Chapter 457: Speaking With the King
"I'm sure all of you have heard about the parents of the young men who assisted in the fight when the attempt on my son's life occurred, and further on me, occurred," the king continued once everyone was settled around the campfire, though Elmo was still doing his best to continue sleeping despite the fact that it was a losing battle.
"So, you're here about the kidnapping accusations?" Jonas asked, sounding like he wasn't interested in beating around the bush like Elin suspected Kim would be.
The expression the king's face took said that Jonas' statement was close, but not quite on the mark. That he was there for that very reason, but not in the way that was implied by that statement alone.
"I only promised that if I became aware of any of you in the city that I'd have to hold any and all of you until this matter could get resolved," the king answered. "So, out here, outside the city, I'm under no obligation to do any of that."
"What if we entered the city but left before you became aware of it?" Elin couldn't help but ask. Her curiosity was just brimming with what the answer might be.
"Then, if I became aware of that, then I'd be obligated to take you into custody," the king replied. Then before anyone could say anything else, the king added, "In regards to learning that all of you were out here from Samantha, she had been out for a ride before letting me know, so I have to assume she met all of you outside the city, since I don't have any reason to think otherwise." The king paused again, looking at each of them meaningfully. "As long as I'm not aware of that being a misunderstanding on my part, I'll have to go with that interpretation and go with that explanation."
Elin understood what he was getting at. That if they had gone into the city, he didn't want to know. That he didn't want them to enlighten him about that fact. Which Elin had a feeling she, at least, might have if he hadn't warned them about it.
"Even me?" Elwin asked, baffled.
The king nodded. "Of course. While I may know what your connection to each other is, the parents involved don't and aren't so eager to give you the benefit of the doubt. They're insistent that all of you are either involved directly in the kidnapping or know important information about the matter and need to be questioned about it until they're convinced you don't."