Lovely Little Ones

[Kender Bard]

A young woman - in the bloom of her adult maturity - wandered about the market. She was dressed well; not high enough to be of a rich merchantile family or nobility, but a little better than the average commoner. She walked somewhat aimlessly, a look of concern and concentration on her face. Clutched to her chest was a beautiful doll.

Spotting a knot of children, she approached them, though stopped at a respectable distance away, leaning against the side of a building as she did. She wasn't quite within the alley behind her, but she did linger near the mouth of it. Her eyes wandered over the children, and her distress seemed to grow. She sighed heavily.

"Children," she called out, gently. "Would one of you please help me?"

Harmony and Spice, who were playing merrily together, paused and glanced over. So did several other children, but their game was intensely absorbing and most ignored the woman. Spice, however, smiled and approached her. Harmony frowned thoughtfully and followed, curious and not wanting Spice to go off on his own.

The woman smiled brightly at the two children and knelt down to be more on level with them. "Hello," she greeted softly. "Could you help me?"

"What do you need?" Spice asked, cocking his head to the side. Harmony's eyes were on the doll - she clearly thought it was a beautiful toy and was wondering what it would be like to have one that pretty.

"Do you know of a little girl who looks like this?" the woman asked and showed them the doll. Its lustrous black curls fell to the doll's ankles. "Her name is Amadie. She's about your age, perhaps a little younger. She's my daughter and I can't find her."

Spice frowned and shook his head. "Sorry. I mean I've seen some black-haired girls of course but none of them with hair that long, and none of them named Amadie."

The woman looked at Harmony hopefully. Harmony just shrugged and shook her head. "I don't live here."

"All right," the woman sighed and pulled the doll back to her chest. "Then do me a favor?"

Both children looked curiously at the woman. She had their interest and their sympathy now.

The Clear unleashed her aura strongly on both of them. The age difference was staggering and both children had little will to fight back against, even together, even with one of them being a Mind. "Shh, don't make a sound," the woman urged in a very quiet voice. "Don't tell a single adult or child or anyone that you've seen me, please. If anyone asks, the woman you were speaking to was looking for her little girl. It's not even a lie, so it's okay. Now, what I want you both to do is late tonight, after your parents or whomever looks after you have gone to bed, and you're sure nobody will see you, sneak out of your homes and come meet me right at this spot again. Come alone, and remember - make sure you don't get caught, no matter what."

The woman couldn't spot their signs. Her master had told her to be careful who she picked up so she asked, "What are your signs? Tell me."

"Wind," Spice answered.

"Mind," Harmony stated.

The woman pointed at Harmony and said to her, "When I tell you not to speak with anyone, that includes with telepathy as well. Not a word." The Clear's heart was beating rapidly. "Those are your orders, children. If I get caught or in trouble, you're to do everything you can to help me get out of it. Try to make sure I don't get caught. Now, go back to playing and act like nothing happened. I'll see you both tonight."

The children nodded but Spice was trembling and Harmony looked near to murderous. As they turned to leave, the woman leaned over and whispered, "Smile. Our master is watching."

The children managed to force grins on their faces as they ran back to their games.

[Kender Bard]

That night, they snuck out. For Spice, it was laughably easy to sneak out of his house if he really, really wanted to. Which he didn't but he did. Who knew that this is what it would be like to be captured by a Clear?

Harmony had an even easier time of it. She waited until the Calder household was asleep and then just teleported outside and made her way to the market. Both of the children went to the meeting place, nervous, frightened.

"I'm sorry," Spice mumbled to Harmony. "Didn't mean to get you in trouble too."

"It's okay," Harmony said back, but she still looked worried.

Spice squared his shoulders and took Harmony's hand. "I'll protect you," he promised.

After a moment, Harmony sensed a teleport. Then there was a man and the Clear woman from before. Spice glared at them both.

Harmony felt something like a large, strong hand on her mind and from the way Spice flinched, figured he felt the same. The man had his hand touching under his collar, presumeably at a sign.

"The children, Lord," the Clear murmured.

"Take note for later what I tell you," the Mind mumbled. Then he began to casually rummage around in the children's heads.

"The boy... got his home... family is Veatherfall, commoners, though friends to a noble house, Melissan. ... ... Two siblings, both parents. Nothing of great interest but worth noting. Hmm, yes, house Melissan has children as well, that's good. Yes, that will do."

Spice gasped as the Mind released whatever it was he had been doing. His head hurt abominably and he felt kind of dizzy. The Clear's arms shot out and wrapped around him. "Shh," she murmured and stroked his head. "Mommy has you."

Harmony put up a greater fight, and the Mind seemed greatly amused by this.

"You've got spirit," he said.

She tried to kick him in the balls. It missed, as he twisted away, but he still gave a small grunt of pain and annoyance. "Simona," he ordered sharply.

The Clear looked over. "Be still," she told Harmony but her tone was chastising rather than commanding. "Let our lord into your mind, child, and do not fight him. Stay still and submit."

Harmony gritted her teeth but let her defenses down. Not that the Mind probably couldn't have punched right through them.

"Hrm," he stated, and his tone was surprised and speculative. "Family is... no surname. Odd. Lives in Khelek with.." Here the man's eyes widened a fraction. "Interesting, lives in the palace with the royal family there. Mother is a healer, father is as well, how plain. Hmm... That will do. We did well tonight, Simona."

"Do I get to keep one?" the Clear cooed, and stroked Spice's head.

"These aren't your children," the Mind said firmly. "Let them go. This information is very good. We'll transcribe it and add it to our records. I think we're nearly done with the area. Pip will be pleased. Let them go."

The Clear woman sighed and said to the two children. "Nothing happened here tonight, children. You did not speak with us. You do not remember us. As far as you and anyone else is concerned, you spent the night tucked away in your warm beds like good children. Now go home. You're free. And please keep an eye out for my Amadie..."

The Clear let go of Spice and rose. The Mind man put his arms around her and they both disappeared, teleporting.

The two children, shaken but glad that they were unharmed, hurried back to their beds.