Duke Cedric Vale's study was heavy with the scent of burning candles and old parchment, but no document could calm the storm raging inside the man's chest. He sat rigid behind his desk, face pale yet darkened by fury. The news was worse than he had imagined: his daughter, Lyanna, had vanished.
He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms as the servants hesitated to approach. The secrecy surrounding Lyanna's existence was paramount—none outside the mansion were to know of her. Her disappearance was not to be made public, lest rumors destroy the family's standing.
"Elara," the Duke hissed, "this is an unforgivable breach. Find out who was responsible for guarding her. I want every inch of this estate combed through. No one leaves until we find my daughter."
Elara's plan to rid herself of Lyanna had been cruelly efficient, but the Duke's fury meant the secret hunt was relentless. No one could escape blame if the daughter was not found.
"My lord calm down, maybe Lyanna is just playing around, she'll come back when she's tired"
" Don't tell me such nonsense , Lyanna will never do that. And beautiful were at home all day, how could you say you don't know when she slipped off or are you behind her disappearance"
" Oh no my lord, I may not like Lyanna but that doesn't mean I'll want to harm her" she defended
" Better be, because if I discover that you have anything to do with today's incident , I'll make you pay severely"
" Yes my lord"
The head maid, a timid woman named Celine is dragged in for questioning, she trembled as she was questioned. "I—I swear I don't have anything to do with the young lady's disappearance . It was ..., I never thought…"
Lucan's icy voice cut through her ramblings. "Your loyalty lies with the Vale family. Find the girl, or you will answer for your negligence "
The Duchess merely smiled coldly. "Of course, Lucan. I will handle it."
---
The servants whispered quietly amongst themselves, fearful of what the Duke's wrath would bring. Some were loyal to Elara, others to the Duke—factions that brewed tension in every corner.
A trusted captain of the guard, Lucan, was tasked with leading the search quietly. No alarms, no public outcry. Only the inner circle knew what was at stake.
"We'll search the estate from the cellars to the rooftops," Lucan told his men in hushed tones. "No one is to speak a word of this to the villagers." with that everybody nodded and left to continue the search
Meanwhile in the Duke's private chambers, Cedric pored over old scrolls charts. His obsession about Lyanna's 'inauspicious star'' consumed him.
"The prophecy..." he muttered, tracing a trembling finger over ancient symbols. "If she walks free, calamity will befall her."
Elara entered silently, observing the worn lines on his face. "Perhaps," she said softly, "it's better if she remains hidden forever."
Cedric's glare could have frozen flames. "No," he whispered fiercely. "She must be found." Cedric said with worries getting more evident on his face. A knock was heard on the door and the person was summoned inside.
Lucan reported back to the Duke after days of tireless searching. "Your Grace, we believe she never left the estate. It's as if she vanished into thin air."
The Duke slammed his fist on the table. "Then find her! If she's within our reach, I want her in my sight before nightfall."
" Yes sir" and with that Lucan left
---
Lyanna remained in the same spot where Alaric had left her. The rock had become both her prison and sanctuary, a place where the outside world's cruelty could not reach her.
Though her body ached from the chill and her hunger gnawed at her belly, fear rooted her firmly. She did not dare move . The strange whispers in her mind warned her. If she stepped down something terrible might happen,her thoughts spiraled in confusion, but a quiet strength begin to grow beneath the fear. She prayed and hoped her father finds her soon before she dies of hunger and cold.
The same evening started to change as its now becoming stormy and thunder rumbled low and rain started drizzling , Lyanna's faint cries were heard by a loyal servant who had begun to question the cruelty around her.
Mira, a young maid with a kind heart, followed by some group of guards from the East Wing spotted her. On top of the same rock, she found the spot where Lyanna was, weak and shivering.
Mira gently wrapped her in a blanket and whispered, "You're safe now."
The news reached the Duke at night.
Lyanna had been found and alive.
His fury mixed with relief, but also dread. What did this mean for the Vale legacy? For the ominous prophecy? For the family's fragile unity?
He really missed this daughter
"Prepare a guarded chamber. Freshen up the young lady She will remain confined until I decide what's next."
" Yes my lord"
---
Alaric returns once more to the place where Lyanna had been left.
He kneels by the empty rock, fingers brushing the cold stone.
"Where are you?" he whispers to the shadows.
Alaric had seen something more beneath her fragile exterior. There was a fire, a spark of something dangerous and powerful he could not yet comprehend.
The rock she had perched on was shrouded by overgrown brambles and twisted vines, a place hidden from casual eyes yet not so deep as to be unreachable.
When Alaric reached the clearing, his breath caught. The stone was bare.
She was gone.
A cold knot twisted in his stomach. She had not left on her own—he was sure of it. Her legs had not touched the soil since he left her; she had stayed rooted in place, too afraid, too broken to move. But now she was gone.
Had her family found her before he could ensure her safety? Had they taken her back? deep into his thoughts are regrets for the very first time. He shouldn't have left her there,he should have taken her along and nobody would have dared questioned him Or was there a more sinister fate awaiting her?
His mind raced with possibilities as he turned and disappeared back into the forest, vowing to uncover the truth.
The real search has just begone as he has finally taken interest in someone after a very long time. He will do anything to uncover her origin and keep her close to him.
Unknown to him, far away within the mansion walls, Lyanna's fate is being sealed by forces darker and deeper than he imagines.
And the true battle—for freedom, for survival, for the future—has only just begun.