“So, this Sherman character…”

“Sherpa”

“…is actually a living death knight, and he wants to kill that Quel’dorei fellow downstairs because he defeated him in Dalaran”

“Uh, yes” Liaena muttered uncomfortably. Marshall glared at her for a moment longer, before fixing his gaze on a shelf on the wall behind her thoughtfully. 

“I don’t believe it! Not a word!” The old man finally proclaimed loudly, stumping his walking stick onto the floor beside him to punctuate his words. Liaena ground her teeth together as he swung his head back to her looking pompous and smug. “Now if the Cathedral requested that I come here to assist that Quel’dorei, as you allege, I would have received a holy order ordaining my presence. And I didn’t. So you’re lying.”

“I think…” Liaena muttered finally, having swallowed about her first seven responses to that comment “…that your assistant would have had that letter”

“What assistant?”

If looks could kill, Marshal would be an oozing puddle on the floor. “The one that’s gone missing”

“….”

A long silence fell, as Marshall stared at the little girl. Finally he leaned forward, craggy white beard and eyebrows jutting out with his eyes fixed on her. “You mean to tell me that my assistant, a sworn member of this holy order, has gone [b]missing[/b]?”

“…Yeeees?”

“To these unholy powers!? How dare they!!” Marshall bellowed, getting to his feet and kicking his chair aside to start kicking clothes and boxes about. Liaena stayed glued to her seat, hardly daring to move least it precipitate another random shift in attitude. The old man rounded on her, eyes glinting furiously. “Sloth is the most wicked of sins, girl, why didn’t you tell me about this immediately!?”

“I – you – “ Liaena opened her mouth furiously, before making a heroic effort at controlling her temper. “….I’m sorry Father”

[b]“Ring the bells! Rouse the Paladins! These foul creatures will feel our strength, by the Light!”[/b] Marshall roared as he made for the shattered door, stick in hand. Liaena chased after him, frantically trying to pull him back. “No! Nonono! You can’t do that!”

Having reached the doorway, Marshall swung around to glower down at her. “Oh? And why not, exactly?”

“….”

Momentarily stalling, Liaena had to recollect her scrambled thoughts before she could formulate an answer to that question. “…It’s a stealth mission? Father, these guys are legit as far as the law is concerned. We can’t just…attack them”

Looming over her, Marshall stared down, eyes glinting. “The Light of the World [i]is[/i] our law, girl. And it does [b]not[/b] skulk in the shadows. It’s time you remembered that”

And with that the old man swung around to stomp off down the corridor, robes billowing around him. Liaena chased after him, still attempting to get a word in edgeways and calling out to Frederick, who was according to form, standing peacefully just outside the door. “Father – Marshall – wait! It’s not that simple…Frederick, go to Sharon’s study and get the book on his desk, would you? Tell him – just tell him it’s all under control!”