The Hunt for Sviederbach

Disclaimer: I do not own Shake it Up

A/N:

Chapter 15 (Hidden Discoveries)

Standing before the diamond caverns brought back many a nostalgic memory for her, but she didn't feel she had the time to reminisce. This was not going to be such an easy task, given how much hassle there probably was waiting for her in the caves. "You shouldn't be here, Astor…" He looked up at her and started towards the cave. Her eyes widened and she quickly went after him. "Astor, what are you doing?"

"I'm going after Mia. Whether or not you think I should be here doesn't much matter right now." She chuckled and quickly took the lead. She was proud of him, but who could blame her for being concerned that he was there in danger? At least she could protect him better, but there was still that concern that she wouldn't be able to if something went horribly wrong. "We're in this together whether you want us to be or not. In all honesty, I think I'm pulling your weight, Sis."

"Oh yeah right. Anyway, since I'm your older sis, I'm in charge."

"Then start acting it." He smirked at her and she huffed at him, still smiling though. As they continued their walk, making sure to remain on solid, dry ground, they took notice of the walls starting to grow narrower. Astor moved close to her while she scanned the floor for any water. She was well aware that caves could be very misleading, even a small looking puddle could be fifty feet deep. "In hindsight, we could have packed a torch." She chuckled and grabbed the pack that was hanging from her shoulder, it had several necessities for their travels. Including a flashlight.

"I'm pretty sure the flashlight Estelle provided will do the trick." She reached in and grabbed a long black flashlight, it had a very powerful bulb and fresh, long-lasting batteries. The brand name of the flashlight was so rightly named 'Torch'. "Uncle René has the best friends." She flipped the flashlight on and grinned as the beam lit up everything around it. "Mia might be in the deepest room, so we have a bit of a walk…stay close and keep your eye open for any traps."

"Will do." It could take about three hours just to find the room, so they hoped Mia was there to be found. While walking, Aveline kept moving the beam back and forth, making sure to scan everything while Astor held onto her shirt.

For about twenty minutes they were silent, the cave had grown darker, and more water was strewn about. From prior experience, she knew crystals and diamonds wouldn't start appearing on the walls until they were at least halfway in. Currently, they were just drab and grey. "Hey Aveline?" Astor looked up to her and cleared his throat. "How long have you and Ander been dating? Can I ask? I knew you were dating someone, but I didn't know it was him…" She did feel a bit guilty for keeping it a secret, and was well aware that anything she said could be heard by everyone, including her own family.

"It's been a few years. We didn't know how people would take it, so we kept it hidden."

"You could have saved yourself a lot of hassle with most of the guys that came around…" She had to agree with him there, one benefit with people knowing she was with Ander was less people coming around more often. "Must have been hard for him to see you having to deal with those people."

"Yeah, that was the price we paid for secrecy."

"You know, Mom and Dad had a secret relationship when they were younger." She nodded and slowly moved the beam to the ceiling. There was a stalactite dripping water. Water was always purest in a cave, and littering was highly illegal in Sviederbach. "That lasted for a little bit before they were found out…"

"They were found out because they got pregnant." Astor raised an eyebrow and looked up to her. She winked at him and jerked a thumb to her chest. "That's right, I ended their secrecy." He began to crack up, smiling as she put a proud face on. "That's right, it was all me. Beautiful little embryo-fetus version of me growing in my momma's womb." Astor rolled his eyes and looked straight ahead at the dark tunnel they were about to enter. He sighed heavily as Aveline pushed forward. "But yeah, it's hard to deal with secret relationships, at least mom and dad didn't have to pretend to date someone else…"

"You never pretended, you weren't ever interested, and you told those guys you weren't interested. It was their own damn fault for not listening." She raised an eyebrow and looked to him, his expression was tense and angry. Had he often felt this way towards those men that came around? She never saw him react in such a way to any of them. "Ander's been treating you right?"

"Yes. A lot better than those guys that come around. That was one thing Martin was right about…Ander's the best choice for a spouse…"

"I guess." He started to yawn and shook his head afterwards. "You and Ander, you two haven't…you haven't had sex have you?"

"No, we don't want to get into that." Besides, she didn't want to end up pregnant like her mother had when she was young. "What we have….we respect one another, as well as ourselves. I guess you'd have to wait a few years to really understand it…maybe." He was a pretty smart kid, he understood a lot of things. "He does boss me around, he doesn't hit me, he doesn't try to take advantage of me…a guy like that really seems like one in a million. Hell, even Martin's bad about that towards his girlfriend."

"That girl, Mala?"

"Yeah. She needs someone like…" Aveline tapped her chin and glanced at the walls. Crystals were beginning to reveal themselves, an indicator that they were at least halfway into the cave. "She needs someone like Art, Ander's roommate at the apartments. He seems to treat her right."

"Just remember it's not your relationship, Sis." Was he implying that she would attempt to meddle? Now why would she go and do that? "You know, I seem to remember something…Tabitha Nilsine, that's her mom, right?" She nodded and Astor moved his hands behind his head. "I read up on her execution once, her very final words when she was hung was about finding her child. I don't think she got rid of her daughter willingly, do you?"

"Brustrum was the type to cover his bases, so I wouldn't be surprised if something happened there." Everyone in her family was ashamed to be related to that man, even she was ashamed to be related, and she never knew him. "She said she'd been dumped off with the Lamont's since she was young, so I think the key is figuring out what that connection is." Astor rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes.

"You've studied the history of our ancestors haven't you?"

"Of course, that's like one of the biggest requirements for me. I have to know that history." Where was he going with this?

"Well this isn't the first time a Lamont has tried to assassinate or unseat the King, right?" Of course, she couldn't forget about Stefan Lamont taking the life of their ancestor. "Go back along the line, every term has had someone attempt to take them, haven't they?"

"Maybe…"

"Seriously, think back on your studies, Martin's family is the most determined crime family on the planet!" She hummed and scratched her head. She thought back onto her studies, and yes, almost every term ruler had mentioned some point of time where someone made an attempt on their life. Some, more than once, but not always by the same people. "I mean sure multiple people have tried over time, but there's almost always been one of Rodger Klemens's descendent on that list."

She went over this particular study with Rocky long ago. When Sara's son Conrad was in his third year, Thor Klemens tried pushing him over the edge of a balcony, but failed when one of the Royal Guards stopped him. Next was Kai Klemens, who married Sven Lamont, mother to Stefan Lamont. She attempted to poison Term King Leon's drink, but there was a regulation in place at the time for a guard member to check all drinks and food before the ruler. A guardsman sipped the drink, collapsed on the floor. When Kai ran, they chased after her and caught her.

In 1898, a man named Peter Lamont shot at Julianne Heinrike-Brustrum's carriage. She did take a bullet to the arm, but it grazed her. Peter's son Issak was one of the crazier members of the Lamont chain. While Emeric Brustrum was giving his coronation speech, Issak charged in with a knife, stabbing several people, but he didn't get close to Emeric, who slipped out the back. That same man attempted to take Eldric Brustrum's life several years later in similar fashion. He got halfway into the castle, walking, before a guard recognized him and sent him out.

Even Ander Brustrum had a near miss with a man named Jonathon Lamont, granted it was before he was to take the throne. Jonathon took a job as his chauffer and attempted to drive Ander and his father Eldric into a lake. The car died before it ever hit the lake, so he exited and took off in a run.

All of these attempts were so small that they were easily overlooked, but now that she thought about it, everything made sense. "Astor, I don't remember reading about an attack on Hans Brustrum."

"He had a lot of things erased from record, didn't he?" While that was true, why would he try to cover up an assassination attempt on his own life? "Also if I read up correctly, the Lamont family vanished, they went away around 2008." The same year Mala was born. "Considering it was sexual assault…Sviederbach Law would have called for immediate execution…"

"He needed the baby to disappear." Was it bribery? Did he bribe the Lamont family to leave him? What would they have for that? "If the Lamont family attempted to take his life, they would have been thrown in his dungeon…"

"They needed their rap sheet erased."

"But…" She lowered her voice, whispering to herself as she tried to piece it all together. "Take the baby and live without a black mark over your head…oh my god. It was all his fault, wasn't it? Tabitha's rage was his fault…"

"Even today, his legacy as Sviederbach's evil king is still a black mark."

"So you've got it all figured out, do you?" A voice asked. Aveline and Astor quickly looked up, having gotten lost in their conversation. They didn't even notice that they'd walked right into a very bright diamond and crystal filled room. In the center was Mia, screaming at them from the cage. Beside her was Martin's aunt Regina. She had two long knives in her hands and a narrow glare in her eyes. "Damn good job theorizing, you really know your history! Impressive…"

"You don't have to do this."

"Oh that's where you're wrong. I do. You see, you're right…" Regina stepped forward as Mia cried out again. The woman snapped at her, pointing the knife at the cage. "You shut up little girl!" The kid silenced and Aveline started to charge forward, stopping only when Astor grabbed her wrist. Regina turned her gaze to her and smirked. "In 2002 Jonathon Lamont died, his son Albert decided it was his turn to step up. In 2007, Albert Lamont and his two sons, Henry and Chuck, along with his grandson Steven, all attempted to kill King Brustrum. Their wives were still home, Steven's wife, Auda, she was pregnant with Martin at the time…"

"Sounds like Steven had a lot to lose, then."

"Oh yeah, of course my other brothers…Max and Eric, they tried a few months later, which is why their wives don't have any children…their 'wedding gift' was supposed to be the head of Brustrum." She rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. "So my family gets chucked in that jail cell and the chief that time-"

"Tabitha?"

"Yeah, she kept putting off her duties because lo-and-behold, Brustrum knocked the bitch up!" Aveline growled angrily and Astor slowly moved his hand to the handle of his sword. Could he really kill this woman if it came down to it? Regina chuckled and shook her head. "So you want to know what happened? All I know is they came back home with a baby. When Brustrum died and your pathetic father stepped up, we only had to bide our time and plan our revenge…it took eighteen years, but here we are."

"You-"

"Relax sis, she's only trying to rile you up…" Astor grasped the handle of his sword and narrowed his eyes. "We don't have to fight. Just let our sister go." Regina laughed and shook her head.

"No. I gave up having a life for my family. I gave up marriage, having children, all so my family could do this. I am not going to stop now!" She charged forward, swinging her blades inwards. Astor yelped and withdrew his blade, holding it in front of him, letting her knives clash against his sword. "You think you're going to stop me, little boy?"

Aveline's heart rushed into panic state, she definitely did not want Astor fighting this woman. "Astor!" Astor clenched his teeth as Regina pulled her knives back and started to stab at his sides. He jumped back and swung his blade in defense, accidently slicing off Regina's right arm. His eyes widened as the woman let out a piercing scream.

"How dare you!"

"It was an accident!" Astor cried out. "You don't need to fight, we don't have to do this." Regina roared angrily and glared at him.

"There's no such thing as peace."

Seeing that this was going nowhere, and the woman was only getting deadlier, Aveline hurried to draw her bow and arrows. She aimed at the back of the woman, who was striking Astor with ferocity. He was blocking every blow with the sword, all taught by their father.

"Leave my brother alone!" She fired off a shot, striking Regina in the back of her neck. The woman gasped for air and slowly turned around, her eyes were wide and blood was dripping from her Adam's Apple. Aveline watched with disgust as the woman fell to her knees. "Oh god…"

"Aveline! Astor!" Mia cried out. The girl's cheeks were red and puffy, her eyes were swollen, and tears were dripping from her jaw. "Where Michael?" Without hesitation, Aveline grabbed the keys off the woman's waist and unlocked the cage. Mia fell into her arms, sobbing frantically as she tried to soothe her.

"You're safe now. Michael's safe too…never fear. Big Sister's here and I'm not going to let anything else happen to you."

"What going on?"

"Shh, it's okay Mia…" Mia sniffled and looked down to her right hand. She lifted it up and opened it, revealing a crumpled paper. "What's this?"

"That lady said to give it to you…" Aveline took the paper and held onto her sister as Astor walked over and fired up the teleportation device.

Once at Estelle's, she sent Mia to René and his friend. Mia was ecstatic when she saw Michael. It was the best Aveline felt since this whole mess began. To her, her siblings were the most important. After a couple minutes of recovering, she read the clue, slightly confused as to who it belonged to. Automatically, from the first few words, she knew the wait time was going to be hellish.

"Take a night of sleep, begin the hunt at nine in the morning. I have only ever been defeated by one person, and it is here where not only did I suffer my first defeat, but I lost my first love as well. You will have ten hours when the clock begins."

Well we've made quite a discovery here with Regina, a little more about Tabitha. What do you guys think of this chapter. The next clue, any ideas who and where it is? If you read Flames, you should be able to remember.