Chapter Eleven: Father, Dear…

Artemis sat by the window. She was beginning to worry about Sennymay. Sure, the Rogue has been away before, but never this long. It's been over six months now. Something must have happened to her.

"Chestnut, what do you think happened to Senny?" she asked the little Dark Elven girl.

"You ask me this every day, and every day my answer is still the same: I don't know," Chestnut answered. She leaned back into her chair. "I can't even begin to guess. We've looked all over, asked all over, yet no one has even see her." She sighed.

"Is there anything we can do?" Artemis asked.

"Absolutely nothing," Chestnut sighed. "We've done all we could. We can only wait now."

"I'm sure Senny could have thought of something if it was one of us," the Sorceress said. "It seems like she was always the one to get us out of trouble." For this she received a slap up-side the head from the smaller Elf.

"You're talking in past tense, Sorceress!" the Elf yelled. "She's not dead, you know!"

"You don't know that!" Artemis yelled back. "For all we know, that K'krath Kobold might have caught up with her and she might be in some ravine pushing up daisies!" She gulped and burst into tears, burrowing her face in her hands.

There was a quiet knock from the door and Kifka walked in. His gaze was down-cast and his hair appeared somewhat dull and lackluster than usual. He looked up at Artemis.

"Any luck?" he asked.

"None, Lord," Chestnut answered.

"I see…" Kifka's voice trembled. He quickly turned around and made a move for his eyes with his sleeve. "It doesn't make sense," he mumbled after a long pause. "I would have found out if she were dead. That spell of mine does wonders…" He ran his fingers over the engraved Fire Drake rune on the breast of his armour. "She is still alive. But is she safe? Will she still be alive tomorrow? Or is today the last day we can speak of her without gazing up into the heavens and uttering a prayer?"

"Kifka, I don't want to think about that," Artemis answered.

"There is one more thing that I came here for," Kifka announced. "It may be nothing, so don't get your hopes up. There is an island called Tybery south of Star Light's Dhunjin Sea. It is a small island, but Senny had mentioned it to me that night during the party--"

"--What night?" Artemis interrupted. "What did you do?!"

"That is irrelevant," Kifka answered. "I think we should check the island. I will do it myself on the morrow." Artemis and Chestnut nodded agreement.

*   *   *

His dragon was ready and waiting for Kifka outside the mews, the sun bouncing off her ember-green scales. A short girl with long, blonde hair tied in two perfect braids pulled on the dragon's reins, making the creature slash the air with her claws.

"Whoa, Gabrielle!" the girl cried, tugging harder on the dragon's reins. Gabrielle stood on her hind legs, lifting the girl into the air and leaving her dangling by the reins. The dragon released an ear-piercing cry. A couple of horses in neighbouring mews whinnied nervously. "Down, girl!" the blonde screamed at the dragon. Gabrielle spread her wings and flapped them, sending a powerful downdraft at the girl's face.

Kifka ran into the courtyard, alerted by the cries. "Gabrielle, but her down!" he yelled. The dragon complied, and the girl landed on the ground with a thud. "Elin, are you alright?" he asked, helping the girl up gently.

"I'm fine, thank you, Kifka," Elin replied, brushing the dust from her behind. It was a known fact that Kifka's "lover" had disappeared for almost half a year, and that the Lord was getting lonely. This was Elin's chance to get back together with him. "Gabrielle seems like she's in a rather rough mood," she began, "Maybe you should let her calm down for a while."

"No, Elin, I'm afraid this trip can't possibly be put off any longer," Kifka replied, moving towards Gabrielle. Elin ran to block the path between him and the dragon.

"Kifka, if this trip is so important, why don't you get prepared first?" Elin whispered softly.

"I am prepared," Kifka answered dryly.

"Aw, come on, I'll cook you lunch. I know you love my cooking!" She grabbed the Lord's arm and dragged him across the courtyard down to the barracks and her little room.

"Elin, I really don't have time for this…" Kifka pleaded.

"Sure you do. It won't take that long!" She sat him down on her bed and ran off to the kitchen. Kifka hung his head. What was he going to do? Sure, him and Elin were an item once, when he was a lot younger. She used to cook for him, brush his hair, and make love every night. But that was before Senny. When the Rogue came around, Kifka could not look at Elin the same. She just wasn't the same anymore. He began to see things he never noticed before. Thing like how demanding she was, and how much she used to fight with him. She'd yell at him almost every night. Back then he thought it was all his fault; now he saw that it was just the way she was - a woman with a tongue as sharp as a Harpy's. It was her nature to bicker like she did. And the sex wasn't even that great. It was always the same old thing, always something for her pleasure, never anything for him. And Elin's cooking… He had never liked it. She burned it almost every night, filling the kitchen with thick gray smoke. Suddenly Kifka got the urge to get up and leave. He fought it, telling himself that this would be over soon and he'd get to see Senny.

Elin walked into the room, holding a tray with little deformed cookies, some of which had black rims around them - evidence of obvious overcooking. Kifka felt his stomach turn. Elin sat next to him and put her hand on his knee.

"Kifka," she whispered, looking straight at him, "I know you broke up with me, but I'm willing to forgive you and give you another chance," she said.

"Give me another chance?!" Kifka replied in dismay. "What kind of a fool do you take me for?!" He clenched his fists, stood up slowly, and headed for the door.

"Oh yeah?" she yelled in return. "I'm the best you're gonna do, you stuck-up nobility! Where's your little rogue now, eh? Abandoned you!"

Kifka froze in the doorway. Elin's cookies began to hiss and burn. She stared at Kifka in dismay as a thin, but evident film of flame coated him, then ignited his whole body in a wave of inferno. The fire blazed as he whirled around and stared at her with his red-hot eyes. "I hate your cooking, the sex sucked, and you only wanted me for my power," he replied in a roar. "I was stupid then, but not now." The flame around him calmed and he returned to normal, yet the rims of the doorway still bore scorch marks and the little deformed cookies now resembled charcoal. "And calling me 'stuck-up nobility' is not a good choice when this same 'nobility' gives me the right to put you to the guillotine, dear." He turned around and walked out of the room, casually ducking the metal tray and a few stray burning cookies thrown at him.

The island came slowly into view. It was very small and distorted. A yellow ring of beaches surrounded it, and the sands gradually grew into fields, which grew into a thick pine forest. Kifka angled the dragon towards a clearing. Gabrielle landed soundlessly, disturbing only a few wisps of grass.

Kifka dismounted. "Stay here," he commanded to the dragon and head edoff into the thickness of the forest. Sun poured in through the branches of the trees, and birds sang merrily throughout the woods. Kifka's heart eased a bit. If Senny was here, then she was in no evident trouble. This whole island seemed like one big, benevolent entity. Nevertheless, Kifka increased his speed.

He came upon a small rout of depressed grass - the evidence of frequent use. He followed the trail through the forest, and after less than a minute's walk, he found himself in a courtyard of a small but lively cabin.

No one seemed to be home. The door was ajar and the house was silent. "Hallo, there!" Kifka called out, but no one answered. He walked inside.

In front of him, a stairway rose up to a small door in the ceiling leading to an attic. To his side, a long wall was painted with a picture of a red Drake, the hind half of it not yet finished. A paint set lay next to the wall, a couple of reddish colours mixed in it. He walked past the paint to the the first door-less doorway and turned in. A sort feather bed sat in the corner. The room only had that, and a small wooden table in it. Yet the bed was furnished finely, evidence that whoever lived here had a considerable amount of silver and gold; mostly gold. A mithril broadsword with a Fire Drake crest hung above the bed. Kifka walked past the bed through yet another door-less doorway and found himself in a beautiful dining room. A bright yellow table cloth was hung over a beautiful mahogany dining table. A vase with a handful of garden-grown Lilies of the Valley sat in the middle.

Then he noticed it. A small, woven baby bed in the adjacent room. He walked past the table and numerous shelves displaying fine china, into the small, cozy room. It was hand-painted with pink flowers and a handful of  Lilies of the Valley here and there.

Kifka leaned over the baby bed. It looked like it had never been used. Whoever lived her was only expecting a baby.

In his initial infatuation with the bed, Kifka failed to see the grandiose painting above it. But he saw it now, and stood paralyzed as he stared at his own, smiling face. This was one of the paintings of him stolen from the castle on the night of the party months ago. It was one of the more beautiful ones, his eyes showing a trace of the dancing flame, making the real Lord frown. Whoever lived here not only was expecting a baby, but wanted for the child to be familiar with Kifka's face. He traced his fingers along the outlines of his painted face. Then he heard the dry clank of a basket dropping to the floor. He turned and saw her.

Senny stood in the doorway, staring at the Lord. A small whicker basked lay on the floor next to her, a few flowers spilling forth from it. Kifka's eyes finally released hers and he looked at her more closely.

She wore a plain, light-green dress and green slippers. Her hair lay softly across her shoulders. Yet her outfit was not one of her usual, low-cut leather bodices and black pants. It was a house dress, slightly flared under the chest line as if having it tight might hurt or labour her movement.

She stood in the doorway, staring at him. She had done so much to keep him from knowing, from coming to the island. She never even told Artemis, afraid the Sorceress might let it slip around the Lord. How had he known?

Kifka started towards her. Senny didn't move. He stepped in front of her, looked down, then gently placed his hand on her stomach…

It felt more round and plump than before. There was a tiny little heart beating inside. He withdrew his hand momentarily as he felt a kick. Senny's rounded tummy had been the home for this child. Huge tears swelled up in Kifka's eyes.

"Who…" he started, but his throat contracted as he tried to hold back the tears. "Who's … the father?"

"You are," Senny answered.

Kifka dropped to his knees. He put his arms around Senny's waist, leaned his head on her round tummy, and wept.

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