Silibar's Fancies!?! A supposedly uptight, tight-arsed bright boy was not only not staying at his temple but he was staying at a den of something approaching iniquity? Where the main draw was gambling? On an important diplomatic mission? At least he hadn't been staying at Loud Lilana's or the Reed Inn. I think I would have quit then and there if that had been the case. This was getting worse yet. Who'd have thought that was possible?
I shook my head and ventured a new angle, "How would you have characterised the character of the deceased?" This was greeted by snickers from Belvani who got a glare from Haloric for his troubles. Haloric shook his head, "I would not have chosen him to lead a mission for this temple had he been a member. I cannot imagine what they were thinking of in Sartar when they picked him for something so sensitive. Frankly I find it hard to imagine how he ever made Light Son in the first place," he paused then added. "Of course unlikely candidates make Light Son other places as well so it's not unimaginable. Sometimes it's purely politics and who you know."
I supressed an urge to roll my eyes at this gem of wisdom and noticed a very
fleeting dirty look that Belvani cast at Haloric. Haloric either missed
this or didn't care and ignored it. "So, he behaved in manners unsuitable
to a Light Son? How so?" "Well he gambled, had relations with women who
weren't followers of Uleria, drank to excess, most notably of alcohol that
didn't come from the Temple here, associated with riff raff and ruffians and
his bodyguards was composed not of templars but rather common thugs."
"That's odd, Sor-Eel claimed that he learned of the murder from a templar
bodyguard of the deceased." Haloric started, "No, that's right he did have
one templar who stayed here in the hostel. He departed for the Sartar Sun
Dome the morning of the discovery." "So this templar didn't stick with his
boss?" Haloric sighed again, "No, they didn't get along." "Yet, he knew
about the murder before anyone else? And you didn't hold him for
questioning?" Great.
Haloric shook his head, "No, he had an iron clad alibi. He was participating in a ceremony with Karial the Pure. They were in vigil together all night. There's no doubt about that. Before first light, in fact before he really should have left the vigil the templar departed the Temple and went looking for Cressidus. He returned within a very short period of time and announced that Cressidus was dead. He'd already told Sor-Eel and quickly packed up his gear and left for Sartar."
"By himself?" "No, he managed to get a berth in a Lunar caravan headed that
way." I greeted this statement dubiously, "So quickly? Who was he? He
could still have been involved as a ring leader for the murderer, or
murderers! Why would you just let him go?" Haloric and Belvani looked at
each other a little sheepishly. "That possibility hadn't really occured to
us and he was part of an important diplomatic mission," Haloric said
reluctantly and then added, "He was a sister-son of Karial the Pure,
Balarus."
To be continued.
Oliver
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