"She just said he took Acorn, gave her to someone else." He replied. "She didn't say who did it, only that he was an asshole." He sighed. "I punched him, straight off. He deserved that, just for the way he's been acting. When I told him why, he pulled out a knife and threatened to kill me if I was to continue the arrest." He raised his arm. "He didn't do a good job."

She swallowed. "He does deserve it," she said. "But that is not how we do things in Cnoch-na-Niall. If we went around giving everyone every thing they deserved, by rights you'd be up for a flogging from my captain for abusing a prisoner. But that's not important now. The lady in red . . . knows I do not like Duncan, or trust him."

"No, I wouldn't." He replied. "I am not one of your guard. I am the Queen's. And my job is to be the warden of Dee." He told her seriously. "Beyond that, I'm the ambassador of Aquitaine, so I can punch anyone I like and be subject to the laws of Aquitaine. Beyond that, I take orders from your mother. Not you." He said, firmly. "But as to the red lady, I don't think she had any reason to lie."

Niabheara looked irked, but chose to ignore him. Omauduan chose this moment to come out of hiding--nearly tipping the chair backwards when he stood up--and sniff curiously at Davide's boots. Absently Niabheara caught the chair with one hand and righted it. "And you . . . when you spoke to her, you didn't have any particular reason to suspect Lord Duncan yourself? Beyond that he's an ass and you dislike him."

Davide held out his fingers to the wolf for him to sniff. "No." He replied. "Not really. Niabheara, I've not spoken to Dierdre or Duncan since they arrived. I keep out of their way, they want nothing to do with me and I with them."

"He'll tug your fingers but he won't bite," Niabheara warned quickly, indicating Omauduan. "I am not blaming you. The lady in red is very good at knowing how people feel. I did not know if perhaps she found the one person here who disliked him as much as I do . . . but would do something about it."

Davide looked up at her again and shrugged. "The first punch was for all the trouble he's caused. Everything else was once he pulled the knife." He frowned. "I didn't hurt him that much. Not that he can't be healed, or something. I think he did it. I don't know if she was telling the truth, or just wanted to cause trouble. I don't care." He frowned. "You know how when someone accuses you of something you didn't do?" He said. "You usually want to know why they think that. You cooperate. He didn't. He said he had a firm story on where he was the entire time, and then he said he'd kill me if I continued arresting him."

The young woman's face went stark grey. "This is still all circumstantial," she said, voice shaking. "What did he tell you? I mean, what was his story?"

"Niabheara." He said gently. "Please sit. You're making me feel like a bad host." He nodded. "He said he was with Dee. He said the.. the mad bard was in there sleeping? And that if she wouldn't say anything, or knew anything once she got straightened out, then there was nothing to tie him there."

Niabheara sat, her hands in her lap. "The trouble is that Moira already discussed this and said that there was no one in the room when she came in. Acorn was already gone. If that's his story, that's one lie already."