If you have read up to chapter 4 and still haven't reviewed then shame on you! Thankyou to the people that have reviewed :) So heres the next chapter hope you all enjoy!

!!!!I DONT OWN ANYTHING!!!!!!!!

Chapter 4

It was a few weeks after the incident with Brianna but Dustfinger could not stop thinking about her.

The Black Prince had sworn that he would listen out for any news on Basta but with no luck so far. The people that lived here barely remembered who he was which made it extremely difficult for anyone to spot him in a street and relay the news back to the Prince. But still no news was good news right?

Every night since Basta's visit, Dustfinger had crept inside the castle gates just to get a glimpse of Brianna and make sure that his daughter was still safe. But every night he came away disappointed. The fact that he hadn't yet seen her didn't trouble him; even without the maddening number of windows that the castle had, he doubted that, after the events of that night, Brianna would linger in front of a window.

One night the Black Prince had caught him standing there, looking up at one of the windows hopelessly.

"You could always go inside. I'm sure the guards wouldn't mind," he had said.

"No, but Brianna would." The Prince shook his head but had stood with him for a while anyway.

The next day he had come to Dustfinger to tell him that he had just heard some troubling news and had to leave immediately. After explaining exactly where he was going the Prince had tried to convince him to at least attempt to talk to his daughter. He hadn't replied but then the Black Prince hadn't honestly expected him too.

"Why are we going into town again?" asked Farid, pulling Dustfinger from his thoughts.

"I need to give Nettle this root and Cloud-dancer has a message for me. While I'm doing that you need to go find Meggie I need to talk to her."

They entered the city gates together. "Bring Meggie here," Dustfinger said. "And don't get so lovesick you lose your way." The boy blushed deeply and ran off in the opposite direction.

(AN: Dustfinger goes and gets message from Cloud-dancer same as in the book. i wont write it all down because we all know what happens)

How did she come to be here? What business did they have in his story? Dustfinger saw Farid and Meggie standing close to each other. They seemed to be deep in conversation with each other. Cursing himself for being the bearer of bad news once again, he walked over to them.

He glanced first at Farid who was giving him a strange look, before turning to Meggie. He had not even opened his mouth to recount the bad news when he saw the same look that Farid was giving him on Meggie's face. It was only when he saw the look on Meggie's face though that he realised what it was: fear.

"What's happened?" he said sharply.

Farid placed himself a little in front of Meggie protectively.

"Fenoglio was up at the castle this morning to talk to Cosimo," she began nervously as though she was afraid of his reaction. "He saw her Ugliness on his way. He said she looked upset about something so he asked her what was wrong. She said…..she said that….oh Dustfinger."

"What?" He hated that look in her eyes. It was the same look that her mother so often gave him. She felt sorry for him. Well he did not need her sympathy.

"She said that Brianna had gone missing."

Dustfinger just stared at her with that unreadable expression on his face. On the outside he gave nothing away but his insides were screaming. Everything else had flown out of his mind completely: Resa's note, Mo being hurt, the Magpie being back. Not Brianna. Please. Not Brianna.

How? When? Why? Questions spinning around in his head. Questions to which he had no answers. There it came again: that familiar pain of losing someone. The pain of not knowing where a loved one was or if they were even still alive.

"Dustfinger?" said Farid nervously. His voice sounded distant as though it was coming from somewhere far away.

Dustfinger didn't answer. His mind was working furiously. He needed to find her but he needed help. The Black Prince. He would know what to do. Suddenly he became aware that he was still clutching the note from Resa. Silently he handed it to Meggie, who took it confused.

The Black Prince was in the secret camp. Resa and Mo were there too. He could do as Resa had asked and take Meggie to them at the same time as finding the Black Prince. Oh God, I hope she's ok. He guessed he would have to take Farid too. Where could he have taken her? He needed to get a message to Roxanne as well or she would think he had disappeared again. If he's hurt her…..

Meggie had finished reading and looked up at Dustfinger with horror written all over her face.

"I will take you to them right away."