Layna's Father

As all of her thoughts bounced around inside her head, Layna wondered how her family was. She desperately missed her father, her sister and her friends Cuja and Hepshia, and prayed that Isabella would make it in time to deliver her message. There were few things that mattered more the her, Matayas being one, than her father and her oldest friends. Coming from wealth and prosperity, Layna knew well the comforts of home, but chose instead to stay with Matayas in his tiny run down apartment. She felt safe there, almost as safe as she did back home in Clairelionne among her family and friends. There was a time in her life when she had searched desperately for a path of her own, but never had she strayed far from home. Her search eventually led her to Matayas on a cold December night. She found him nearly frozen, huddled between an aspen and an oak tree. Having gone so long without food or nourishment he was weak and Layna having a soft spot for those in need, loaded him into her car and brought him to the very cafe she now sat in. As she remembered how he smiled and thanked her relentlessly, she once again fell into her memories.1

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Isabella had no trouble making it to Clairelionne, and Toran's estate before dark, for she knew the way well. Long ago she had watched as Layna brought Matayas here to care for him in his time of need, and long ago she had watched him fall in love with Layna. She had watched Toran shower him with love and adoration, and watched Matayas find a place to call his home. Forthwith, Isabella darted towards the library wanting to fulfill her duty as soon as possible. She tapped rather vigorously with her tiny hands upon the window and waited impatiently until Katya opened the shutters. It did not take long for them to be flung open and for Katya's bewildered face to look around in confusion. Isabella laughed quietly to herself and drifted up to where she could be seen. She spoke a gentle hello, and no sooner than the words had left her mouth Katya jumped back and held her hand to her chest. "Oh, dear gods, Issy, you gave me quite a fright!" the girl declared, "How are you?" Isabella shook her head in sorrowful dismay "Katya, I've no time for small talk, where is your father?" The girl looked hurt, but she seemed to understand the urgency in the faerie's voice, "He's in the den, is everything alright?" Isabella wasted no more time answering her questions and zoomed off towards the den with Katya close behind her.3

Gently she landed on the table beside Toran, faerie dust falling from her tiny feet and watched him carefully. Not more than 30 seconds after Isabella had stopped, rather gracefully, on the table, Katya came crashing through the door breathless and quite a mess. Toran laughed quietly, looked down at Isabella, and said with a smile "I trust you bring news of my wayward daughter and her husband-to-be?" Isabella nodded, stood up straight and explained to him the situation. "Sir," she said, "Layna is in Sydelle, all is well and she shall be heading back towards Clairelionne and the estate on the morrow." Toran nodded again, took a sip of his Dragon's Tea and proceeded to ask about Matayas, but before the words could even form upon his lips Katya burst out "What about Matt, where is he, is he alright?" At this outburst Isabella looked rather annoyed but spoke in a calm voice to both Toran and Katya, "Matayas has been captured by Daiquiri, he is being held in the dungeons of the Glenn Brush Castle just outside of Trinidahd." Toran did not look at all surprised, but Katya, being only 14, burst into tears at the thought of someone she cared for being held captive by such a nasty woman. Toran glanced over his cup towards the window and the ever blackening sky "That's about what I expected" he said as he looked to Isabella, "Issy, I want you to make sure that nothing happens to Layna, and to keep checking on Matayas. Anything you find out I want you to bring directly to me, now I am going to ask you to take that crystal of my daughter's to Matayas right away, and I am certain he will have something for you to deliver to Layna." Isabella nodded as she prepared to leave, she glanced up at him "Sir, I won't let you down." Toran 4

smiled and picked her up in his palm. He walked over to the slightly open window and set her on the sill "Be safe Issy, we need you now more than ever" and with that said the faerie disappeared. Katya walked up to her father and looked at him. "Papa," she said, "what do you propose we do?" He thought for a moment and looked down at his youngest daughter "I propose that we wait until Layna arrives in 2 days time, and discuss the situation with her." He paused a moment, and then continued "Until then, we will have to trust Issy, as for right now, we should get some coco and you," he pinched her cheek gently "need to go to bed, you have studies in the morn." Katya smiled at this and took her father's hand as they walked to the kitchens.5

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