Starsplash: 'where is Sera going?' :sigh: just read and find out, oh and I didn't mean a virus on my computer, I was thinking more along the lines of evil viruses of death that cause three week colds that use up four boxes of kleenex…
AKAfredandgeorge: you can't tell me that you've never sneaked out using your window! Or at least scaled the side of a building! Yeah, yeah, Sera is almost three blah blah blah, that is why it's (gasp) fiction. Ok, that was a little harsh, sorry.
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Sera dropped down to the soft soil directly beneath her window and worked her way around the house, keeping close so that she wouldn't step on the gravel and make noise. And soon she was slipping through the bars on the gate, happily trotting down the lane towards town. Once she got to town, she slowed down. Nothing looked familiar, and there were odd shadows everywhere. It was scary.
Uncertain now, Sera mad her way up and down a few streets, but wasn't able to find the house she was looking for. Everything looked so different she could have past it and not known. She sat down, tears starting to form in her big violet eyes when a familiar monkey ran past her, closely followed by a boy, her eyes lit up. "Jace!" she called after him, smiling.
The boy slid to a halt. "Scamp!" he called to the monkey, who came rushing back and hopped up on the boy's shoulder. "Hey, there, Sera. What ya doin' down here?"
"Find Keeley." Sera answered.
"Isn't that what ya named the doll Kipp gave ya?" Jace's head tilted to the side. Sera nodded her head happily. "Don't ya have like twenty other dolls?" again Sera nodded. "But ya want ta find Keeley?" Another nod. Jace regarded her for a minute. "Alright, I'll help ya look." Sera beamed at him and threw her arms around him, giving him a swift hug.
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A few hours later, Jace plopped down on a crate, the search proving fruitless. He had looked everywhere he could think of that a little girl might have lost her doll, and even a few places where she might have not. He sighed and ran a hand through his black hair, a habit he had picked up from Kipp. "I'm sorry, Sera, but it looks like Keeley is lost."
Sera looked completely devastated and sniffled, her big eyes flooding with tears.
"Aw, come on don't cry. I'm sure we just missed her somewhere." Jace quickly backpedaled. "Besides, I bet I can catch ya." He said to get her mind off of her doll. I worked, because her eyes grew wide and she sprinted off, Jace hopped off of the crate to chase her.
Sera took a quick turn and bumped into something hard and warm, causing her to fall back onto her butt. She looked up at the tall man from where she sat. He was dressed very nicely and was flanked on either side by men dressed like dock workers.
"Hello." The man smiled. "I know you, I can't forget eyes and hair like that." He squatted down so he was eye level with her. "Seraphima, am I right?"
Sera nodded, her white blond curls bouncing along with the movement. "I've been looking for you." He stood her up and dusted off her skirt. "There, good as new." He smiled again.
"Hey! You let go of her!" Jace called, running up.
"I'll not do her any harm." The man said, standing up and taking her hand, at which Sera tried to move towards Jace, but the man wouldn't let her go. "However, she needs to come with me."
"Well, she obviously doesn't wanna go with ya!" Jace exclaimed, planting his feet and glaring at the men.
"Nonetheless it is time she went home with her father." His green eyes glinted hard in the faint light of the night. Sera was tugging harder at his hand. Getting no reaction, she bit his hand, causing him to release her hand with a curse, cradling it close.
"Run, Sera!" Jace yelled at her and tried to block the men's path. One of the dock workers caught up with Sera in a few long strides and threw her over his shoulder. She kicked furiously and pounded her little fists against his back but to no effect. Jace threw a couple of punches at the man's middle section, but his companion punched the boy, sending him crashing into a wall and knocking him out cold.
"Jace!" Sera screamed, tears running down her face.
"Quiet, brat, or yer gonna end up like 'im." The one holding her threatened.
"That's no way to talk to a child." The well-dressed man informed him. "Though it is not nice to bite daddy." He scolded. "Let's get back to the ship before anyone comes to see what all the noise was about."
"Yessir." The men answered and they headed towards the docks with a sobbing Sera.
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Katrina woke up to a tense house the next morning. Kara was quiet where she was usually full of chatter and the house held an unusual pall that wasn't there before.
"Whatever is the matter with everybody today?" Katrina asked Kara, who avoided her eyes. "Kara, you are starting to scare me. Please, tell me what is going on?"
Kara looked up at her. "I-it's the little miss, Miss Sera."
"What is the matter, is she sick?" Katrina asked apprehensively, remembering the sudden sickness her mother had gotten.
"No, miss, it seems nobody can find her, she is missing."
"What!" Katrina flew out of the room and to the nursery. Nurse was sitting in front of the governor, who was pacing back and forth. "What happened?" Katrina demanded.
"I don't know, miss." The nurse cried. "I woke up and she was gone! I don't know where she could be!" the poor woman broke down in sobs, burying her face in her hands. Katrina frowned and looked around the room, noticing the window was slightly ajar, which was odd. She went to it and pushed it open further.
"Did you open this?" she questioned the sobbing woman, who looked up slightly startled.
"No, miss, I did not." She sniffed.
Katrina looked out of the now open window, down the side of the house; some of the decorative vine curling up the side of the house had ripped away from the wall. "She climbed out of the window." She said disbelieving.
"But why and where to?" the governor asked.
"I think I may just know." Katrina stated turning from the window. "I need Lady saddled."
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Katrina galloped Lady down into town, narrowly dodging pedestrians and carts, pulling up in front of the Turner's she slid off of a heaving Lady and ran to the door, pounding on it.
A sleepy Elizabeth answered the door. "Katrina? What is it?"
"Is Sera here?" she asked.
"No." Elizabeth yawned. "Why would she be?"
"She climbed out of her window last night. I was sure she came here to see Keeley."
This seemed to wake Elizabeth up some. "She's missing?"
"Yes." Katrina said, tears starting to run down her face.
"Oh, come in!" Elizabeth said, stepping back to give Katrina entry.
"No." Katrina shook her head. "I have to look for her."
"I'm sure father already has a search party-."
"No." Katrina stated again. "I'm only one more, but they don't know her like I do… that gives me an idea. I have to go."
"Katrina, wait!" Elizabeth called, but Katrina was already up on Lady, ignoring the sidesaddle, she swung astride and kicked the startled horse in the side.
The horses hooves clattered loudly on the dock, men dove out of her way, as she didn't even slow for them. Katrina raced Lady down the length of one of the wharves and once again pulled lady to a halt. She rushed up the gangplank, the guardsman stopping her at the top.
"What can I help you with, miss?" he asked.
"I need to see deck hand Link." She stated, panting slightly for breath.
"I'm sorry miss, but I don't know if he is here or not."
"But I have to see him." Katrina was near panic.
"I'm sorry miss, but-"
"Miss Katrina?" a familiar voice cut off the guard.
"Taidhgan." Katrina said with some relief. "Is Link on board?"
"He left for town early this morning. What is the matter?" he asked on seeing her face fall.
"Did Sera come here last night by any chance?" she asked hopefully.
"I dona know. But the captain would." He hastened to add. Immediately, Katrina pushed past the guard and headed for the captain's cabin. Taidhgan rushed to catch up with her and knocked on the cabin doors.
"What is it?" Kipp's voice came from inside.
"Capt'n, ye have a visitor."
"Send him in."
"Begging your pardon, miss." Taidhgan opened the door and ushered her inside. It took a moment for Katrina's eyes to adjust from the bright sun to the dimmer cabin.
"Kitten!" Kipp exclaimed, jumping up from his seat behind the desk. "What are you doing here?"
"Kipp," Katrina stepped up to him. "Did Sera show up here last night?" she asked, searching his eyes for hope.
"No." Kipp said now thoroughly confused. Katrina's eyes spilled over with tears.
"She's missing." She cried, clutching the front of his shirt and looking up at him. Kipp pulled her into his arms. "What if is she's hurt, or scared. What if she can't get back?"
"I'll find her, I promise." He said after a moment. And continued to hold her in his arms as she sobbed.
"Kipp!" the cabin doors banged open. Kipp looked over Katrina's head irritably.
"Jace." He greeted as Katrina straightened and pulled away. "What happened to your face!" Kipp exclaimed, moving forward and tilting the boy's face toward the light, revealing a large bruise that covered nearly one half of his face and puffed up his eye.
"It was sometime before midnight, I tried to stop some guy and he hit me." Jace explained.
Kipp's eyes dulled slightly. "Where is he now?"
"I don't know, he knocked me out."
"You said you tried to stop him, from doing what?"
"He was kidnapping Sera."
Katrina gasped from where she was standing. "What did the man look like?" she demanded.
"I didn't get a right good look at him, miss, he was definitely a deck worker, but nothing but hired muscle."
"Do you know who hired him?" Kipp asked, putting his hands on Jace's shoulders.
"I don't rightly know his name, but he sure was dressed nice."
"And did you get a good look at him? What did he look like, hair, eyes, any distinctive features?"
"Well, it was real dark like, so I can't say about his hair for sure, a dark color I would guess, but his eyes caught the light and they showed green something fierce."
"Anything else?" Kipp asked. "Think hard."
Jace concentrated for a moment. "He claimed to be Sera's dad."
Katrina gasped again. "Edmund." She whispered a look of fear in her eye. "What would he want with her?" her eyes focused on Kipp. "I have to get her back."
"I'll find her, don't worry." he assured her.
"We'll find her." Katrina corrected him.
He stood and pivoted on the spot. "I can't let you come with, there could be a fight…"
"I'm coming." Katrina argued.
"No." Kipp insisted. If anything happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."
"And if anything happened to Sera, I'd never forgive myself. There is no way I am going to stay home and worry all day long." she said, a ferine light coming to her eyes.
Kipp studied her for a moment then gave a short nod. "Jace," he turned back to the boy. "See what you can find out, ships coming and going in the last couple of days. Especially if any left last night, my guess is this guy is already gone. Tell Taidhgan to get ready to set sail and send someone to find our boys." Jace nodded and ran out of the cabin.
"Kitten." Kipp turned towards her. "Where would this man be taking Sera."
"North, to the Carolina's. Most likely Charleston first." Katrina stammered a little.
"Hey." Kipp lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "We will find her and get her back. Do you trust me?"
"Completely." She answered truthfully.
Kipp placed a quick kiss on her lips. "If you need anything, just let Taidhgan know."
"You're leaving?" Katrina looked at him as he shrugged into his jacket.
"I'll be back soon. I have a feeling that we will need the fastest ship in the Caribbean."
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I really am trying to make sure to cover all the characters and make sure I tie up their parts. So if there is a character and your wondering whatever happened to them, please, let me know and I will try to include them.
As always, please review!