Indeed they are...

Presently, one of the competing smiths takes his freshly-quenched blade and goes to make his swipe at the staff which he must cut (your experience at the forge tells you that he has rushed the work, clearly trying to score for time rather than skill). It is not a good blow; while he does cut the staff in two, the wood splinters and cracks along its length, which will cost him points. Still, the crowd cheers his success, and the young smith smiles and waves as he turns his blade over to the judges and makes his way off the field.

Just then, Duncan comes walking quickly up to you, agitation clear in his face. The itch at the back of your neck becomes suddenly much more persistent. "Excuse me a moment," you say to your guests, and get up to meet Duncan at the back of the royal box. He is clearly out of breath from the exertion of running.

"Sire," he whispers, trying to get enough air while maintaining decorum, "Lady Sylvia... she has run off!"

You glance around; the guests in the royal box are politely giving you space with your advisor. "What prompted this?" you ask in a very low whisper.

"She was recognized. The archers were practicing for the upcoming contest, and one of them was making crude comments toward her; Lady Trina used her authority as Kingsguard to intervene, but Sylvia took matters into her own hands. She pulled her bow from under her cloak and fired a shot at his target which knocked his own arrow to the ground. It was a foolish impulse on her part, too quick for Lady Trina to have stopped her, and it was enough for a man standing nearby to identify her. When Sylvia saw him run off, she knew what she had done, and she panicked. Lady Trina ran after her; I knew I would not be able to keep up with them, so I thought it best to come inform you at once. I beg forgiveness, Sire... I must sit down, I am not a young man anymore!"

Captain Navarre, who came to join you as soon as you stood to go to Duncan, immediately puts his arm around the old man to help him to a seat. The guests in the royal box cannot help but become concerned, and they are looking back now to see what is the matter.

"Noble guests, there is no cause for alarm," you tell them, trying to be reassuring. "Lord Duncan came to inform me of an unfortunate mishap at the archery range. It concerns a personal friend of mine, and he wished me to know of the matter immediately. I ask pardon from all those present, I know it is unconscionable of me to take my leave at this time -"

"Please, good King Xavier, attend to what you must," Subhi insists. "This contest is interminable and will surely not be over before you return. A true friend is a rare thing for a King to have, and they must be cherished."

"I count you among the best of them, Great Sultan, and I thank you. Excuse me, then." You turn to Captain Navarre. "Wait here, Captain; if you accompany me, it will be obvious that the matter is graver than I have said."

"Yes, Sire. Mshindi stands guard at the base of the steps, he will escort you."

"Thank you, Captain. Duncan, take some rest, and some of my wine if it will help."

"I am... very grateful, Sire," Duncan wheezes.

You make a concentrated effort to walk down the steps rather than run, but at the bottom, you motion to Mshindi to follow you and move faster toward the archery practice targets. As you enter the roped-off arena, the archers unbend their bows and bow their heads, some of them dropping to one knee.

"Carry on, good sirs," you tell them, trying to put some levity into your voice. You can see where the Vixen's bow has been dropped; one of the City Watch stands over it, and you hurry over to him.

"Sire," he says, bowing his head.

"Your name, Watchman?"

"I am Elijah, Sire."

"Elijah, did you see what happened here?"

"I did, Sire. The young woman with Lady Trina, she -"

"I do not need the details at this time," you interrupt. "I only need to know where the lady ran after she dropped her bow."

"Yes, Sire. She ran that way, toward the stables. Lady Trina ordered me to remain here and to allow no one to touch this bow, then ran after her."

"Good work, Watchman. I will take the bow, and you may return to your duties. You will be summoned at a later time to give a complete report."

"As you command, Sire. I take my leave." Elijah hands you the bow, then salutes and returns to his station at the back of the field.

"Mshindi, run ahead to the stables and have Steelheart prepared. And, find someone who knows where Sylvia and Lady Trina ran from there."

"Yes, Sire!" Mshindi is away in a flash, his legs taking great strides which quickly cover the ground to the stables; he is halfway there by the time you are exiting the archery grounds. As you are clearly in a hurry, the people on the path make way before you, and as you reach the stables Mshindi is leading Steelheart out. Lady Trina is there as well.

"Sire, she was much too fast for me," Trina explains. "I chased her as far as the stonemason's bridge, but she reached the trees well ahead of me and I knew I could not hope to follow her through the greenwood. I thought it best to return to the stables so that I might organize a search with the City Watch."

"It would be futile," you say. "The Vixen has evaded the Watch for years, they will not find her if she does not want to be found."

"I have failed you, Sire," Trina says, hanging her head.

"There is nothing more you could have done, Lady Trina. We must concern ourselves with what we do now."