Shattered Kingdom Book 1 (Finished)

Chapter 45

"Quirie Missing!?"

--Third Person--

As silence crawl upon young queen Quirie, the whole kingdom fell worried. No words from her, she hasn't made her move. She was not present in the feeding program she made, she wasn't present for Shin's welcoming ceremony for his cousins, she wasn't there for Daemon's farewell party before he left the kingdom, she wasn't there for her own books' release.

It turned cold as the winter came to them. It was too soon for Quirie to keep quiet in a joyous occasion in the month of December. She hadn't talked for at least two months in.

Journey happened to be next to the kitchen smelling the sweet pastry. Soon the sweetness turned into a burnt one. Journey rushed towards the kitchen, Quirie would not burn a pastry. She would never let them burn. It would break her will to be the best chef she wanted to be.

As Journey reached the kitchen she saw a blaze of fire. Meeting up from each corner of the entrance. Journey panicked, fear that her master was there.

Journey:"Help! Lady Quirie! Lady Quirie! Can you hear me!?" She called worriedly.

There was no answer. Journey began to scream for help.

Soon enough some servants and maids helped tame the fire and it was completely gone. But in the ashes left in the kitchen there was no Quirie seen. Not anything left of her remains inside.

Renevia:"Quirie! Quirie!" She cried out to her daughter in the large kitchen. "Come out now please!"

Ally then rushed down the hall as he too smelt the horrible burning scent.

Ally:"What happened!?" He asked worriedly.

Journey:"I-- It is Lady Quirie..." Her eyes slowly watered.

Ally:"What? What happened?" He asked.

Renevia:"She's not here!" She came from behind the counter. "She has to be outside! Didn't you see her?"

Journey:"No sire... I was not... She ordered me to get her a book..." She cried slowly.

Renevia:"You mean she talked?" She asked.

Journey:"No sire, she gave me the book." She whimpered.

Ally:"We need to find her... Now!" He panicked and immediately, the guards fled the castle to find they're precious queen.

They searched everywhere, high and low, left to right, up and down and everywhere. But still no sign of her.

Renevia:"But its too cold out..." She said as she was bundled up in her thick coat and a furry scarf wrapped around her neck. "She could not of... No... I can't think that way... I know she's alive... She has to..."

Journey:"But where would Lady Quirie go? She could not possibly run that fast or fly that fast through the rough storm and the cold ice. She has no warmth that wrapped her." She worried as she too was bundled up in a thick coat and had earmuffs and her neck was wrapped in a knitted scarf.

After three hours of searching, they saw no sight of Quirie at all. Not a shadow.

"Sire." A guard saluted in front of Ally.

Ally:"Did you find her?" He asked worriedly.

"I'm sorry sire... But no... Not yet..." The guards shook his head no with a sad face worn, Ally's reaction remained worried as the guards left to continue the search.

Ally:"No... We need to find her... We need to find her... This cannot be! I won't allow it!" His sudden reaction made himself panic.

Renevia:"Ally, darling. Please calm down. I'm sure we will find her." She comforted.

Ally:"But mother, this is not a good time to be useless. We need to help them find her. This is all my fault!" His emotion brought him to his knees, with a trembling mind he cried. "This is all my fault..."

Journey:"Sire... Lady Quirie will come back... I know she will... Please be positive..." She said placing her hand on Ally's shaking shoulder.

Renevia:"Its alright Ally... We will find her... I won't let this day be her last. I will be the one to try to find her." She raised her head up and went inside to change. "Please Quirie... Please show yourself to us."

Renevia took her travelling boots and slipped on some pants. She wore her old v-neck shirt and a warm coat over that. She the put on a scarf and some earmuffs to warm herself from the cold snowy day. She took her old sword and her shield for protection, then placed on laces and belts to load herself up with medicine and canteens. Lastly, she wrapped her necklace around her neck and looked at it longingly before speaking.

Renevia:"I will find you... Quirie... And I will bring you back... I promise... I love you..." Her tear drops fell on the small picture attached on her necklace, that picture was a little Quirie with her chasing each other with Tamako behind them laughing.

Renevia searched, and searched, and searched. She was still empty handed. But she tried, and tried, and tried. Her daughter was her last treasure left. Aside from Quin she cannot lose Quirie after losing her husband. She won't live. She will not let her daughter go even if the gods call upon her and beg her for her daughter's life, she will never allow it.

As they all know of missing people, the seconds turn into minutes, the minutes turn into hours, the hours turn into days, and days turn into weeks. Still no sign of Quirie. Where could she be?

One morning, Quin decided to talk to her father. Ally had been in their bedroom for the past two weeks, and he hasn't shown sign of himself since Quirie went missing. Quin knocked on their door.

Ally:"Come in." His husky yet emotionless voice was heard.

Quin:"Papa? It has been a while... Can you please visit at least Mama's friends?" Her sweet soft voice trembled with worry while she tried not to burst into tears.

Ally:"Quin..." He called looking up from the picture on his lap.

Quin slowly walked towards his father until she reached his side. Ally wrapped his arms around her and his embrace was returned.

Quin:"Papa, I miss Mama! I want her back!" She cried on his shoulder.

Ally:"I know, Quin... I won't let her go again... I can't let her go again..." He confessed.

Quin:"I want to see her again! I want to see Mama again! I don't care about the challenge, I just want her back!" She cried and cried with endless tears streaming down her face.

Ally:"Shh... Don't worry Quin... We'll find her... I promise..." He said as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I promise..."

Quin's mind was speaking, she was worried herself. She preyed while she cried.

Quin:'Mama... Please show yourself to me... I don't want to see Papa this way... I am breaking... I want you back with me... With us... Grandma Ren had been looking for you... Please show yourself... Please make an appearance... Please... Please Mama... Please...' Her preys weren't heard but her cries were clearly breaking the god's hearts.

The father-daughter love was not enough. They needed a mother, the gods had said. They will help find Quirie. For it is the only thing they could do to help. Quin wanted to help as well. Her worried face was showing all over her, her mask of joy was not enough. She wore warm clothes and took her little sword and helped find Quirie. Could they find her? When though? Where could Quirie be and she caused the whole kingdom to worry for her? No words were even heard, no clues of where she is. How could they find her? How could they see her if Quirie herself was the one trying to hide from them? How could they talk to her and ask her where she went if Quirie herself avoided to say a word to them? If she is angry at them? If she was giving them treatment for not apologizing? If she hasn't forgiven him for hurting her cousins? How will they be able to command her to go back to the castle if the reason why Quirie went missing is because she ran away? How will she go back then? How will Ally forgive himself for making Quirie angry? He blames himself for this, but why? Because he was the one who caused Quirie to not speak, to not react, to not show emotions, to not even talk to her own daughter. It was his fault of that. But for Quirie being missing? She must have an explanation for them.