A/N: Congrats to AER, for the 100th review!
AER: Yep. Got to love the generations.
HammyMC: So close...so very close.
TheRanger'sDaughter: Props to you for going back :) All will make sense...not any time soon, but it will all make sense. Later.
Raider: You want romantic tendencies followed by grand explosions? Read the Testing. Now. The Academy teaches a wide range of skills its students can later use...much like high school chemistry when, eventually, you get to play with fun chemicals to do fun things (if your teacher trusts you enough). I'm excited to see where this goes too.
Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan.
Elizabet carried a tray of sandwiches, fruit, and a skin of water towards her brother's perch outside Lorelei's room. Ace and Gabby found Lorelei's wounds were worse than they realized. They limited contact for fear of infection. They allowed Gabe and her mother inside for an hour each day after taking precautions similar to those Caitlyn took when she handled potentially fatal compounds in her lab. They kept Lorelei in a drugged sleep, stating if allowed to fully wake she'd be in such pain her body would weaken even more. Every hour a nurse came with a cloth doused with chloroform to lay over her nose and mouth just five minutes. Now that the wounds had time to fester and heal Lorelei barely resembled her old self. Her family went to Sean and Kineta, telling them if Gabe wished to move on they'd understand. Gabe, however, wasn't so shallow. He refused to leave the medical wing. When he couldn't be with her in her room he waited in a nook fitted with a cushioned bench. Servants brought him blankets, fresh water, and anything else they thought he may need.
One thing he continuously refused, however, was food.
"I'm not hungry," he said the moment he spotted her. Elizabet sat next to him on the bench. She rested the tray between them and nibbled on the edge of a sandwich, hoping it'd change his mind.
"You have to eat," she insisted when he made no move for his share. "You'll end up in a bed here yourself if you don't."
Gabe sighed. He picked up an apple and took a bite so small it could belong to Little Lina. "All Lorelei gets is broth," he muttered.
"Broth?" Elizabet asked, eager to keep him talking. If his anger made him fall into silence…she knew firsthand how long it could take to find his voice again.
"Gabby spoons it into her five times a day. She can't take much at a time. It's barely enough to…"
Elizabet bit her tongue. He'd almost said 'It's barely enough to keep her alive', but that fit too many aspects of Lorelei's current state. The medicines, the wrapping, the forced sleep and liquid meals…they were all just enough to keep her alive.
"Who hates us so much they'd do this?" Gabe muttered, setting aside the rest of the apple and holding his head in his hands. "He wants to kidnap Mara? Fine. We have four or five attempts at least every month. But why do this to Lorelei? Why set that fire?"
"I don't know," Elizabet admitted as she rubbed her brother's back. "I'm sorry."
Gabe sighed. "Any word from the search parties?"
"Not yet."
"None of them?"
Elizabet shook her head. "I'm sure they'll make contact the moment they have a name."
"Good."
Gabe abruptly stood. Elizabet stared at him for several moments before rushing to follow him.
"What are you doing?" she demanded. She fell in step next to him, having to skip to keep up with his long stride.
"Joining the search," Gabe replied simply. "The sooner we find Maggie the sooner we find the bastard who hurt Lorelei."
"But…Gabe…what if she wakes? What if she calls for you?"
"You'll tend her until I'm back," Gabe answered. He came to a sudden stop and turned on his heel to face Elizabet. He stared into her eyes, his own pleading for her cooperation. "Won't you?" he begged, his tone desperate.
"Of course," Elizabet assured him.
"Good," Gabe said with new resolve. He began walking again. Elizabet stayed by his side.
"You can't go alone," she told him. "You need a team."
"I'll have one."
"Who?" Elizabet asked. Russ, Reese, Hazen, and Robin had dispatched first. They were running lead, working the village from the inside. Several squadrons had been sent to their aid shortly after. They surrounded the village and monitored its outposts under direction of Captain Warden. Because the family opted to allow the kingdom to think Mara had indeed been kidnapped, no one questioned it when Mason and Scout joined in the field. Most likely assumed they were working alongside Captain Warden, but in fact they had their own team with Ranger Commandant Daniel and Lady Julia. Those four reported to no one, obviously, so Sean and Kineta (who had resumed their old duties temporarily) received no reports of their whereabouts.
Empress Sun had no choice but to return to Nihon-Ja, but she left behind a group of five seasoned Senshi warriors for Kaito to lead. They'd assimilated into Hibernian ranks, as did those from Araluen, and assisted in monitoring the borders of the village. The Senshi created a fierce presence only they could command.
"Who?" Elizabet asked again when Gabe didn't respond. He diverted to the hall the older generation liked to gather in when they visited. Ranger Will, Lady Alyss, Lord Horace, Lady Cassandra, Lord Sean, Lady Kineta, Ranger Liam, and Lady Talia were sure enough sitting there with worried expressions, whispering about the kidnapping. They turned and stared at Elizabet and Gabe, their conversation dropping immediately.
"I want out there," Gabe growled.
"No," Sean answered. "You're too…"
"I'll join you," Ranger Will volunteered.
"Me too," Ranger Liam echoed.
Lady Talia only stood, nodding her intentions to come as well.
"I'll come too," Lady Alyss said firmly.
"We leave at first light," Gabe ordered. The four simply nodded. Gabe spun on his heel and stormed back towards his rooms. Elizabet looked to the older generation, biting her lip unsurely.
"You know what you're getting into?" Kineta asked. All nodded. "Good. Find the man who did this to our family."