Torn Apart

Torn Apart

Alexandra A. Cheshire

Published by Howling Wolf Books at Smashwords

Copyright 2018 Alexandra A. Cheshire

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All characters, events and places in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual people or places past or present is strictly coincidental.

Table of Contents

Torn Apart

About the Author

Other Works by Alexandra A. Cheshire

For the Little One I hold in my Heart

One

Gethin, Orian

At a tap on the open school room door, three small girls, two of them identical in features and colouring, and their governess look up to see a stately, well dressed lady. Something in her expression causes the oldest of the girls to frown.

Mama? What is wrong? Pale green eyes study the woman.

An unexpected, yet urgent summons from his majesty. I have to go, but will return as soon as I possibly can.

I'm sure we will be fine here, your grace. The girls' governess smiles cheerfully.

I'm sure, But the woman in the doorway looks less than certain of the idea, Lessons as usual, girls. Listen well and I will see you later. She holds out her arms and all three girls leave their seats to receive hugs. The woman kneels down, holding close each one in turn. Once all three are headed back to their seats, she straightens up and leaves the doorway.

As her grace said, Their governess is quick to redirect her charges' attention, Lessons as usual. Tabitha and Kianna, please read from page ten in your readers. Angela, let's see how you're doing with your letters. As soon as the woman focuses her attention on the smallest of the girls, one of the older ones begins scribbling in her book. The other opens a second, smaller book within the larger school reader and buries her nose in it.

In the distance, a large bell can be heard to toll three times. The girls quickly stuff away their school work in preparation for their lunch break as their governess moves to the school room doorway. A distinct twang sounds in the hall outside the room and the woman collapses into a heap, blood flowing freely down the side of her head. All three girls scream at the sight.

A man appears, stepping right over the dying woman, and crosses the room to snatch up the smallest of the girls. Almost instinctively, both twins latch onto him, attempting futilely to pull the younger child away. He starts to shake them off, but catches a glimpse of the pendant at Tabitha's throat. Changing his mind, he uses the arm not occupied with the kicking, screaming, biting three year old to scoop up the older twin. The younger twin screams again, high and sharp. The man kicks her legs out from under her and starts for the door. However, the girl is back on her feet inhumanly fast. Launching herself across the room, she attacks his legs.

Three struggling girls manages to slow the man, but not stop him completely. Meanwhile, the servants are starting to come running. The housekeeper is the first to arrive.

Stewart! The woman gasps, turning pale. She quickly recovers herself. Turning to the next servant to appear, she orders, Go get her grace from the palace!

Yes, ma'am. The young housemaid dashes off.

Next to arrive are the gardener and assistant cook.

Help me get the girls away from him. The housekeeper moves to take hold of smallest one.

However, Stewart tightens his grip on both girls and continues towards the front door. All the servants succeed in doing is detaching the younger twin, who fights to get away from them. Without her hampering his legs, Stewart moves faster. More servants appear, attempting to block him from reaching the door. He elbows them aside roughly, plowing his way to the battered coach waiting outside.

The younger twin bites hard on one of the hands holding her back. The maid yelps, but doesn't lose her grip. Other servants gather round to prevent the five year old's escape.

Kianna! The housekeeper shakes her head, You can't help them. The words draw a scowl from the girl who continues to struggle.

Meanwhile, outside, Stewart has wrenched the coach door open. He tosses first one girl inside, then the other, and slams the door shut.

Someone follow them! The housekeeper shouts from the front doorway as Stewart swings himself into the driver's seat. He whips the already agitated hauler beasts, who leap down the driveway.

The two girls inside the coach are thrown from side to side as it careens along the narrow winding roads. Stewart doesn't let up on the hauler beasts for at least half a bell. Even then he doesn't slow much. Still terrified, the children huddle together with their eyes tightly closed.

Mama! Kianna slips from the housekeeper's grasp and flies across the foyer. Her mother catches the child up in her arms and buries her face in the long, baby fine, silvery and pale green hair. After a long moment, the woman takes a deep breath and looks up.

What has been done? She queries of the housekeeper.

The stable hands went after them, The servant sighs, They have not returned, your grace.

How long has it been?

Nearly a full bell, your grace.

Hooves can be heard outside, then a scuffling, and finally two men enter the house. Both bow deeply on seeing their mistress.

We're sorry, your grace, One begins, We followed them east on the old trade road until they vanished. They have most likely crossed into Tulia by now.

Thank you. The duchess tells them as the telephone rings. Still carrying Kianna, she goes into the library to answer it.

Hello?

The five year old moves her head so she can hear the person on the other end.

Hello, Duchess Theodora, The voice belongs to the president of the Oceanic Trade Group, His majesty of Cathair and I are a quarter bell out of his capital. Has there been any word?

My servants tell me they took the old trade road east into Tulia.

I see, The man doesn't sound pleased, I will put my security staff on it and I will be there as soon as humanly possible.

Thank you. Theodora says gratefully.

Has Baron Carrick been contacted?

I don't believe so.

We will see to it. Take care, your grace.

Once the receiver is hung up, Theodora carries her daughter back through the foyer to the front sitting room. Sitting in a chair near the window, she settles Kianna on her lap.

village, Tulia

It's very late at night when Stewart brings the coach to a rock spraying stop outside a small tree sheltered cottage. Seconds later, the cottage door opens and his wife steps out.

Stewart! What in the world...?

Get in!

But Bonnie... She begins to protest.

Get in!, He repeats.

The woman is shaking visibly as she obeys. Her eyes widen on seeing the small girls still huddled together.

What's going on? Her voice shakes with fear, What do you think you're...?

Shut up! He reigns the hauler beasts around and back onto the road. The woman is barely able to catch and close the still open door. The coach tears off along the road, deeper into the wilds.

A short time later, Stewart brings the coach to an abrupt stop in front of a ramshackle old abandoned cabin.

Get out!

Neither the woman nor the girls move. Scowling dangerously, he gets down and wrenches the rear door open. He grabs a hold of both girls, drags them from the coach, and starts towards the cabin. His wife follows, attempting feebly to stop her husband, but she is trembling too badly to accomplish anything useful.

Once Stewart reaches the cabin door, he shoves the girls inside. Then he slams the cabin door closed and goes over to where his wife has collapsed, tears streaming down her face. Hauling her to her feet, he drags her over to the cabin, opens the door long enough to toss her in, and barricades it.

What's he doing? Tabitha's voice is sharp with fear, Olicia? Olicia!

However, the woman is sobbing convulsively and doesn't even glance up. Her small daughter is clinging to her mother, also sobbing. The older girl scrambles up to the front window in time to see Stewart light a taper. He touches it to the dry rotten wood of the building, which quickly catches fire. He keeps lighting various points around the building until the exterior of the cabin is blazing. That done, he returns to the coach and drives away.

The cabin's on fire! Tabitha screams, moving away from the window. Olicia looks up without really appearing to understand.

Frantically, the girl looks around for any way out. Spotting a metal ladder leading up to a loft with a large window at one end, she starts towards it. However, there is a pile of old, wooden furniture blocking access to it.

Help me! The older girl begins pulling at one piece. The younger one gets up to try to help.

Olicia! The five year old screams the woman's name. This time she is startled into action. She crosses over to the girls and begins pulling things out of the way.

By this time the fire has entered the building and the smelly bits of cloth scattered around are burning even faster than the old wood. The closer the woman and girls get to the ladder, the more the fire spreads until almost everything they touch is burning.

Go! Hurry! Olicia urges both girls once the foot of the ladder is clear. The metal is hot to the touch as the five year old climbs, but she is too intent on reaching the window to notice.

Tabitha is half blind from heat and fear by the time she jumps out of the burning cabin. Someone behind her screams as she lands hard, tumbling across rock and thin grass, and blacks out.

Gethin, Orian

Kianna screams, causing everyone in the sitting room to jump. Immediately Theodora moves to her daughter's side.

What happened? The woman asks softly.

She died, Kianna sobs, Tabitha's dead.

Theodora draws in a sharp breath. Pulling the child into her arms, she buries her face in the girl's hair. Kianna presses her face against her mother, continuing to sob.

highway, Tulia

Tabitha jerks awake abruptly, sitting bolt upright and drawing in a sharp breath. She looks around frantically until she realizes she is inside a moving vehicle. She is wearing a ripped, partly burnt dress and covered with a scratchy old blanket. Her pendant and chain are gone from her neck.

Get down! Stewart orders sharply from across the carriage. His older daughter, seated beside him, glances over briefly, then returns to staring out the window.

Tabitha lies back down, pulling the blanket over her head. Remembering what had happened, she attempts to reach out to her twin, only to find the familiar mental presence gone. Tears of fright form, but she pushes them away and curls up in a ball.

Gethin, Orian

Theodora looks up from her sleepy daughter's face at the sound of wheels in the driveway. Through the sitting room window, she can see two carriages stop near the front steps. The Oceanic Trade Group president and his daughter emerge from one while the King of Cathair gets out of the other. Shifting her daughter in her arms, Theodora gets up and goes to the door to greet them. Kianna opens pale green eyes as the visitors ascend the steps.

Any news? Douglas Lorcan calls on seeing the duchess.

Theodora sighs tiredly, We're certain now the girls will not be found alive. Kianna insisted Tabitha died just after sixth bell that night.

They have yet to be found? King Randolph is clearly concerned.

All we know is they were bound for Tulia, The duchess replies, There has always been an unusually strong bond between the twins.

Douglas nods gravely and turns to Kianna, I know it is hard, young lady, but can you remember anything else at all about what happened?

I'll try. The girl thinks back, closing her eyes and resting her head on her mother's shoulder. Finally, her eyes open again, There was a big fire... really hot... But Tabitha fell... or jumped and then I couldn't reach her anymore. And it isn't like when she's asleep, 'cause I can feel her then.

The man considers the information, How far into Tulia could they have gotten by sixth bell?

Hard to say, Theodora shakes her head, The old trade road takes far longer to travel and there is little along it. She steps back out of the doorway, Please do come in, your majesty, sir president, my lady. She leads the way into the front sitting room.

Once everyone is seated, King Randolph enquires, Have you heard from Baron Carrick yet?

The duchess nods, Last night. He sees little point in coming here when last we heard Olicia and Bonnie were with Stewart. Whatever befell the others I cannot see Stewart deliberately harming Bonnie.

Where were the girls taken from? Douglas queries.

The schoolroom upstairs. Leastwise that is where their governess was killed.

Douglas frowns, How was he able to overpower her?

Kianna speaks up, She never saw him.

They all turn to the window as another carriage pulls up. This time it's the King of Orian. He enters the house and joins them in the sitting room. His expression is grim as he sits next to Theodora and Kianna.

I have just received word from the authorities in a little village along the trade road, just the other side of the border.

King Randolph frowns, I thought Tulia had refused to assist.

The prime minister may have, Theodora's uncle replies, However, the Arzhel family pendant was found during an investigation into a fire which burned an abandoned cabin to the ground.

Did they find the girls? Theodora wants to know.

The investigator seemed unsure what they found. He would very much like someone to go out and look over the scene.

I will go, Douglas states, How far is it?

Nearly five bells to the village. You will be met there.

I want to go. Kianna glances over the adults around her with a determined expression.

Douglas looks at Theodora.

We will both go, She nods, And the sooner the better.

ruined cabin, Tulia

The president's carriage parks behind the investigator's cart a short distance from the remains of the cabin. Douglas gets out, followed by Theodora. Kianna slips out before the door closes.

This way, sir, your grace. The investigator calls. Theodora picks up her daughter as they follow the man.

What do you have? Douglas surveys the charred remains.

The owner of the cabin died a number of years ago. But it was simply left. Given what we heard over the radio and our initial conclusions, the fire started around sixth bell the day of the kidnapping.

You said you found the Arzhel family pendant? Theodora recalls.

Over here, your grace. The man gives the cabin wide berth as he walks over to it, We have recorded everything, but removed nothing. He points out the piece of jewelry on the ground. The family coat of arms is clearly visible. We think it was removed forcefully. The investigator continues, Clasp is intact, chain is broken, and even a very small child would not abandon such an item.

May I? The duchess queries.

Go ahead.

She stoops down to pick up the pendant and chain. After examining it carefully, she observes, This seems little damaged.

Douglas frowns, turning to the investigator, What is it you are uncertain of?

Two small girls were reported missing, yet only the remains of one were found. The other remains are those of a woman. Both are still there until the physician clears them to be moved.

Theodora draws a sharp breath, A woman?

The man nods.

Turning to her daughter, the duchess softly asks, Do you recall who was with Tabitha?

Kianna slowly shakes her head.

You said Tabitha fell or maybe jumped?

The child nods.

So there were two girls, The investigator then considers the situation carefully, There was a loft in the cabin with a window facing this direction. What may then have happened is this: The three were trapped in the burning building and thought to escape by the loft window. One girl made it that far before the roof fell in and jumped or was thrown and landed here. The other child only made it part way up the ladder and evidently the woman was waiting for the girls to get out. However, that leaves us with a missing child, likely in critical condition, if not dead.

How old would you say the child on the ladder was? Douglas enquires.

Two or three. A little smaller than the young lady here.

Angela, Theodora concludes grimly, And very likely Olicia. Baron Carrick will be most upset.

Douglas nods, Have you searched for the second child?

I still have men combing the area five kilometres in all directions. I will not allow a crime to remain unresolved no matter what comes from our capital.

You have my thanks. Theodora tells him.

And mine. Douglas then asks, Could someone have taken the other child before your men arrived?

Anything is possible, I'm sorry to say. Although if that is the case, it was a human. An animal would leave more trace. We will inform you as soon as we find anything more.

Port Bryn, Tulia

Wear this! Stewart throws a broad brimmed sunhat at Tabitha, And come along. He leads Tabitha and Bonnie out of the small rented room as the five year old puts on the hat. The three of them walk the short distance to the harbour where they are met by a short dark stocky man.

He frowns on seeing them, Sir, you only requested passage for yourself and your daughter.

Stewart produces a paper and hands it to him. The man reads it carefully.

I see everything is in order. Once you're aboard, we're ready to disembark.

Good. Everything else is ready?

It is, sir. You'll have everything you requested by the time we reach Braen."

How long will that be?

A quarter moon, loaded down as we are. The short man leads the other three up the gang plank, I'll have to ask the girls stay in their cabin.

They will. Stewart promises.

We'll be out of port by dinnertime. The man adds. A moment later, he stops by a door in the middle of a long dark corridor, Your cabin, sir.

Thank you. Stewart turns to the girls, Inside.

They obey, although he doesn't follow, and the door is closed behind them. Inside the tiny cabin, Tabitha silently climbs up to the top bunk on the left wall. Bonnie goes over to the small round window.

Braen, Ithel

As they walk down the gangplank, Tabitha gets her first look at the Ithel port city. It is far more chaotic than the port in Tulia... noisier, dustier, smellier. There are dock workers and piles of crates everywhere. A greasy looking official appears to speak first with the captain, then Stewart.

Three sets of Ithel citizenship papers. The official hands over three sealed scrolls.

Stewart stuffs them into a bag in his hand.

And transport to anywhere you care to go. A carriage and driver are waiting just over there. He points it out.

And if anyone starts asking about us?

Nobody here's seen you, The official replies promptly, Your driver will do your orientation so you can pass as proper citizens.

Good, Stewart nods, Thank you.

My pleasure. The official vanishes.

Come on. Stewart leads Tabitha and Bonnie to the indicated carriage.

On seeing them, the driver gets out and produces a piece of paper from a pocket, Citizenship papers, please.

Stewart shows him the scrolls. The other man breaks the seals, unrolls each, and checks them against his paper, then nods.

Get in, please. The driver opens the carriage door, Any idea where you'd like to go?

Some place which serves decent food.

Ah, of course. I know just the place. The man closes the door once the girls are inside and climbs up to the driver's seat where Stewart joins him.

Tabitha watches carefully out the window as the carriage starts moving. Bonnie comes over to join her.

What are you doing? The six year old demands in a soft whisper.

Tabitha tilts her head towards the front where the girls can just hear Stewart and the driver talking.

He hasn't paid any attention to me in ages. Bonnie keeps her voice barely audible.

I'm going to run. Tabitha responds equally quietly.

You'll get... Bonnie trails off under the younger girl's icy stare, I guess it can't be any worse.

He won't hurt you. Tabitha reminds her niece.

But I'm nobody here. At least everyone at home called me lady. It won't be any better.

Tabitha shrugs.

Do you think my pendant would help me? Bonnie brightens at the thought.

No. But do you remember Mama talking about her friend, Darline Haco?

A little.

She's the OTG president's grandson's guardian and she lives at Corentin Place in Daron Vale. I bet if you could get to her, she'd help you.

What about you...?

They think I'm dead. Tabitha cuts her off as the carriage parks just down the street from a small family restaurant in an area the driver refers to as Old Downtown.

I'd better go in with you, The driver tells them, As part of your orientation, you know.

Stewart nods curtly.

Once the whole group is seated inside and waiting for their meal, their guide continues, The most important thing you need to watch for is Child Protection Services. Supposedly they're a government funded agency with a mandate to oversee the welfare of all the children in the country. That means anyone under the legal age of eighteen. And they can, legally, take children from their parents or guardians when they suspect abuse or neglect.

Tabitha listens quietly while