realityshifted | 003 [The Rumour Mill]

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merlin (d2) guinevere

003 [The Rumour Mill]

[There were always rumours in Camelot. People gossiped about their neighbours and servants gossiped about their employers and, of course, everyone gossiped about the royal family. Guinevere, working in the heart of the castle, could only shake her head as already tall tales grew taller still, but the rumours - even the rumours about Morgana and Arthur and their marriage - always burnt out as quickly as they started. In a way, it was nice to know that nothing changed. Although Uther's death had left the kingdom in a precarious position politically, life carried on.

These rumours, however, were different. People were going missing. There was no pattern and no apparent reason for it. They were simply gone. The cook's daughter, the boy who delivered the coal, the ostler's wife, the old man who lived next to the butcher and always gave Gwen a sprig of lavender if she wasn't smiling when they passed in the street. Perhaps there were others, too. People who did not have friends or family to mourn them and did not attract the attention of the gossips who held court in the markets and kitchens of Camelot.

Morgana and Arthur had concerns of their own. It was down to Gwen to find out what was going on. And, even if it hadn't occurred to her to connect the disappearances in Camelot to the Plane just yet, she would get to the bottom of things.

Turning a sprig of lavender - dry and brittle, a gift from a week previously - between her fingers, Gwen sat outside the library, wondering where to start.]

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[The question was asked so carefully - she'd been sure that he was about to leave - that Gwen couldn't help but smile.]

I'm all right. Just a little worried about some missing friends.

[Conan smirked -- he might be stuck in the body of a seven year old, but it was nice to know his detective skills were as sharp as ever -- but once his companion's words registered, the smile was gone, Conan instead clearly surprised.]

Eh -- missing friends?

[Gwen nodded.] And a number of acquaintances. I'm sure they'll be all right, it's just ... strange, so many people disappearing at once.

I'm Gwen, by the way. Short for Guinevere. I should have introduced myself first, shouldn't I? That was rude of me. I'm sorry.

It is -- ne, did these people have anything in common?

Ah, it's all right! I'm Edogawa Conan -- Conan's what people call me.

Only that they all live in Camelot.

It's nice to meet you, Conan.

Camelot?

[That sounded familiar -- a mythical place in England, no, the King Arthur myths? Come to think of it ... wasn't Guinevere the name of Arthur's queen? ... oi. This can't be for real ... ]

Nice to meet you too, Guinevere-san! Ne -- if you don't mind, can you tell me more about the disappearances?

[Gwen nodded. He wasn't the first to recognise the name of her home. Or her name, for that matter.]

It's my home. And ... are you sure? There isn't much to tell.

Ne, can you tell me about it too? Just so I understand the background to the case.

And please -- I'd like to know more about this!

There are four people missing, as far as I can tell. There may be more. I can't think of anything that connects them, apart from the fact that they live in Camelot.

[She gives him a quizzical look.] The case?

How big is Camelot? What is the general populace like? Has anyone else noticed that people are missing?

The four missing people -- what are their names, ages and occupation?

Ah, sorry -- a case is what we call this sort of a situation. When a detective finds something to investigate, it's called a case.

It's the biggest city in the kingdom of Camelot. The ordinary people live in the lower town, but the nobles live closer to the castle where King Arthur and Queen Morgana live.

As far as I know, the missing people are all from the lower town. [As requested, Gwen listed the names, approximate ages and occupations of the disjointed group. There was nothing obvious to connect them, as far as she could see.]

Thank you for thinking this is worth investigating.

The lower town ... [Sounds like a typical castle town. If that's the case ... ] Ne, could you draw a map for me please, Guinevere-san?

Ah, it's no problem! It's worrying, right? Not knowing what's happened?

A map? I could, yes, but I'm sure I could get you something more accurate from the castle library.

Yes. I know that I could be worrying about nothing, but I have to know.

An actual map would be great! No one would mind you borrowing it?

I know the feeling -- so I'll help as much as I can.

Not at all. Besides, time doesn't pass in my world when I'm on the Plane. They won't even notice.

I'm not sure how I can repay you.

Is that so? Then a map please!

Ah, it's fine! We don't know how much I'll be able to help -- besides, this is the sort of thing I like best.

You've tried to help. That's all that really matters.

I won't be long. [She disappeared from the Plane and returned shortly, carrying a parchment map.] Is this enough?

[Conan carefully helps Guinevere spread the map out so they can both study it.]

I think so! It looks pretty clear ... this is the castle itself, right? Ne ... the first disappearance you heard about. Do you know where that person lived?

The first disappearance that I heard about was the cook's daughter. They live ... [She pointed at a street in the lower town.] ... here.

The cook's daughter -- she'd probably be learning from her parent, helping out in the castle, right?

[Conan moves to draw on the map but stops himself in time -- he doesn't want to leave his companion with some difficult explaining to do. Instead he pulls his notebook from his pocket, and starts a quick sketch of the cook's daughter's house and it's relation to the castle.]

[Gwen was grateful for his consideration. It would have been terrible if the court librarian discovered that his maps had been annotated. It would have been disastrous if he'd realised that the annotations had been written in media that they didn't have in Camelot at all.]

Sometimes, yes, but she's usually looking after her little brothers and sisters.

[She pointed at another street.]

The ostler and his wife live there. She used to take in work as seamstress, so she was at home during the day.

So usually home -- the other kids are all right, right? Do they remember much about what happened?

A seamstress ... [If what Conan had read about the lives of Victorian seamstresses held true for their earlier counterparts, then she'd probably be home most of the day. About the only excursions she'd make would be--]

How about shopping? Where is the market? Is there more than one?

As well as they can be, with their sister missing. [She knew how that felt. She couldn't go a day without thinking about Elyan, wondering where he was and how he was.] They don't seem to know any more than I do.

The market is here, in this square.

Eh? Not even the time of day ... ?

I see. [The ostler's house and the market were added to the map.]

And the next?

Not even that. I know it doesn't make sense.

Here, next to the butcher. [She indicated another spot on the map, not far from the market.]

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