A Mother's Worst Fear

[Kender Bard]

Lya felt very exhausted by the time she returned home with Shadow. Some well-meaning citizens had stopped them and ate up more of her time. All she wanted now, though, was to cuddle her daughter, have a nice dinner with Shadow, and to sleep.

She hummed a nursery rhyme under her breath as she entered Luminous's room. The lights were all off, and there was no sound. Lya smiled. "Aw, someone's sleepy," she whispered under her breath. "I'll just tuck her in th-"

All the breath fled her as the Queen looked down into her empty cradle. After a few moments of only being able to hear her heart beating in her ears, she unfroze and frantically searched all around the room. Not finding her baby daughter, and noticing the window was open, Lya snapped. "SHADOW!!" she shrieked in anguish.

[Northen Light36]

Shadow comes running... followed by the Calder brothers. Flash had just been reporting to Shadow on his meeting with Breezebury, Saph practically glued to his brother's side in releaif to have him home. All three had dropped everything at Lya's scream. "Lya, Lya what's wrong?" demands Shadow, almost before he's in the room.

[Kender Bard]

"My baby!" Lya sobs, unable to get more than that out. Salacia appeared as well, looking just as fretful as Lya the second she stepped into the room.

"She's gone," Salacia gasped. She'd guessed as much more by instinct than anything else, but one look in the crib confirmed it.

[Northen Light36]

Shadow goes white, but he forces himself to stay calm for his wife's sake. Walking over, Shadow wraps his arms around her and suggests soothingly, "Perhaps one of the servants just took her to give her a bath or something, Lya." As he speaks, Shadow makes eye contact with the Calder's and that's all Flash needs. Taking his brothers arm, Flash tugs Saph out of the room and after a whispered conversation, the brothers spilt up.

When they return, both men are looking grim.

[Kender Bard]

Lya was dabbing her eyes, and looked soulfully at the two men, unable to ask.

Salacia did it for her. "Any sign, you two?"

[Northen Light36]

Flash and Saph sadly shake their heads. "No," Saph replies.

Reluctently, Flash adds, "The guards let a man with a basket into the place while you were away. He claimed to have a gift for you, Lady Lya, but..."

"The servants saw a man, dressed like one of them, who matches the guard's description of this gift-giver," Saph adds. "He was heading towards this room. Lya, Shadow, I'm sorry..."

[Kender Bard]

Lya broke into quiet tears again.

Salacia let go of her breath slowly, then straightened up, a determined look passing over her. "Right then. Send people out to spread word about who this man is and we'll see if we can get him captured. With any luck, he won't have left Talen'sul yet."

Lya looked up from her crying. "What do I do?"

[Northen Light36]

Flash nods, "We already gave the guards orders to start spreading the word. And to close all exits from the city." Shadow straightens, his eyes damp, but determined.

"Good work, Flash. Send word to Tuono. Tell him to subtly have the Maelstorm guards investigate there." Flash nods and runs off to do just that. Shadow turns his attention to his wife. "You and I just have to be strong Lya, dear. With a little luck, we'll catch this man before he can get away. And even if we don't, he's not going to hurt her, dear. She's too valuable. No doubt this man is after money. He'll send his demands, we'll deal with them and Luminous will be home soon." Privately Shadow isn't so certain, but he knows he needs to appear to be for his wife's sake.

[Kender Bard]

Lya grasps onto the hope like a drowning man. "Yes, you're right." She hastily swipes the tears out of her eyes. "I'll give him whatever he wants to have my daughter safe and home. I just wish I hadn't sent our knights off so soon." She sighed softly. "No, that was important too. But I feel like I should be out there, looking for her." The way she spoke suggested she was contemplating doing so.

[Northen Light36]

Aware his wife feels she needs to do something and feeling much the same way himself, Shadow replies, "When Flash gets back, we will."