Why? I do not know.[/i][/color] If it was stolen and sold to someone, then it was sold by now. If it was taken by someone, or a group, who was going to use it, it wasn't difficult to assume the dagger was in their hands. Simply too much time passed since the theft. The only reason to rush now was to prevent the dagger from being “used”, whatever that entailed. “[color=MediumAquamarine]I ask of this because, even if we do successfully recover the dagger, it does not solve the problem that there is a method to enter the castle without being detected by anyone. As long as this mystery is not solved, something like this is bound to happen again.[/color]”