AN: I recently watched Maddigan's Quest (the TV series) again and got a couple of story ideas for the series, but wanted to start with this one as I'm trying something new with this story – a plan (gasp!). So far it just a rough draft for each chapter (hoping for 12-14 depending on epilogues and other rambling sections). Will have to see how it goes.

Enjoy!

Prologue.

Solis – the past.

The circus was heading out of Solis for its annual journey and Gabrielle Maddigan had returned just in time to see the newest member of her family, her great-granddaughter Garland – nearly a year old already. Ferdy didn't question where she had been, she suspected he already knew but it was something they didn't talk about. She intended to spend a few days in Solis before heading back out on her own journey, finding the city too peaceful and quiet to want to stay long. There were supplies to be brought, and one or two old friends to see. Perhaps there would be time for a final visit to her family before the Fantasia left. Maddie was notoriously bad at being ready to leave on time, always disappearing without telling anyone where she was going. She was much too at ease with sharp weapons for Gabrielle's liking. Gabrielle had tried to talk her grandson out of the marriage, but Ferdy had the Maddigan stubbornness and was too much in love to listen.

Above the doorway of the bakery, the one on the corner of Dove Avenue, she caught sight of two gold-painted letters – TS. It would have been easy to miss them, for anyone not looking. Gabrielle always came to this bakery before leaving Solis, though few knew that. She had chosen it because it had always been her favourite growing up and now it served another purpose; as a place to leave messages.

Truth Seekers worked for the Council. They were Diplomats, Lawmakers, Justices – anything that required speaking the truth and finding it. It was a gift fast fading from Solis and she knew only two of them. Some called them spies - usually those with secrets to hide - but Gabrielle Maddigan's life was an open book. She'd met and befriended Aiden and Cyrra, a young married couple, while browsing the Solis library. Within three days they'd joined as members of her Underground Librarians network. They were diplomats, sent out of Solis to find new trade partners and maintain communications with existing ones, their travel perfect for finding books.

Gabrielle entered the bakery, taking her time to browse the selections on offer before placing her usual order and arranging to collect them in the morning. Some of the items could be preserved to last for weeks, or months which was perfect when exploring. Next she went to the library. There were fewer people there than the last time she had visited, no-one glanced her way as she shifted the rope aside to enter the back room and took a seat in the restricted section. She was waiting for several minutes before Aiden joined her. His tall frame stooped over her, and he appeared thinner than ever, his long dark hair tied back in its usual manner.

"Gabrielle," he embraced her in a warm hug and looked her over as if to assure himself that she was well.

"Well boy, how's married life treating you?"

He laughed nervously as they sat down, "too well. Cyrra and I have a son now. He's just a few weeks old."

"Congratulations."

Garbrielle waited for him to explain why they'd left the message for her at the bakery, what urgent matter required her assistance but Aiden didn't speak.

"So do you have new books for me or was this just a social call? Not that I mind if it is…"

"I'm afraid not, unless you missed the books we left here for you last summer?"

"Got those my first day back, thanks. What about Cyrra? Is she well?"

"Yes, she wanted to be here but with the baby…"

"I remember those days, lucky to get an hours peace. Of course, it doesn't improve once they start crawling about. My Ferdy could upset the contents of a caravan within five minutes of being left alone… but I doubt you've invited me here to reminisce. What's going on?"

"We have a favour to ask of you."

"Oh?"

"The Council…"

"I told you before, and I'm sick of telling them. Solis may be my home but they don't get a say in how I live my life and I refuse to work for a bunch of stuck-up Dukes who've never worked a day in their lives."

Aiden smiled, "I'm not asking you to, but Cyrra and I must make a journey as part of our work for them. It might be dangerous, it's certainly no place for a child, and we don't know how long we'll be gone."

"All right, go on."

"I want you to take our son and look after him until we return."

Gabrielle's eyes widened in surprise, "me? But I travel even more than you do. There must be family or friends you can trust…"

"We talked it over, we trust you."

"I haven't raised a child since my own were nippers. You're out of your mind."

"I told Cyrra she should be the one to come. If she'd brought Gabriel…"

"Gabriel?"

"You saved her life five years ago, he wouldn't exist without you."

"Hst. Stuff-and-nonsense," Gabrielle folded her arms.

"Please."

"He'd be better off staying with a nice family here in the city."

"Come and meet him, then make your decision."

Eventually she nodded, but her mind was made up. Children were too much trouble; a baby would interfere with her work.

The Truth Seekers apartment was in a good neighbourhood; unsurprising given their work for the Council. Gabrielle climbed the stairs, following Aiden's instructions from the previous day, calculating how long she had until the bakery goods would be ready. It was barely light out, but they had asked her to come early.

She knocked on the door and waited. A few moments passed without any sound from within so she knocked again, this time a little louder in case they were asleep. She remembered how her own sleep patterns had altered after having a baby.

A door opened down the hall and a wrinkled face peered out at her, "Gabrielle Maddigan?"

"Yes?"

"Wait there a moment."

Gabrielle walked over to the half-open door, curious. Then the elderly woman came back, her hair still in curling ribbons and a nightgown wrapped around her body. She held a basket in her hands and passed it over to the surprised Gabrielle.

"What's this?"

"The young couple said the plans had changed, they'd had to leave earlier than expected and that you'd come for him."

"Him?" Gabrielle looked down into the basket.

Sure enough, there was a sleeping baby inside.

She tried handing it back to the other woman, "I think there's been some mistake."

"You're Gabrielle Maddigan, aren't you?"

"Yes," she drew out the word, not certain that she wanted to keep admitting to that.

"Then there's no mistake."

"But I can't take the baby, I didn't agree…"

"Look I took him in for one night only, I told them that quite clearly. So either you take him or I call the authorities and tell them he's been abandoned."

Gabrielle knew that meant when Aiden and Cyrra returned they'd be in trouble, might not get to see their son again. She'd thought she could trust the Truth Seekers. So much for their oaths to be truthful; they had to have known and planned this.

"Well, what's it to be? You or the Justices?"

Gabrielle pulled the basket towards her, "I'll take him."

"Fair enough," and the woman closed the door before Gabrielle could ask any more questions.

At the loud bang, the baby began to cry.

With little time, and a great amount of desperation, Gabrielle had finally devised a plan. She sat in the park with the baby – she refused to call him Gabriel, surely that had just been a joke by Aiden – and waited. Timing would be everything, of course. She'd brought a drum, the largest musical instrument available, something that would stand out and help to influence the Fantasian's decision. Make him look like he belonged with entertainers and they'd welcome him more easily. There had been a few baby supplies in the basket, enough for another day or two and a couple of books – those she had appropriated for her library, it would be years before the child could read and his parents would understand, they'd probably meant the books for her anyway.

It was still early. The streets were empty of workers as she headed to the food suppliers the Fantasia always used. She watched two of the group enter the first shop and come out with their arms full of packages. They were following the old routines; that was good. She moved down the street, keeping out of sight, watching them enter the next shop before choosing an empty doorway a little further down. Placing the drum down on its flat side, she laid the baby and basket on top, leaving it so the bright colours on the side of the drum would be visible. She just needed them to look this way.

She hid as they moved down the street, stopping at a bakery two doors away. Not long now. When they approached the baby's doorway, she put her fingers to her lips and gave a sharp whistle. As expected, they looked around.

She waited to see that they investigated the drum and baby, and that they carried it away with them. Keeping out of sight, she trailed them back to the camp. She'd give them some time, then put in a farewell appearance for her family. If they'd accepted the child, she'd be on her way. If not… she'd have to adjust her plans.

AN: A nice long chapter/prologue to start this story off, changing my original plan to just show Boomer being hidden by Gabrielle and found by the Fantasia but then I started writing about why Gabrielle was hiding him and the word count kept increasing. So what was supposed to be the second part of this chapter has now become chapter one, and we leave the past here and move to the future (I should have known planning a story never works out).