CHAPTER 19 — THE PARENTS' WORRY
The sun dipped low over the estate, casting long shadows across the manicured gardens and the sprawling stone walls. Inside the main hall, Lady Eveline paced back and forth, her silk sleeves trailing along the polished floor. Each step echoed her anxiety, every heartbeat a reminder of the empty space where her daughter should have been.
"It's been three weeks," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Three weeks, and still no word. Nothing. Not a single letter, not a single sign…"
Lord Darien, her husband, stood near the large arched windows, his arms folded over his chest. He watched the horizon with a gaze that was steady but distant, as though the forests and hills beyond might suddenly reveal their missing daughter. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on him; he had to remain composed, if only to reassure Eveline.
"We've sent scouts to every known road, every village along the borders," he said cautiously. "They've found nothing. No signs of struggle, no clues, nothing that could explain her disappearance."
Eveline's hands clenched into tight fists, the silk of her sleeves crumpling under her grip. "Three weeks," she repeated, her voice cracking. "Three weeks without knowing if she's alive… if she's hurt… or worse." Her eyes filled with tears. "I can't… I can't bear it, Darien. I feel as if a part of me is missing."
Darien stepped closer and rested a firm hand on her shoulder. "Eveline, we cannot give ourselves over to despair. Panic will not bring her back. We must think clearly, plan carefully. There are allies, informants, anyone who might have seen something… someone will know."
"I just…" Eveline's voice broke again. She sank into a nearby chair, burying her face in her hands. "What if something terrible has happened to her? What if the rumors about kidnappers are true?"
Darien knelt beside her, his hand covering hers. "Then we will face it. But we mustn't assume the worst before we have evidence. Leona is strong, brave… and clever. She will survive. That strength is what will carry her until we find her."
Eveline lifted her tear-streaked face, eyes glistening. "I want to see her again. I want to hear her laugh, to see her walk through these halls, safe and unharmed. I… I don't know how much longer I can stand this waiting."
Darien's gaze hardened, determination settling over him like armor. "We will not rest. I will send more scouts, more messengers. I will leave no path untraveled, no shadow unexplored. We will find her, Eveline. We will bring our daughter home."
A silence fell over the room, broken only by the distant call of a bird and the soft rustle of leaves outside. Eveline's breathing slowly steadied, though the ache in her chest remained. She had to believe him. She had to. There was no other way to survive these torturous days.
Darien rose, walking toward the map table in the center of the hall. He spread out a large parchment, marking the known paths, villages, and forests surrounding their estate. "Every path will be watched. Every messenger will carry news. We'll ask the neighboring lords for information. If she is anywhere within reach, we will find her."
Eveline moved closer, her eyes scanning the map. "And if… if she's beyond our reach?" she asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.
"Then we will extend our reach," Darien replied, his voice firm. "No force in this land can hide her from us indefinitely. Not bandits, not kidnappers, not even creatures that walk in darkness. We will find her, Eveline. We must."
The sun finally disappeared behind the horizon, and shadows stretched long across the estate. Inside, a storm of worry and determination raged. Three weeks without their daughter had tested them, but the bond between parent and child was not so easily broken.
Lady Eveline rested her hand on the table, tracing the paths they had already sent scouts along. "I just… I just want my daughter back," she whispered.
"And we will get her back," Darien promised. "No matter what it takes. We will search every corner, leave no stone unturned, and we will not rest until she is safe in our arms again."
In the fading light of the estate, they stood together, united by hope, fear, and love. The search would be long and dangerous, but one thing remained certain: they would not abandon Leona. Not for a moment.
Because a daughter lost was never truly gone—not when a mother and father refused to give up.