This was the fifth job that Hale had with Nash and this came directly from the king. He was excited. He was moving towards the north of the capital town.
On his sandalwood mare, he crossed a bamboo field in the morning. The wind swayed them and air flew through the holes in them, causing long eery whistling sounds.
He came across a cart coming opposite him and saw that it was filled with iron vessels. Hale knew that it had came from ironmere, one of the places in Dihel where blacksmiths gathered.
He saw soldiers riding towards and coming from Ironmere. He heard the clamouring of hammers on anvils from afar. He entered the town and the sound was deafening.
Most of the shops were two-storied, with the bottom made of stone and above of timber. Blacksmiths laboured below with red hot metal and large hammers. Sweat poured from their skin and their aprons were riddled with black stains.
Hale got off his horse and went to ask where Robert's smith was. He had to go to two shops before he got an answer.
Hale got back onto his horse and went straight. At the first crossing, he turned left. He stopped in front of the fourth smith and got off his horse.
"Is this the place?" Hale muttered.
He went to the door and peered inside. Be saw a man with dirt brown hair hammering on a piece of red hot iron. His grey eyes were focused and his muscles were tight. The sound of his toil boomed all around.
CLANG!
CLANG!
Hale waited because he didn't want to disturb him. After some time, Robert sensed Hale's presence and looked up.
"What do you want?" He glared wiping his sweat on the apron.
Hale was startled by the sudden question. "I... I am sorry... I came looking for Robert Smith. I am hired by the king to find his wife."
Robert looked at Hale from top to bottom. He held the iron with a clamp and plunged it into a bucket nearby. Water boiled and steamed from it. He wiped his hands and stood up.
"I am Robert smith. Why did the king send a boy over here?" Robert said frowning.
"Oh no, I am simply here for gathering information. My boss is the one who was hired by the king," Hale said waving his hands.
"I already told everything."
"Really, but there is not much on the report," Hale said showing the papers.
Robert clicked his tongue. "I went outside for taking iron and it always takes nearly a day. My apprentice was here at that time. You better ask him."
"Where can I find him?" Hale asked timidly.
"RICK!!," Robert screamed.
A lean man with bronze-coloured hair and green eyes came out. He was wearing a green cotton shirt and grey pants. His face and clothes were covered in black stains. He blinked severely times as he came out.
"Is there any problem with the oven master?" He asked.
"No, go with this guy. He wants to ask about Annie," Robert said pointing to Hale.
Rick looked between Robert and Hale. He bowed to his master and went outside with Hale.
"Don't he love his wife?" Hale asked.
"Oh no... He adores his wife. He is not very good at showing it," Rick said smiling.
Hale felt doubtful of that be he remembered that it was Robert who went to the king. A man who did not love his wife will not do such a deed.
"Can you explain to me what had happened?" Hale asked.
"Master sometimes goes outside to get iron for the smithy. There is this guy who brings it and the master only trusts him. That day, he went as always leaving me and the mistress alone."
"There is this girl I am looking to marry and when I saw her outside, I couldn't help it. I went outside to talk to her. We went around town and I lost track of time. When I came back, the master was there and the mistress was missing," Rick said looking down.
"Master didn't blame me and that hurt the most," his voice was trembling.
"Did you notice anyone at that time?" Hale asked softly.
"Well, there was this weird guy I saw when we were walking around town. He had this crooked nose and a slouching back. He was muttering 'art defiler ' when he crossed us," he said.
"Is that all?" Hale asked again.
"Yes," Rick replied thinking.
Hale got back on his ride back. He saw more men in carts carrying iron and shields. He crossed the bamboos but didn't listen to the sounds. He was going back to the capital town.
In the capital town was flower street, where the majority of florists put up shop. He stopped in front of the tenth shop on flower street.
Rows of dahlias, roses, jasmine, and marigold lined in front of him. Their smell mixed with the air and flowed to him. In a bucket, there were freshly cut lilies. Hale pushed on the glass door and the bell attached to it chimed.
Inside, he was met with green of various shapes and sizes. He went to the counter and rang the bell. A woman with glossy black hair came out. Her eyes were green and she was wearing a white apron. She had woollen gloves made for garden work. Her dress was pink like the rose she was holding.
"May I help you?" Her expression was sombre.
Hale became entranced by the smell of the flowers and the woman. She snapped himself and bowed.
"I am sorry ma'am. I have to ask about Eadele..."
The woman's face darkened. She looked down.
"I am her sister Daisy," she said.
The mood of the shop instantly became gloom. Hale swallowed his saliva and spoke.
"I am sorry ma'am, but I need to know to find your sister."
Daisy nodded slowly. "What do you want to know?"
"When did you last see her?" He asked.
"Eadele has a habit of running away from home. Our parents told her to stay here to change that. One day she ran away and never came back," she said weeping.
"Was there anyone that might do this?"
"There was this man," Daisy said thinking.
"Can you describe him?" Hale asked.
"One day, when I opened my shop, he was squatting in front of the flowers and drawing. When I went to look, he jumped up and called me an art defiler and ran away. I didn't care about it at that time," Daisy said.
'Is it the same man?' Hale thought.
"Thank you, madam, we will take care of the rest," and with that Hale exited the shop.