The Thieves of Otar

Arch?

"Heath, have you seen Pa?" Ike appeared at Heath's side, nearly giving him a heart attack. But what really almost gave him a scare was the tone of Ike's voice and the look on his face. Ike's voice was filled to the brim with worry, and his eyes reflected his terror. 

"No, I haven't," Heath told him. "Not since yesterday. Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure," Ike admitted. "I didn't see him at breakfast this morning, and when I went to his room to speak with him he wasn't there."

"Are you sure you went to the right room? This place is so big I got lost six times on my way to the bathroom last night."

"I'm sure," Ike said, "and that's why I'm worried."

"Has he gone to visit Zia?" Heath wondered aloud.

Ike shook his head. "That was my first thought as well, but Link said that he hadn't seen Arch since yesterday afternoon."

"Perhaps he is with the King?" he suggested, trying to calm his friend's heightened nerves. "With the oncoming battle, I'm sure Arch is offering his strategic expertise."

But to Heath's dismay, Ike shook his head. "Donathan hasn't seen him either. He even sent out a servant to look for him, but they still can't find him."

"That's very unlike him to just disappear like that," Heath said, starting to pick up on some of Ike's worry.

"Exactly. He seems to have just fallen off the face of the earth."

Heath placed a hand on Ike's shoulder. "I'm sure he'll turn up soon. He probably just went for a walk or something." It sounded desperate, even to him, but Heath willed himself to believe it to be true. Arch couldn't be missing. Not now, not with the oncoming battle that could decide the fate of the entire kingdom. He just couldn't.

"I hope you're right, Heath," Ike said earnestly. "Because I don't think I can face those armies without knowing that he's safe."

"His grandfather taught him the ways of the Trodaithe," Heath reminded him. "If any of us are safe, it's him."  As soon as Heath had found out where Arch had learned to fight, he had taken it upon himself to inform Ike, at the very first opportunity. He felt that as Arch's son, Ike deserved to know.

Ike huffed a laugh. "I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around that."

"Me too," Heath agreed. "I'm surprised you didn't know."

"I am too," he grumbled under his breath. "I've asked him before where he had learned to fight, but he always just told me that it was his grandfather. I never even thought to question where my great-grandfather had learned. I just assumed that he was like Jay and taught himself to fight.

"You're right, though," Ike continued. "He can take care of himself." He sighed. "I'd just feel better knowing where he is." 

They fell silent, neither knowing what to  say to break the awkwardness that had settled over them. Then Ike said, "How's Zia? I've been helping Jay put together supplies and weapons for the men that the King and Pa have been able to round up, and I haven't gotten around to seeing her yet."

"She's well," Heath said. "Link's taken good care of her. He's changed the bandages on her leg and he's given her a lot of herbs and things to drink. Of course, Zia says she feels fine and that it's nothing to fuss over, but you know how she is... What?" Heath saw the knowing look on his friend's face and stopped.

Ike smirked widely and appeared to be shaking from the effort of not laughing. 

"What is it?" Heath demanded.