A Threatened Treaty

Chapter Sixteen

Alysster stirred in his sleep several times. His brother, father, uncle, and grandfather looked at him and sighed. 

"He's not going to get any better until we find her, is he?" William asked.

Will shook his head. "No. Take it from a father, William. His daughter is everything to him. He'll stop at nothing to get her back. "

"And you know how Genovesans are. He has every right to be worried about her," Halt added.

Horace smirked at Alysster's behavior. "I can relate to him, though. Maddie is everything to me, despite the fact that she's working with one of the most dangerous lines of work!" He shouted the last part toward his friend Will, who shrugged. 

Alysster stirred again, with a little more vigor. 

Halt sighed. "He's going to get worse until we find her," he said.

Alysster jolted upward and reached out a hand. "Evie!" he cried.

The rest of the group stared at him for a brief moment as he panted and held his forehead. 

William wandered over to his brother and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "We'll find her. Don't you worry," he said.

"I know, but she's my daughter. It's--"

"Your job to worry, I know. But You have to have faith in us Rangers, we found you when you were lost in Gallica."

"I was kidnapped, William," Alysster corrected.

"We didn't know where you were until we found out you were collateral to a rebellion, so it still counts. But, I'm just saying you need to trust us. We'll find her in no time."

"I do trust you. I'm just worried about my daughter. Think of what could be happening to her, William, your only niece is in Toscana, possibly being beaten, or--"

"Alysster, I get it. We're all worried about her, and we're all going to help each other get through this," William interrupted. "You technically have three fathers here, who know exactly how you feel."

Alysster sighed and fidgeted with his fingers. William put his hand over Alysster's. "Stop fidgeting so much. She'll be fine when we get her out of there." 

"I sure as hell hope so," Alysster replied. He lay back down to go back to sleep. After a few moments he fell completely asleep, then started to stir again. 

William groaned, but left him alone until he woke up again.