The Midnites-Vampire

Chapter Four

"Why would anyone take Durnaa?" Verena asked the next morning as she paced up and down her and her husband's study, where she and Daralez retired when they were not required in the throne room "Ajeea I could understand! as he's the immediate heir, but Durnaa? he's the youngest triplet".

"They are all the heirs" Daralez said.

"I know, but Ajeea is the unquestionable eldest, and is your main heir, I know Nova and Durnaa are also both heirs and will one day rule, like I would have, had I not married you, but Durnaa is the youngest, he is not the one you will crown as King, Ajeea I could understand but Durnaa?"

"Clearly whoever it was does not want the crown" Daralez said "but what is it that Durnaa has that Nova and Ajeea don't? out of all three of them he is the one most flawed".

"Maybe that's why they took him, because he is the most fragile" Verena said.

"No, I don't think that's it" Daralez turned to Starsinger "Starsinger my son is your apprentice what is it about him?"

"Your son is the strongest in Psionics and magic, but I do not think that's the whole reason, Durnaa is stronger in both and has the most aptitude in those areas" Starsinger said.

"What could possibly have this fiend so interested in Durnaa?" Daralez asked.

Verena spoke "didn't that seer say at their birth that one of them is slated for a special destiny?"

Daralez said "true, but that seer was half mad, besides she didn't say it was one of the triplets, she said that it would be one of the children, but she didn't know which one, we have ten children it could be any of them".

"But what if? what if Durnaa was that one?" Verena asked.

Starsinger spoke "it is possible Daralez, Durnaa has shown the most promise, but the fiend said it should have been his, which has me confused".

"But do we really believe all that?" the Grand Vizier asked.

Starsinger said "it is written in the stars, and they do not lie".

The Grand Vizier said, "I am inclined to argue the point with you Mistress Starsinger,".

"Sometimes madness can see sanity" Starsinger said, the Grand Vizier was inclined to be a bit of a sceptic and Starsinger was the believer, that's why Daralez trusted both implicitly, as it was good to hear both sides of the argument and he liked that because it helped him in decision making, but for all their differences in opinion, Starsinger and The Grand Vizier were good friends, they were two of Daralez's and Verena's most trusted advisers.

"Have the children been told yet?" Verena asked.

"Only Nova and Ajeea, who both knew something was wrong" Starsinger said "which is not unusual for them, they always know when one of them is in trouble".

Verena nodded "yes they would" she said almost to herself,

"They want to go out and find Durnaa" Starsinger said "I told them no".

"Good, they listen to you" Daralez said.

"I don't know what to do" Starsinger said "you have two very spirited older children there Daralez, who are both missing their third and they are angry as well as upset and worried, they want their brother back, those three are close even for triplets!"

"I am aware of the personality traits of my three oldest children" Daralez said "but we are already missing one, I can't risk losing the other two".

"Where are they now?" Verena asked, "maybe I could go talk to them both".

"I left Nova with Princess Starshine, and Ajeea is in their study, working on some homework I set him".