The Strings in the Shadows

Chapter Five- In which the search for Jack occurs

Kaira came to an abrupt halt at the door of the kitchens. Luke was leaning against the wall, having got there about ten seconds before her. Edward arrived a split second after her. The three stood awkwardly in front of the kitchens, a place that, as nobility, they had never entered.

"Do we knock? Or do we just go in?" Ventured Edward.

Kaira shook her head and shrugged. She had no idea, and if she was honest with herself, she had thought of going to the kitchens before, but she didn't want to interact with new people by herself or get attached to anyone and much prefered talk to people in the company of her brother and cousin.

The dillemma was solved when a small maid burst through the door carrying a bucket of rubbish. She almost barrelled into Edward, and he just barely managed to jump out of the way.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there- Your highness!!!" The woman shrieked. In her haste to cursty, she dropped her bucket. Muttering apologies, she knelt down to pick up the trash to find Kaira was already down there, scooping potato peels and broken egg shells into the bucket with her hands. "Oh, Lady, you don't have to do that, s'my job..."

"This way it's done quicker," Kaira said, handing the full bucket back to the maid. "What's your name?"

Off to the side, Luke wondered why Kaira was so shy around other people. Kaira had a kind heart and genuinely cared about others, no matter what their circumstance, and had amazing people skills, whether she believed it or not,

"Lily, lady. Lily Snaxil."

"Well, Lily Snaxil," said Luke grinning,"we were wondering if you might be able to help us find someone."

The maid frowned disapprovingly at Luke's crooked smile, and Kaira's opinion of her rose. She didn't always like Luke flirting with the maids and kitchen girls, even though they never amounted to anything serious. For his part, anyway.

"And how can I help you, sir? I don't know nothin' 'bout a missin' person," said the woman warily. Edward stepped forward.

"Miss Lily, we're just trying to find one of the kitchen staff who works here. Jack, was it?" Edward glanced at Kaira to confirm the name, but she missed it because she was watching the maid's features reconstruct themselves into an expression that Kaira had never seen before. It was some kind of mixture of pride, contempt, and... What was that, smugness? It was like Lily Snaxil was one of the nobles Kaira hated's face after learning a rival noble's been thrown in prison for tax evasion.

"Oh, him," said Lily with a sneer," Beggin' Your Highness' pardon, but why'd someone like you and company care 'bout someone like Jack Hasline?"

"One must care about all of one's subjects, Miss Lily," said Edward," And at the moment I'd very much like to know Jack's whereabouts." He said meanfully.

The maid nodded her head towards the servants' quarters. "Cheif Hasline locked him up in his room after she caught him skippin' work on Wednesday. Ain't seen hide 'or hair of him since. Good day, Highness, lord, lady," she said respectfully as she made her way around the three nobles and headed towards the rubbish heap.

"'Locked him up?' What did she mean, 'Locked him up'?" Exclaimed Kaira, bewildered. "That was two days ago!"

"We'd better go see if he's alright, nevermind about the notebook!" Said Luke, and the three took off towards the servants' housing area. They entered through an open window on the first floor and came to a halt.

"I've just thought of a flaw in this plan..." Kaira started.

"We don't know where Jack lives," Edward finished.