A/N: Thank you reviewers, you keep on making my day! I'm so close to finishing this fic now, huzzah! It sure will be an achievement, 22 chapters, gee, by poor poor brain.

Chapter Twenty Two -- Silenced

Boa's engagement had been announced as soon as Finnegan had returned. It had been greeted with mixed reception. Some who had been acquainted with her stay in Midnight had been expecting a different outcome to the visit, but in general it was considered happy news.

Whilst the Day hours celebrated, there were two that held their breath. They had expected to have heard something from Midnight by now, and the silence was increasing their worry. Boa refused to believe that Lord Carrion would leave things how they were. For better or worse, they were destined to meet again, the world was too small for them to avoid each other forever.

Desperately she wanted it all over so that she could move on with her life, but as the days passed, there was still no news.

Now, standing in front of the mirror, staring at herself in her bright white dress, Boa felt her heart heavy and sad. Everyone around her was full of joy at the prospect of her wedding, and yet Boa felt she couldn't join in with their laughter.

The dressmakers kept cooing at her, making her turn this way and that, admiring her from every angle. Boa continued to stare at herself as they pinned the white material into place. The smile on her face hurt from being forced, and her laughter sounded hollow even to her own ears. Only her eyes betrayed her anxious state, in which she had no confident but her brother.

"Princess," someone said gently, calling her away from the refection of herself. "Your father is waiting to see you."

Boa frowned for a second. She had thought he was meeting with some officials this morning, but supposed she must have muddled her information in her nervousness.

"Thank you," she said stepping down from her stool. "I had better change first. I won't be long."

The maid who had brought the news curtsied.

"The King is waiting the library your highness," she said bowing her head, and then respectfully leaving the room.

The library brought back memories she had tried to forget. She had not gone there since she had returned home, even though she knew she still needed to return the book. She had the great fear that she might find Lord Carrion sitting alone, haunting the room like a spirit at unrest.

Except, when she finally arrived at the library, there was no spectre to greet her, only her father with a concerned look on his face.

"Close the door Boa," he said. His normally jolly voice, sounding weary.

It seemed she was not the only one who had been worrying about something.

"I thought you were in a meeting?" Boa said doing as she was told, by shutting the door.

King Klaus beckoned her into the room.

"I was. I hurried back because… I was worried about something that has happened in Midnight."

Boa felt a bolt of terror run through her. What had happened? Was their an army approaching them? Were they now under attack? No, she thought. If that was the case, then her father wouldn't be stood here talking to her about it, he be out raising his own army, or forcing peace talks.

Had Lord Carrion said something about her? Was he protesting her marriage to Finnegan? Boa's face turned so pale that she felt unwell. Dizzy with fear, Boa sought the nearest chair and surrendered herself to it's support.

She looked at her father with wide fearing eyes. What doom was to befall her now? What more could be done to make her suffer? What was supposed to be the most happiest time of her life, seemed to be nothing but one unending nightmare.

"Boa, are you ill?" King Klaus asked. His thoughts of Midnight forgotten at the sight of his fear-ridden daughter.

Boa shook her head.

"Please tell me what has happened in Midnight," she begged, her voice sounding breathless.

King Klaus brought another chair to the side of her, sat, and studied her face.

"Did something happen during your stay that you haven't told me?" he asked seriously.

Boa looked at the floor. She should tell him everything, but she felt deep shame at her actions, and couldn't bring herself to speak about it to her father. But there was something he should know, it was his right to know, as a father and King.

"Lord Carrion asked me to marry him. But I refused him, and I came home," she said, unable to meet his eye as she spoke. "Please don't be angry, I didn't want it to happen. I mean… I didn't seek it."

She heard him sigh. It was if with that one sound he conveyed all his fears, suspicions and relief. Boa felt tears beginning at the corners of her eyes. She had fought so hard to forget Carrion, and yet she could not escape him. She couldn't bear to hear harsh words from her father on the subject, and began to cry in fear of them.

The sight of his daughter's tears prompted Klaus to speak. He sighed once more and placed a hand on Boa's shoulder.

"I am not angry. Who you are to marry was always to be your choice. But I feared for this the moment I learned where you had gone, and yet when I heard no news, I just assumed that my reservations had been unfounded. I wish you had told me sooner."

Boa wiped her tears away, trying to hold back those that were still threatening to fall. she wished it also.

"But this does not explain what has happened," Klaus said standing and walking as if thinking intently.

"What has happened?" Boa sniffed.

"Nobody knows," he said cryptically. "I had hoped that you could tell me."

Boa shook her head.

"Is it something bad?" she asked.

"I believe it's something terrible," he said. "No ambassador from the Night hours will talk to us of it. They all feign that they know nothing, but we can all see the terror in their faces."

Knowing that he had said too much, and had most likely alarmed Boa more that he had intended to do, King Klaus ended their conversation abruptly, by dismissing the news as probably nothing, and then telling Boa that she had better return to her dress-fitting.

Boa had left the room reluctantly, but soon found herself seeking her brother to reassure her about this 'terrible' occurrence that had happened in Midnight.

"It's him!" she shouted finding both Quiffin and Finnegan in the gardens.

Quiffin had been detaining some pretty maid in probably inappropriate conversation, whilst Finnegan was looking decisively bored. As soon as they were alarmed by Boa's outburst the maid was sent on her way.

"Who's him?" Quffin asked trying to quiet her tone by making his hushed.

"Lord Carrion. Something happened in Midnight, and father won't tell me what it is! He's pretending that he doesn't know, but it's something horrible, I know it is!"

"Boa, calm down," Quiffin said pulling Boa to the safety and the seclusion of the shade of a large tree. They stood in it's shadow like three conspirators. "What are you talking about?"

He looked at Finnegan in such a way as to remind Boa of who's company she was in. She had not voiced any fears to Finnegan so far, and had been in a mind never to do so. Except that all seemed forgotten now.

"I don't care. He's going to do something. I know it! He's going to ruin my wedding. He'll tell falsehoods! He'll say I'm really engaged to him! That I promised him my hand or something. Quiffin, you have to find out what has happened!"

Boa turned abruptly, and wrapped her arms around Finnegan, putting her face to his chest to hide herself. She could feel herself shaking, and had no doubt that Finngan could feel it also.

"I'm so scared," she whispered. "I don't ever want to go back. I want to stay with you!"

Finnegan held her silently. His accusing gaze fell on Quiffin.

"I am sorry I didn't tell you. I just thought… I didn't know… I didn't know she was so scared," Quiffin defended.

Finngan's anger broke finally. There was only so much of being shut out that he could take. Boa had promised to marry him, and yet he felt that she was always just out of his reach. No he knew why, it was her fears that were keeping her distant. She wasn't happy at the prospect of their wedding as she should be, she was afraid it might never happen.

"You didn't know? Look at her!" he shouted.

The sound of his harsh voice made Boa cry once more. She had never heard him raise his voice like this before, and had wondered whether it was even a part of his nature. Now she saw that he had his passions just like them all, and realised that his anger might now turn on her. After all, she had kept her fears a secret from him also.

"I know," Quiffin said regretfully. "I shall find out what it is that has happened. I swear it."

Finnegan shook his head.

"Just go," he said.

Quiffin bowed his head, and nodded. This was not his place anymore. It was no longer his responsibility to protect his sister, and he accepted that, yes, he must be the one to leave.

"Still, he haunts us," Finnegan said. "You will never truly be mine."

Boa looked up, and he pushed her back to arms length.

"You never saw what happened. I shouted for you, but you had gone! I tried so hard to tell you afterwards, but I just never could. He did ask me to marry him. He almost forced me to stay. But I refused, and I escaped, and he wont forgive me!" Boa confessed. "I've been waiting ever since for something to happen. I cant believe that he will let us be happy. I'm so frightened that something will happen to stop us being married that…I just cannot bear it!"

Finnegan let her go.

"Maybe your fears are simple Boa. Maybe you feel this way because you do not wish to be married at all?"

"No, that's not it!" Boa insisted. She felt a panic. Whatever might happen in her world, she wanted his marriage. Even if it was mixed up in confusion and fears, she knew deep down that this was what she wanted.

"We are engaged Boa, the Abarat knows it. There is nothing Lord Carrion or anyone can do about it. I want to marry you Boa, I love you. Do you still want to marry me?"

Boa didn't answer right away. Instead she thought. Slowly she smiled.

"I love you, and I want to marry you, yes," she said. "And you're right, nothing can ruin that."

She smiled. She felt a weight had been lifted from her, and when he kissed her, there might not have been the danger that she had felt when with Lord Carrion, but she did feel loved.

Later, when dressing for bed, Boa heard a knock at her door. Curiously she opened it to find her brother waiting outside.

"What are…?" she asked, but he silenced her with his index finger to his mouth.

"Father has told me all," he said.

Boa noticed his face. It was pale and clammy.

"There is nothing for you to worry about Boa. He is not coming for you. He has been silenced."

Boa frowned.

"What do you mean, 'silenced'?" she asked.

Quiffin shook his head.

"That's what she's calling it."

"Who?" Boa asked feeling increasingly confused.

"Motley," Quiffin replied.

Boa realised that he was shaking and begged him to come in and sit down. But fearing that might tell her too much, Quiffin refused. Boa need not know, and indeed might never have to know what had happened. He urged her to forget her fears, and sleep well, before leaving her to her confusion and wonderings.