Back to the Drawing Board|Aegestrom, Maelstrom

[Kender Bard]

Valen knocked on the door to the Queen and King's chambers. Lya greeted him, opening the door and ushering him, Acqua, and Amaro in. She still held close to Spice, and the little boy had at least stopped being so fussy all the time.

Seeing his beloved Aunt and Uncle, he gave a little shriek of delight and held his arms out towards them. "Ag-wa! 'maro!"

"What news do you bring?" Lya asks, bouncing Spice in her arms.

[Northen Light36]

Acqua reached out to take the little boy for awhile. Since Alethia's kidnapping, Acqua's dependance on her sister is slowly transforming into a healthier love and protectiveness of Spice.

"We found them, but we couldn't get them out without putting us all at too higher risk," Amaro replies. "It seems my uncle has gained a third sign."

[Kender Bard]

Lya, for a brief moment, disregards what Amaro had just said about Mathew. "My baby? You saw my baby? Is she okay? Oh Forces..."

"The Princess appeared in good health," Valen said softly. "But my queen, Mathew-"

The fact catches up with Lya and she goes rigid, a hand flying to her mouth. "He must have gotten the favor of one of the Forces."

[Northen Light36]

"That's all we need," mutters Shadow, his face set with quiet, but forceful anger. He frowns thoughtfully. "Well we have to do something about him, but I don't want you anywhere near him Lya. Amaro, can you think of any weaknesses your uncle might have?" Amaro thinks.

"Only that he's greedy, arrogant and obbessed with making my life and Acqua's hell," he mutters.

[Kender Bard]

Lya folds her hands and exhales deeply. "How good of a combatant is he, may I ask? Perhaps if we were to lull him into a false sense of security, we could arrange for an ambush after all... if he's arrogant enough."

[Northen Light36]

Amaro frowns thoughtfully. "Well, he's better then me, I know that much," he admits. "Mathew was always the strongest fighter in the family."

"That and he cheats," adds Acqua darkly. Amaro nods his agreement.

"Acqua's right, Mathew fights dirty if he even thinks he'll lose an honourable fight." Amaro's disgusted look speaks volumes for his feelings about that.

[Kender Bard]

Lya glances at Shadow, curious if her husband could match up to the other man's strength and prowess. "I'm at a loss of what to do, honestly. If nobody can think of any plans, I'm for one of just going to where my baby is and taking her myself, come hell or high water."

[Northen Light36]

"With the right planning, that could work actually," Acqua murmurs, her expression distant as a plan begins to form in her mind. "Security isn't really all that good there. I'd probably have been able to get them out if Talon and Vortai hadn't been tied up and injured and I'd had some help carrying them out." Flash looks thoughtful.

"Lya, if Amaro, Shadow and I were to meet Mathew in Sparkstrike as he's demanding, would you be willing to help Acqua with getting her family and your daughter out?"

[Kender Bard]

Lya nods so firmly her hair flies into her face. Pushing it back, she adds firmly, "Yes, definately." Her expression softening, she regards Shadow somberly. "Be careful, Shadow."

[Northen Light36]

"I will dear," Shadow replies. "You just worry about how much I'll spoil Luminous when we're all home."

"When do you want to leave, sir?" Amaro asks. "Acqua and I will need to find someone to look after Spice if Lady Lya's going with Acqua..."

"Laura might be willing, or Salacia," suggests Flash.

[Kender Bard]

"Laura has her two daughters to look after now," Lya said. "Salacia loved my little Luminous to death. I think she'll just be as soothed with another little mite to take care of, and she's extremely competent at child rearing. Spice couldn't be in better hands than his own mother's."

[Northen Light36]

"Well then, as long as Salacia's willing to care for the child, we'll leave in the morning," Shadow declares. Amaro, Acqua and Flash nod their agreement with that then, reconising the dismissal for what it is, leave. Shadow sighes tiredly and reaches out to brush some hair away from his wife's face. "You'll be careful, won't you my dear? I'm not sure I like the idea of sending you off with a thief..." A note of contempt enters Shadow's tone at the word thief.

[Kender Bard]

Lya reaches up and cups Shadow's cheek gently. "Who better to go with on a mission where we are, essentially, stealing something?" She cracked a smile for her husband. "While my memory informs me that the girl is outspoken and has no courtly manners, I trust anyone raised by the Veatherfalls and Amaro to be of good, pure heart. Don't worry about me. It's you that I'm more than worried about. Mathew sounds like a deadly opponent in the realm of battle. Don't get into a fight unless you absolutely must."

[Northen Light36]

"I'll do my best not too," Shadow promises. "The Melissan family has always had a reputation for producing fine warriors and I have no wish to see how much truth is in that repuation unless he leaves me no choice." Shadow smiles reasuringly at Lya. "And don't worry. If worst comes to worst, I'll have Flash and Amaro to watch my back and I'm hardly a pushover myself. Everything will be fine, drearest."

[Kender Bard]

Lya exhaled slowly and gave a little nod, embracing Shadow again. She managed to seem calm and reassured for the first time since this all started. "Soon we'll have our daughter back. And when we do, I'm never letting her out of my sight again."