The Search for a Child

[Illusia]

A quiet ripple of power coursed through the Drasoini home as Illusia arrived in a violent swirl of shadows and fires.

She'd left her brother on the porch in the pale moonlight. Left him to his thoughts, his pain...his guilt. She'd not wanted to leave him, she'd wanted to stay by his side and help to comfort him and Anjolie, as she'd not been able to do in her foolish elongated absence. Silently cursing herself, she leaned against the lush velvet couch. She shook her head, the hood was still drawn up and about her form as tears slid down her cheeks. A quiet breath blown into the darkness of the room and slowly the hearth's fire flickered to life.

She was not near as feint as she'd led her brother to believe...weakened she was, but not nearly as exhausted as she had claimed.

Silent footsteps paced the fire-lit living area, so as not to wake Eradice or the sleeping children.

"She's gone Lus."

Those three simple words had caused her blood to run cold, her auras to flicker so violently that even it frightened her and a fear she'd only experienced once in her life, to force it's way to the surface once again. It took all that she was not to lash out violently at something, anything as she attempted to listen to her brother with as much calm as she could, pose her questions calmly and take in what information she could...calmly.

Gloved hands were now clasped behind her back as she continued to pace the span of the Drasoini living area as she continued to replay the brief, yet mind numbing conversation with her brother. All thoughts of their previous conversation had long since fled her mind, her return...her well being meant nothing to her now.

As only a mother could, she knew the heartache, the torment that the couple were going through...for she too had gone through it many years ago. She stopped abruptly by the hearth fires, silver eyes staring into their depths...Kallie was gone...stolen in the night.

None of it made sense to her. As many times as she replayed the conversation with her brother...it didn't make sense. All that made sense was that Kallie was gone, and she'd not been here to help...to protect them...to comfort them. Tears of grief slid down her face but dried near instantly from the searing flames before her. But she was here now and she would do everything in her power to help them find their daughter.

She turned on her heel and with her cloak rustling about her form, whispering against the floors, she made her way swiftly towards Eradice's room.

Chin set and her mind, well made up. A child's disappearance was nothing that one could toy with, and until she knew as much as she could about Kallie's abduction, or she was returned safely to the arms of Anjolie and Cory...her homelands were the safest for her children and Eradice.

((Cross posted in Shadows Unbroken))

[Illusia]

She'd pushed the woman's door open without a sound and stepped into the cozy room Eradice had decorated to her own taste. Silver gaze sweeping over the inside with a sigh. Was it selfish of her to whisk her own family to safety? That moment of second thought scampering it's way into her mind before a quick dismissal of it as she leaned towards the woman. "Eradice, wake now." Her voice was soft yet strained as she attempted to roust the woman from slumber.

The body that was covered in the lush fur blankets tossed a moment before hazel eyes looked up to see Illusia in her room. Blinking wide-eyed she pulled the covers up to her chin, making sure she'd been covered well enough as she spoke. "Is there something amidst lady?" A hand crept from the warm depths of the covers to rub the sleep from her eyes as she moved to a sitting position before her employer.

She stood straight now, making no advancement closer to her. No motion to offer her answers. Her voice was low and had a chilled tone to it...protective? Worried? Silver eyes glittered in the darkness of the womans room, the only light coming from a sliver in her drawn curtains from the waning moon. "When tha sun rises o'er tha rollin' 'ills, ye shall start ta pack yers an tha chil'rens thin's, fer by early afte'noon ye shall be well on yer way back ta tha 'omelan's."

A glove hand extended towards her to halt any questions or concerns that would surely come as she pressed on. "I've nae ana time ta explain m'self Eradice, but I ask o' yer trust in this matter. Tha chil'ren will be tol' tis merely tha' tha 'ouse will be re'one an expan'e' as Max be growin' so. I've already thoug't it throug'. It shall work well enoug' ta bi'e their curious natures. An when ye shall return, there shall be anot'er floor adde' ta tha 'ouse." She offered her a gentle smile within the dark.

Silently pleading and hoping the woman would merely trust her judgements. Even in such a short time in her return, this was not how she'd imagined everything to be...but family was family and blood was blood as her brother had said. She'd taken things forgranted in life, and she'd be damned now if she didn't do all that she could to help her family, especially knowing the torment they were going through at having a child disappear.

Eradice studied the woman before her. Hazel eyes moving slowly over her darkened features. She'd felt the unstability in her auras, the increased rise and fall of the temperature at such a close proximity to her. She knew she was in no danger, nor would her children ever be if the woman could help it and she cleared her throat. "A'ight then. I'll start now after I've drawn ya a hot bath. From the looks of ya, ya be needin' one dearly. An there'll be no arguin' if ya wish tha same from me." Without another word, she slid from the bed, wrapped in her flannel nightgown and moved through the house to draw Illusia's bath.

((Cross posted in Shadows Unbroken.))

[Illusia]

When the sun had finally shown itself well over the horizon did she finally emerge from her room. She'd not slept yet, there were to many things on her mind to warrant sleep or comforted rest.

Descending the stairs, a moments heartache at seeing and hearing her two youngest children talking over breakfast. She could tell that they were excited to be able to visit the Homelands so earlier in the season and this at least provided for some relief to the charade she'd have to weave a web around. But it was for their safety. She believed fully should anything happen to her, her family and children should be safe and well enough away from it.

But while she'd been in the bath, she fought the flirtacious idea of telling them the truth. Max was still a bit young to understand, but she knew would and she knew Amber would as well...Why then did she fear telling them?

She stood on the last stair of the staircase, leaning against the wall, silver gaze moving slowly over her children as she listened to them ramble on and on about places they were excited about going to. Eradice she'd noted, was quite fidgety as she attempted to eat her own breakfast, their eyes locked for a brief moment and Illusia knew then exactly what she had to do.

Through scandals and wells of lies drawn up and around her life, she knew...she was a fool to think to lie to her own children and family.

She broke the gaze held with Eradice as her children bolted from the dining table and into her embrace. Gloved hands caressed their faces as she sighed softly to them. "Come now, I've nee' ta speak wit' tha three o' ye. Tis verra important." She motioned them to a couch in the living area.

Once the three were seated she remained standing as she looked to them. It took her several moments to figure out just how one would tell a seven and a fourteen year old that their cousin was stolen in the night and now they were being sent away for safety's sake.

She turned for a moment to the Scrying window and sighed softly. A whispered word and a traced rune into the depths as it rippled to life. Slowly two images appeared in the pooled depths, and they graced her with a smile much like her own...many years ago.

In unison the twins spoke, "Yes mother?"

She looked to them, gloved fingertips causing more ripples in the pooled veils as she reached to touch the visages that were not there and then she sighed, shaking her head, withdrawing her fingertips as she lifted her chin. Moving back so that all could see her and she could see them all. She'd already contacted Dracos as the sun had barely risen over the earth, so he knew of the predicament at present, and now it was time to tell her children.

((Cross posted in Shadows Unbroken.))

[Illusia]

"I am verrily sorra ta 'ave ta call ta ye as suc' after our reuinion, but tis somethin' amidst ye bot' nee' ta know 'bout as well." There was nothing but silence offered as five pairs of eyes watched her intently and she continued to struggle with the war that reigned chaotic inside her. "Several mont's 'go m'niece, yer cousin was taken from 'er 'ome. I cannae gi'e ye muc' more details an tha', fer e'en I nae know tha thic' o' it." Silver gaze swept over the five as she pressed on. "Setiva an Kolanos, Eradice, Amber an Max will b'arrivin' at tha Palace in a mat'er o' 'ours once we are done 'ere. Rak an Ilonean 'ave as well been aske' ta resi'e there until I sen' furt'er wor' as ta othe'wise. I've alrea'y sent wor' ta yer instruc'ors tha' ye bot' as well shall abi'e in tha Palace until furt'er notice. Nae ana o' ye are ta step foot outsi'e tha boun'ries o' tha 'omelan's. Tis tha' well understoo'?" Silver gaze swept over them as they all nodded. But it would Amber that spoke first.

"Will she be ok Momma? You're gonna get 'er back, right?"

She sighed softly as she looked to her daughter and she'd offer her a nod. "Aye love, we are goin' ta try ta get 'er back as soun' an safe an quickly as possible. Rest assure' in tha' love." She'd avoid the first question, because...well there were some things better left unsaid.

"I'll go now mother to alert the Palace of the arrival of the family." Setiva's voice ran through the silence.

She offered a nod to her daughter. "Verra well then love, an Setiva?"

"Yes, mother?"

"Be careful m'chil'. Tis dange'ous times, aye?"

"Of course mother." A flicker and Setiva's image faded from the Scrying pool. Kolanos however would not voice his opinions, a single mental message sent to his mother, filled with worry and concern before his image as well faded.

She looked between the tree left and nodded to them. "Now then, tis time fer ye ta b'bout yer way m'loves. Ye shall reac' tha Palace afore tha sun 'as even begun ta set." Another caress to their cheeks from gloved fingertips before she was standing once more. "I love ye bot' dearly, nae e'er ferget suc'."

It would take that small portion of the Drasoini family another three-quarters of an hour to finish the final preparations for their journey. Illusia stood at the entrance to their house in the forest. Arms crossed over her breasts as the breeze whipped her cloak about her body. Chin held high as she fought the tears at the departing carriage that carried her two youngest. They'd be safe and that would be all that mattered, but her heart was breaking in a whole new fashion.

As the last visible portion of the carriage disappeared, she'd turn a silver gaze skywards, silently damning the Elders for this occurence before she'd nearly rip down the wards surrounding the Drasoini home to grant her entrance. Even the shadows she pulled upon cowered in her wake, emerald and silver flames whipping around her body dangerously as her auras continued to flicker wildly. The well calmed, well poised Mother-figure that had only moments ago bid her children and friend a safe journey, was gone now.

What was left was a woman who blamed herself on so many levels for the disappearance of her niece...a woman that knew the fears and heartache at having a child torn from them...a woman very very much set on doing whatever she had to do to bring her niece back to her family safely.

((Cross posted in Shadows Unbroken.))