91 Elsbeth Missing

A/N: I dedicate this chapter to my beloved dog Poncho. Who had been with me most of my life. Poncho lived a long life, enjoying many long walks and lake swims, he has died quite suddenly at the age of fourteen. He is dearly missed by me and my family.

Thank you Poncho. You were a best friend to me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the meeting of gods Dauntice pulled Alora aside. She crossed her arms and waited for him to speak.

"Alora, I think you need to bring your daughter here. I know all this time you've kept her secret to protect her from Onicent and other harm, but everyone here can be trusted, and besides if Onicent was to find out about her." Dauntice paused, considering whether to disclose more information, he sighed and continued, "I witnessed Onicent's anger, he has seemingly gone a bit mad." Dauntice remembered him threatening his wife.

Alora watched Dauntice's pained expression and softened. "You were always kinder then him," she said. "If you believe it is truly safe here, and believe she is in more danger at my home."

"I truly do," Dauntice said. "Besides she would likely enjoy the company of some of the other goddess's. Epis's daughters are both lovely and gentle souls."

Alora nodded slightly, she did like those two. Her little Elsbeth would certainly enjoy it under the sea and Dauntice was quite capable of defending his home. He did after all have the twins.

"I will set off tonight to retrieve her," Alora said.

"One of us will come with you," Dauntice said lightly.

She studied him, "no, I will go alone."

He relented, she was stubborn after all.

"Just be careful."

"Of course, expect me back soon." She said.

She took a sword and hung if off a belt. Then pulled her hood up around her face and set off toward home.

She wondered what Elsbeth would think of the castle.

She walked and walked toward home. When she got to her grove immediately she knew something was wrong. There was no sign of life or noise. She ran the last few steps to her home. The trees which had held her nymphs were all dead but one.

"My Lady," the remaining nymph cried out. She had tears dried to her face.

"What has happened here," Alora said sharply.

"My sisters, all dead, and little Lady Elsbeth taken!" The nymph sobbed.

"Taken?" Alora said.

"Taken by the one who has purple." She said.

"When?"

"A day ago or two at most."

Alora was stunned, the only one with purple was Maiguh. Maiguh of all gods. He had treated her well enough, she could not believe it. Grief stricken she let lose a terrible cry that killed all the crops around her. Leaving behind the nymph she ran inside the house and found a hole in the wall to Elsbeth's room. She ran back out and circled the house and found a nether portal.

She leaned heavily on it, breathing through tears.

"My Lady..?"

She looked up at the nymph, "what happened here exactly, show me where they went."

"He seemed to come in the night. He broke through the barrier and took her. We tried to stop him but he slashed many of us, and killed the rest of us easily. I survived because he let me live. They went that way." She held a nimble arm out.

"Come with me," Alora said with a grimace on her face. "What is your name?"

"Azura," she said quietly.

The two headed to many villages, and indeed they had been seen. It seemed Maiguh had indeed stolen Elsbeth. Eventually the trial went cold.

Alora felt more lost then she ever had in her life.