"She and I agreed just that morning. She could go to Portside with Lek for information to bring back to you. I know she loves her cousins. I know she is protective of them. But she needs to learn to have some sense about things."

"I know..." Wulfsen sighed. "I wish I had gone with her. I should have gone with her."

Shawn stiffened. "You knew she was going and let her go without adequate protection?"

"I thought she would be coming right back, that was the plan." Wulfsen said. "I sent knights with her, men I thought I could trust to protect her but they failed."

And if he knew his daughter, Shawn was pretty sure she wanted Wulfsen with her and not a bunch of knights she didn't know. Shawn growled and slammed his hand down on the chair back.

"I should have just left Xavier in charge and went with her." Wulfsen said, even though he knew he had to be at the keep to do things Xavier could not do, use authority Xavier did not have. But now all of those refugees living at the keep meant nothing compared to Sileas. "I didn't even say bye properly... I should have kissed her!"

Shawn blinked. "Well I don't know about that, but she should have had someone she knew and trusted with her."

"Well, she has Yehudit... And Questa." Wulfsen said reluctantly.

Shawn could only assume Wulfsen didn't know or understand about the special need Sileas had. He wished not for the first time that Larrigan had survived the raid.

Wulfsen sighed. "We shouldn't be mad at Lek, he's just a boy. I'm the one who failed her."

"I shouldn't have given permission for her to go. I know full well how much Brie needs her right now. And now neither of us are with her." Shawn shook his head. "Lek is 18. Far old enough to know better than to not get information regarding who was on the ship and where it was going. And I'm willing to wager, Sileas ended up going because he went off the plan and was going to run off with them himse.f"

"Okay, then let's blame Lek. Let's keep him in the crow's nest until we find Sileas." Wulfsen said.

"That sounds like an ideal plan. It keeps him out of my reach."

"That too." Wulfsen nodded. The rocking of a ship is so much worse in the crow's nest that even seasoned sailors consider being put in it a punishment.

"We should send his meals up there to him," Shawn said. There was a slightly evil glint in his eyes.

"If we're going to feed him up there he'll need a bucket..." Wulfsen said.

"That shouldn't be a problem. We have spares, don't we?"

"Just worry the bugling boy will drop it." Wulfsen said.

"Good point. And knowing Lek..."

"It will get very messy down here." Wulfsen said.

"I suppose we should let him come for meals then. I have no desire to clean up after him."

"We're already cleaning up after him." Wulfsen pointed out.

"Yeah but nothing...nasty."

If Sileas had been sold into slavery she could be going through something more nasty than vomit... But Wulfsen did not voice that thought.

"I think I'm going to find something to eat. You hungry?"