An arrest would be too public

The Templar Warden stood silently, his eyes staring at a spot on the polished table before Beldan. He must have been aware of how precarious his position was at the moment. The Lord Warden need not fear.

Beldan had already decided to let him live. There could be no public trial for this Templar Knight, he knew far too much about the activities of the High Priest to ever speak to any judge or jury. No, if Sir Werner was arrested he would be have to be charged with church treason, this would place him directly under the jurisdiction of the very men whom he commanded for the past five years. It would be safer to have an assassin visit the Lord Warden sometime after this crisis was over.

“My son, take faith in Xelta and his ways.” Beldan words were smooth and encouraging, “Do not fear, you will find these assassins and the old heretic who fled with them.” Beldan could see the Templar straighten slightly and his eyes lifted to meet the High Priest's. “I'll need your experience and wisdom now more than ever.” Beldan continued reassuring the knight with more encouraging words.

“I won't let you down Your Holiness!” Werner's words were fervent if still slightly hushed. Beldan smiled at him warmly and offered him a drink as they waited. It took several more minutes for Brother Louis to return to the High Priest's chambers and just a few minutes more to provide the Templar with the names of Winlay and her companion Mika as well as the information about their families.

“Arrest all of them as well!” Ordered Beldan “and have them brought to meet their fate here under the Arm of Xelta.” Sir Werner saluted smartly and nodded in obedient compliance even when Beldan ordered Master Sergeant Gymble to assist the warden and coordinate the Templar efforts with the church's search for the fugitives. Gymble was Beldan's personal chief of security, and no one in the room doubted that it would be his job to report to the High Priest any lack of effort on the Templar's part.

“Go with Xelta and finish off the heretic.” Beldan sent the two on their way with a final reminder “Don't forget, I want the assassins alive at my feet in chains.” With luck, he could salvage some small measure of pleasure out of this horrific development. The Oracle finally dead and two of the prettiest of this year's initiates in chains awaiting the most sever treatment he could devise and no-one would think twice about their fate. Except perhaps for the girls' families that is. A sudden thought popped into his head, pushing aside for a moment all other concerns.

“Louis, didn't you say the Grace girl had a younger sister? How old is she?” After a brief moment with his notes the clerk answered flatly.

“Sixteen, Your Holiness. The sister is sixteen years old.” Beldan's smile was sickening, and it was all Louis could do not to look away in disgust.

Beldan had a dinner scheduled for the evening with six ambitious clerics, but with the pending crisis he was unsure whether to postpone the event. While it was true that there was little he could do at the moment, he hated the idea that the Oracle was somehow free.