No Smoke Without Friar!

'And you're sure, good friar, that you haven't seen the Emperor anywhere?' These words are being uttered by a worried looking guard captain. With him is a platoon of equally concerned looking soldiers. The captain stands on the threshold of the main entrance to Schrote cathedral. In front of him is Friar Knowledge, Bishop Baldwin's record keeper.

'No, captain. I can say, categorically, that I have never seen Emperor George. Ever' says Friar Knowledge emphatically. 'Ever, ever'.
'But you were seen with him last night', replies the officer.
'No', says the Friar, 'you are mistaken - that was probably someone else'.
'Another Emperor George?' says the captain, suspiciously.

'What Friar Knowledge means to say', says Bishop Baldwin, arriving hurriedly through the main cathedral door, 'is that he did indeed see the Emperor yesterday evening, but that it was around seven, and His Imperial Highness said that he was going for a long walk'.
'Oh yes', says the friar, nodding vigorously, 'yes. That was absolutely the gist of what I was getting at'.
The captain looks at the Friar, frowning. 'Getting at when you said that you had absolutely never seen him?'
The friar nods. 'Oh yes - I think that that was clear'.
'Yes but ...' starts the soldier.

'No, no - Friar Knowledge has urgent things to do - those protestant kneecaps won't just beat themselves, you know. Off you go, brother, and I shall myself answer the captain's questions'.
The friar exits, leaving the captain with the Bishop. 'So', says Baldwin conversationally, 'you've lost the Emperor then?'
'He's gone! Disappeared!' gulps the officer. 
Baldwin nods slowly. 'Well, that's got to be worrying for an officer of the Imperial Guard. I mean, Imperial Guarding 101 would certainly focus on the importance when guarding an emperor that he shouldn't be allowed to disappear mysteriously. I should think that one of the first items on an imperial guard's performance review would be the extent to which mysterious disappearings of tthe emperor had or hadn't been allowed to happen'.

The captain nods vigorously. 'It is most alarming!'

The bishop shrugs. 'Well, he went for a long walk: and Schrote is very small - he could literally be anywhere. Have you tried Denmark?'

The captain mops his brow. 'It is even worse then you think, good bishop! See - on the horizon! Smoke rises from the border - there's dirty work afoot! The colonel has sent messages calling for reinforcements!'

'Well', says the bishop placatingly, 'I'm sure that things will turn out fine in the end'.

'I just can't help thinking', continues the captain, 'that the Emperor's disappearance might be linked to the problems at the border - perhaps the Emperor has been abducted, and the smoke that we can see is caused by a force of enemy marauders come to carry him off!'

'Fie and tush', says the bishop. 'That is very unlikely - it would be a terrible plan!'

'Yes, yes!' says the captain, consoling himself. 'Yes! Only morons would think that such an enterprise could succeed!'

The bishop sighs. 'My thoughts exactly - anyway, off you go: I've got lots to do. If the Emperor doesn't make his coronation, I suppose the orchestra will still want paying; and I'll have to work out what to do with the all of those sausage rolls'.