Vhalar 40th 717; Afternoon
Location: The Streets of Ne'haer
She wandered about with her search a relentless investigation, started in the northern areas of Ne’haer like the docks as well as the temples; and had been making her way around the city like clockwork. Each passing day was spent searching Ne’haer for Higan as she did before, only this time she started with greater determination. Why?
Because today she’d had a lead finally. Yes that’s correct, an actual lead on a boy matching Higan’s description. Not that there weren’t several boys that were pointed out looking like Higan, but each time she ended up with a false lead she somehow caught wind of another. This time the most recent one being of a boy who recently arrived in Ne’haer, by passage aboard a ship no less, dressed in traveler’s garb as well as his own weapon.
Higan wielding a weapon? That sounded farfetched to Kayleigh but she wouldn’t put it past him, if the boy had indeed picked up a bit of swordplay on his own. “Excuse me,” She interjected in on a couple of sailors she about passed by, “I’m looking for a little boy, brown hair and green eyes? Said to be dressed like some little warrior?”
“Lil warrior eh?” The both of them couldn’t help but snicker some as she stood there, hands patiently rested on her hips without a change in her expression. “Sorry lassie, no wee lil warriors seen t’day.”
“Thank you for your time.” She nodded with a short wave to them, a muttered “Fod-sacks” kept under her breath as she walked off in a hurry. “Excuse me!” She called out to another sailor as she approached. “Just a moment of your time please! I’m looking for a boy, young with brown hair and green eyes. Might’ve been dressed in ‘traveling gear’ perhaps?” She inquired with uncertainty on that last bit of information.
“Are ya now? I ain’t young but I still got a bit o’ ‘grind in me gear’ if ya get my drift!” The older sailor cawed with a grin that revealed all teeth rotten and missing. Kayleigh did her best not to show disgust in the appearance as well as retort.
“That’s okay, thanks anyways.” She didn’t even bother waving this time, merely took to wander off in continuation of her search. “Ugh, what is it with men?” The singer briefly pondered as she made her way around a street corner with the docks in sight, which meant she’d tailed back to her starting area in hopes Higan might’ve been close by.
“Excuse me,” Kayleigh nudged another passerby on the shoulder, “I’m looking for my little brother, brown haired and green eyed? Might’ve been last seen wearing traveling gear?”
The passerby was another male but this one looked more sophisticated, with black curly hair and spectacles over his brown eyes. “Oh? Your brother? I’m not sure I’ve seen anybody like that around here… sorry. I hope you find him though!”
Kayleigh sighed and shook her head. “That’s okay, thank you!” With a slight smile and a wave she bade him farewell, her eyes surveyed the area with hopes of pointing out anyone unusual. “Well that was a refreshing change.” She muttered to herself as she rested her hands on her hips once more. “Traveler’s gear… what on Idalos could Higan be wearing that’s traveling gear?” Maybe it was armor perhaps? Or just the traveling pack loaded with essentials like Kayleigh had?
Her eyes spotted something different then, a little boy who seemed to be dressed in exploration gear. Brown leathery boots, dirtied white cotton pants, a red woven jacket with pockets along the arms, and then a travel bag on his back with a shortsword strapped to his belt. Kayleigh’s jaw almost dropped. Brown hair and that same dorky face she had hoped to see, even that dorky walk Higan had about him sometimes!
By the Seven it was Higan! Higan was actually here!
“Higan!!” Kayleigh called out as she ran at the boy nearly in tears. “Higan you little brat! Where were you?!” In her deliberate approach the younger brother turned around, obviously caught off guard as he found himself enarmored in Kayleigh’s arms. He’d tried to call out Kayleigh’s name but had been overwhelmed as well as muffled by her… everything. Her form as well as her speech just prevented him from speaking.
“I’ve been everywhere looking for you! Do you have any idea what I’ve been through?! Never mind what I’ve been through, the worry you’ve caused me and Aelorn!”
“Father knows?!”
“Of course he knows!” She snapped at him. “Why wouldn’t he?! He’s our father after all, where in your right mind did you get the idea on leaving anyways?!”
“I’m sorry Kayleigh…”
“Huh?...” His words cut her rant to an end.
“I know I left on my own… but there was just something… Something I had to learn for myself.” He responded with a look down at the ground, Kayleigh’s hands rested on his shoulders but then one slid down into his hand.
“Higan,” She finally spoke more calmly, “Whatever it is you don’t have to be alone.”
“It’s about father actually… So yeah… I have to be.” Kayleigh’s smile faded as she noticed he pulled away a little. “I’m sorry Kayleigh!” He nearly shouted as he twisted around and bolted away, Kayleigh reached out but didn’t give chase for some reason.
“Higan! Wait!” She called out as he only took off around the corner, and into the streets of Ne’haer once more. Kayleigh wanted for herself to chase him but for some reason she couldn’t move… Why? What did Higan have to learn that was so important? Why did he seem so determined to go it alone? Finally she found herself ready to give chase, determined to seek out answers with her little brother.
“I wouldn’t bother.” A voice cut her off just as she started to job.
“What?” She inquired with a turn to it’s source, against the wall next to an alley stood a hooded figure. It was a modestly tall figure within a crimson robe, with a black cloth wrapped around the lower half of his face.
“I wouldn’t bother.” The hooded man suggested with a shrug. “Higan’s in a… bit of a delicate situation.”
Kayleigh gasped and then shot a eye piercing glare towards him. “Well then I should, because I have to help him!” It then dawned on her that this man, if it was a man, somehow knew Higan’s name by chance. Was he there watching when the two ran into one another? Or did he know Higan from before? And what was this ‘delicate situation’ he mentioned?
“As I said,” the hooded man threw a hand to the side with yet another shrug, “I wouldn’t bother.”
“And just who Syroa’s fury are you?!” Kayleigh stood defensively and almost instinctively reached for her weapon, her nerves shot as her hands shook out of anger at this suspicious figure.
“Just another pawn in someone else’s game, but a better pawn than you clearly.”
“What?!”
“Don’t worry about it, you just continue to play along with your little happy adventuring; the rest will fall in place eventually.” The hooded man cryptically said as he turned to head down the alleyway.
“Stop with the hidden meanings! Who are you? What do you want?” Kayleigh demanded as she slightly straightened up some, still she remained stiffly on defense as she watched him walked away. Still he continued to walk away without another word until he managed to turn a corner down the alley as well.
Determined to catch him Kayleigh charged off after him, only to find that she’d found a dead end alley he wasn’t located within. Just like magic the robed figure was gone without a trace. “What?!” Kayleigh looked over her shoulders back at the entrance, unsure of there being any other way to exit this alleyway. “But… how?” She felt her hand rest over her heart, loud bumps drummed underneath the skin. Her hands were still jittery from nerves as she thought of that robed man, and then her thoughts turned right back to Higan next.
He knows Higan! Well enough to know something is going on anyways. “I have to find Higan! Fast!” She came to realize as she once more bolted down the alley, and immediately afterwards back into the streets of Ne’haer. Determined to tail after her brother she followed the direction he went briefly, until her turn onto the street he’d ran onto led her to rely on information once more. This time however she’d surely have a whole bunch of sources that would be able to tell her, since she knew there had to be some people who paid attention to a boy running off on his own.
“Higan…” Kayleigh whispered quietly with deep concern for her brother. “Where are you now?” She couldn’t let him get away, not if someone else was manipulating him. She had her chance now, all she had to do was follow the trail before it went cold.
”I’ll find you,” she thought to herself as she already began questioning his appearance, ”That I promise you.”
