Hi all,
Well, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. I had every intention of keeping this story in real time, but alas, my computer had other thoughts. My computer is unwell and is being looked at, so I lost the last two chapters I wrote and I am trying to get everything from my memory and rewriting it. (myA drive stopped working a long time ago, so I couldn't backup the story on disk). I am currently working on a borrowed computer. So thank you all for your patience. I am going to try and finish this story ASAP, just in case anything else happens.
RedLion2 - Thank you so much for your review. While your guesses at the gifts were good, they weren't quite on the nose. You'll just have to keep reading to find out what they are. And I think my favorite gift is the one Erik is giving Sky (and how he gives it to her). But I will dedicate this chapter to you and your insistance for a certain storyline. :)
Happy New Year!
Failte
A car screeched to a halt in front of the bookstore and all four doors swung open. Beams of light slashed through the darkness as Keith led the Force around the side of the building, trudging through the snow, looking for signs of the girls. Two more cars halted just behind them, soldiers filing out, along with Hunk, Pidge, Lance and Sven.
"I found Sky!" Gideon shouted, crouching in the snow beside the nearly unconscious woman.
Erik beat the others to the spot where Sky had dragged herself. She had crawled through the snow, trying to get to the side of the road, but had fallen on her side between the bookstore and the restaurant next door.
"Schuyler," he knelt in the snow beside her, pulling his glove off to touch her face. "Sky, can you hear me?"
She groaned quietly and tried to lift her head as the others approached.
Setting his flashlight aside, Erik gently helped her into a sitting position, "Sky, come on, what happened?"
"I didn' hear anyting," she mumbled, her eyes closed and her lips barely moving. "I woke up 'n she was gone."
Lance crouched in front of her, "It's okay, sweetie, did you see anything?"
"No."
He looked around and saw the disturbed snow where she had crawled, "Where did it happen?"
She slowly raised her arm and pointed in the direction she had come.
"Where were you hurt, babe?" Erik whispered.
Her voice was barely audible when she replied, "My head."
Declan shined his flashlight down on her as Erik slowly peeled her light blue knit cap from her head. Her beautiful, mahogany hair was matted with blood. Erik sharply sucked in a breath as he gently moved her hair, trying to find the wound.
Keith leaned over with his flashlight and examined her, "It looks like the blood has stopped. How's the pain, Sky?"
"It's not so bad, I just…I'm dizzy and lightheaded," she told him.
"Erik, get her back to the castle," Keith commanded. "Then get back here."
"Yes sir," he stood slowly and, with Lance's help, carefully helped Sky to her feet. She leaned heavily on him as he half carried her through the snow. Keith sent a soldier with them to drive.
Lance hesitated a moment, watching them leave, before Hunk laid a hand on his shoulder. Nodding, Lance turned and followed Keith along the path his daughter had made as she had dragged herself up. He tried to ignore the random droplets of blood that dotted the white snow.
"I'm sorry," Sky mumbled as Erik climbed into the backseat beside her.
He wrapped his arms around her, "It's okay, baby, it's okay. We'll get her back, you know that."
"I don't know what happened."
"Schuyler, calm down, don't worry, we will get her back. You just worry about getting better."
"I failed…"
"Shut up, Sky, we could not have known this would happen, not on Christmas Eve. And I knew I should have gone with you."
"You couldn't…your present…"
He chuckled and rubbed her arm, "So that's why I couldn't come."
"You had to stay at the castle any way."
"I know, then we should have had the twins join you."
Tears welled up in Sky's eyes as the guilt made the throbbing in her head even worse, "I didn't want anyone else to know what I was doing. It's all my fault."
"Stop it," he whispered, cupping her moist cheek in his hand. "It was not your fault."
The tears fell harder, "I let down Cady and Keith and Allura. I let everyone down. I'll be kicked off the Force."
"Stop it, Schuyler, you're going to make the pain worse. Calm down. You didn't let any one down."
She sobbed quietly, turning her face to his shoulder as the pain grew worse, both physically and emotionally.
The car slid to a stop in front of the castle. Erik helped her out of the car, catching her as she fell against him. Sweeping her up in his arms, he gently kissed her temple, "You have to stop crying, you're only making yourself worse."
"I can't help it."
"Listen to me," he whispered as they approached the door. "If you want to help, you have to keep it together, try and clear your mind. See if you can remember anything. If you keep upsetting yourself, you won't be of much help."
Sniffling, she wiped her nose with the back of her hand, "Okay."
The door slid open to show Darcy, Becca, and Dr. Gorma waiting with a wheelchair.
Erik set her on her feet and held her arm as she lowered herself into the chair. Kneeling beside her, he took her hand, "I'm going back out there to help, okay Sunny?"
"Okay," she whispered, grimacing as Becca pushed aside her hair to examine the wound.
In the bright light of the foyer, Erik was shocked to see how pale she was. He touched her cheek, "I'll see you when I get back. I love you."
She propped her head up with her hand, "Love you."
Darcy gave him a weak smile, "Thank you, Erik."
He nodded and waited a moment, watching as they wheeled her down the hall. Torn, wanting to stay here for Sky but knowing he had to go help with the search, Erik turned and ran out to the car still waiting for him.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Cady woke slowly, her head hurt and her mouth felt like it was full cotton. She blinked a few times and waited for her mind to clear. The floor she was lying on felt like it was made from packed dirt. A small window was in the wall above her head and allowed the only light to filter in, moonlight reflecting off the snow. Sitting up, she used the wall to push herself to her feet. The wall shifted slightly, proving how poorly built the building was, it offered very little protection from the cold air outside.
Her heart raced as she realized the dire straits she was in. Someone had kidnapped her and she had know idea who it was or where she was. Sky! What had happened to Sky? Worry and panic swamped her as she crossed the room in three strides.
"Hello!" Cady called, pounding on the door. "Is there anyone out there? Let me out now! I am Princess Cadence Whitaker! My mother is the Queen and my father is the leader of the Arusian military! Let me out now or they will come for me!"
No answer.
The panic and worry faded only to replaced by pure anger. Cady was seriously pissed off. Kicking the door, she screamed in rage. Turning around, she paced the room, rubbing her arms in a futile attempt to warm herself.
I shouldn't be here, she thought angrily. I should be at home. It's Christmas Eve! I should be with my family, having dinner. Then we'd go to the rec room and, after helping Nicky set out a plate of cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer and after the younger kids were put to bed, the rest of us would stay up late into the night, talking and reminiscing.
She returned to the door, pounding on it. "I demand you let me out now! Now! You have no right to do this and you will pay!"
Cady stopped when she heard a scrap on the door, she stepped back, preparing to strike if need be.
A young girl with long, pale blue hair stuck her head in the door, "Be quiet, please."
Surprised, Cady asked, "Excuse me?"
The girl stepped into the room, "You're being loud and you are angering my father, please be quiet."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Who are you? Where are we? Why am I here?"
The girl blinked.
"Answer me!" Cady demanded.
"I cannot answer your questions."
"Why not?"
"Just be quiet and you will be fine."
Cady leaned closer and watched as the girl shifted back uncomfortably, "If you are in danger, I can help you."
The girl shook her head, "No."
"All you have to do is ask and I can get you help…"
"No, I don't need help, I need you to be quiet."
The door creaked open and an angry voice called out, "Elania! Come now!"
She looked at Cady and whispered one last more time, "Just keep quiet." With that, she slipped from the room.
Letting out a groan of frustration, Cady stomped her foot.
……………………………………………………………………..
When Erik returned to town, Keith, Lance, Hunk, and Pidge were standing by the road side, under a streetlamp, talking.
"Anything?" He asked, approaching the group.
Keith shook his head, "We found the spot where we believe Cady was taken, but Sky messed up the footprints when she tried to make it out to the street."
"So what are we going to do?"
"We're splitting up into four groups and going in four different directions. It has been fifteen minutes since Sky called, so I figure it's been twenty to twenty five minutes since she was taken. They can't be that far. We're each taking a car as well as men on foot, look for anything out of the ordinary. Erik, go with Lance." Keith waved over his sons. "Let's go."
Gideon and Declan leaned out the backseat windows, flashlights in hand, scanning the roadsides for any hints of their sister's disappearance as Keith drove. They had gone north with a dozen soldiers and police officers following on foot.
……………………………………………………………………………….
As each minute passed, Cady grew angrier. Not only were they holding her captive, but they had the gall to command her to keep quiet. She kicked the door again. "Let me out! Now!"
The response was a quick pound on the door and a gruff voice shouting, "Shut your mouth!"
"Shout my mouth?" Cady asked, incredulous. She started pacing the room again, grumbling under her breath. When an idea came to her. "It's Christmas," she mumbled. "And I won't let them ruin it for me." Standing in the middle of the room, hands on her hips, Cady opened her mouth and starting singing at the top of her lungs, "Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh! O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way! Ha ha ha! Bells on bob-tails ring, making spirits bright! What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight! Ohhh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh! Hey! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!"
There was another pounding on the door, "Shut up!"
Feeling more than a little rebellious, she raised her voice a little more. "Up on the housetop reindeer pause, out jumps good old Santa Claus! Down thru the chimney with lots of toys all for the little ones Christmas joys! Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn't go! Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn't go! Up on the housetop click, click, click! Down thru the chimney with Good Saint Nick!"
Pound! Pound! "Don't make me say it again! Shut up!"
"On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me a partridge in a pear tree! On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree! On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me…"
The door slammed open and a burly man, not much older than herself, walked in, a large, intimidating weapon strapped across his back. "I told you to shut up!"
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at him, "I will not. I demand you let me go."
He leaned over and returned her glare, "You are in no place to demand anything, Princess."
"Let me go now and I will make sure my father goes easy on you."
He snorted, "Behave and I'll make sure my father goes easy on you."
"Who is your father?"
"Nice try," he murmured, reaching over to touch a lock of her hair.
Cady slapped his hand away and narrowed her eyes, "Don't touch me."
He chuckled softly and turned to leave.
Cady kicked him in the back of the knee, but not hard enough. His leg buckled, but he retained his balance. He turned to face her, an angry look on his face. But the Princess was ready for this. She brought her knee up, slamming it into his crotch. As he fell to his knees, she struck out, hitting him under the chin, hard, with the heel of her palm. With a grunt, he fell to the floor and rolled onto his side in the fetal position.
Cady moved quickly, stepping around him, but stopped. A man, an older version of the one lying on the floor, blocked the doorway, his hands behind his back.
"Very impressive, Princess."
"Who are you?"
"I am someone you have annoyed. My daughter has asked you nicely to keep quiet and my son has asked you more sternly, yet you ignore them both. This is your last warning." With a flick of his right arm, a whip uncoiled from behind his back, the snap echoing through the small room.
……………………………………………………………………..
"Dad! Stop!" Declan shouted.
Keith slammed on the brakes, the car sliding a little on a patch of ice. "What is it?"
They all piled out of the car and followed Declan to the side of the road.
"Look," he pointed with his flashlight.
The snow had been disturbed, a wide path cut through, obviously created by a transportation machine of some sort. Not as wide as a car, but heavy enough to push through the snow. Someone had tried to cover it with branches blocking the path, but they had done a sloppy job of it.
They quickly threw aside the branches and moved along the path, deeper into the woods. The trees overhead had protected the ground from the winds so there was no drifting and the path was clear. Fifteen minutes later Keith held up his hand to stop them. A small hut was built among the trees, a few lights flickered inside. Gesturing with his hands, Keith had the soldiers surround the house as he crept to the door.
……………………………………………………………………….
Cady backed up against the wall, trembling, as the man came toward her. He cracked the whip again, a small smile twisted his mouth.
"What are you doing?" She asked quietly.
"I am going to teach you to be quiet," he replied, snapping his wrist, the tip of the whip coming within inches of her cheek.
She flinched and whimpered, "I'll be quiet."
He grabbed her by the back of the neck, forcing her down on her knees, "I'll teach you to be quiet."
The layers Cady were wearing proved to be a saving grace. The poofy coat and thick sweater absorbed most of the sting. Her back ached, but she knew it could have been much worse.
Surprised by her lack of reaction, the man stood over her, trying to figure out what went wrong. Then it dawned on him. "Remove your coat."
"No, please, I'll be quiet," she promised quietly.
"Now! Or I will just go for your face."
With shaking hands, Cady slowly pulled the zipper down. He stood beside her, tapping his foot with impatience. She pulled her left arm out of its sleeve, but she was moving to slowly for him and he let her know by flicking the whip and wrapping it painfully around her arm.
Cady screamed out in pain as it cut her arm.
"Faster," he hissed.
There was suddenly a loud disruption and the sound of feet running.
"Father!" The girl from earlier appeared in the doorway. "There are men here, lots of them."
Her brother stood and pushed past her, running out into the hall.
Cady letting out a sobbing breath, clutching her injured arm to her chest as she cowered against the wall.
"Cady!"
"In here!" She screamed at the sound of her father's voice.
The man raised his arm again and Cady turned her face to the wall, bracing herself for the blow.
It all happened in a rush. Voices called out, they all mingled together and she couldn't tell who was in the room when she was suddenly tackled to the floor. Her body covered and her face pressed against the protection of strong chest. The person protecting her shuddered twice as the whip descended on him. A blaster shot sounded and the whip stopped.
Cady slowly opened her eyes and met a pair of pained, concerned gray eyes.
"Cady, are you okay?"
She opened her mouth to speak but instead went limp as she slid from consciousness.