~.✧ Austora ✧.~ [COMPLETE]

~.✧ ten ✧.~

I don't remember much after Gestin fell unconscious. I vaguely recall my mother collapsing into a chair, though I can't remember if she cried. Braz didn't react beyond freezing up in shock. And I... I can't even remember what I did. All I know was that I'd held two hands in mine, one possibly Braz's and the other, I think, Larklind's.

I might have slept or I might have stayed awake, but I didn't really check back into reality until we had walked through a thinner section of the woods and emerged in a small village, where the guards were able to find a carriage in order to head back to the castle. None of us really seemed overjoyed to leave the safehouse without Asria, but she wasn't showing up.

I tried to keep my mind distracted so that I wouldn't conjure up any terrible images about my sister and her horrible captures. I stared out the window and watched every tree, building, and other carriage as they passed by, even though the latter were few and far between since it was extremely early in the morning.

There was one thought about my sister that I permitted, though. I wondered how Father and Kartren were going to respond to this. They would get to work on finding her instantly, that much I knew. But I wasn't sure how they would respond emotionally. I kind of expected Kartren to react similarly to how Braz was, unable to talk about it but possibly a little more reclusively. At least Braz was still here and trying to help Mother and me through this. Kartren would probably simply help Father but try to act like he was completely okay even though I knew he wasn't. Father, on the other hand, would probably be angry. That much was for sure.

The sun was rising when we pulled up to the castle gates. My entire body was heavy with physical and emotional exhaustion so Braz helped me out of the carriage and kept hold of my hand to keep me steady. Goodness knew I needed it.

Apparently someone had seen the carriage coming in because even before we made it to the front doors of the castle, Father and Kartren burst through. They were both already in their nice day clothes despite the early hour, which didn't surprise me at all.

Father bounded down the stairs and instantly found my mother after she exited the carriage and had frozen at the bottom of the stairs. He took her hand and in a soft voice that I'd only ever heard him use for her, he said, "Rhaella, is everything alright? I thought you weren't returning until tomorrow."

Mother stared up at him for a moment, reaching up and cupping his cheek. She opened her mouth as if to explain, but instead of words, a sob came out.

He gently pulled her toward his chest, holding her as she cried. Looking over her shoulder, he met Braz's eyes questioningly.

Braz had to take a moment to gather himself before he could say, "Asria..." And even then, he couldn't say more than her name.

At that moment, Father's eyes flicked around and realized that his youngest child was absent from the party. Kartren, who still lingered a few stairs behind Father, noticed at the same time.