Her recipe had been very good, but her anxiety only worsened as she knew it was already twilight. Friszta sat in her chamber and was reading a book. She was alone in the house, and she felt a little bit frightened as well. She even frequently stood up after hearing tiny creaks or chirping of birds. She knew her mother was to return at that very time, so she just waited in her chamber. After some minutes, she stood up and walked to a corridor, and from that corridor, she approached their garden, and she sat on the bench. She was only bored until she heard the door creaking, and she ran to her mother.
Siana put her bag on the tabletop and her trunk on the ground, and when Friszta ran to her, she looked confused. Friszta seemed anxious in her eyes, and she couldn't avoid it, so she asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's just that Ulric hasn't returned."
"Hasn't returned? What do you mean by that?"
"He said he was going to a creek for fishes. He said he'd return till twilight, and he has not."
"He doesn't like fishes."
"For us."
"So, when did he leave?"
"Just after you left."
"Okay, but to which creek?"
"Portaz creek, he had said."
"Portaz creek? It's not so far! He should have returned!"
"So what now, mother?"
"You go to your chamber, and I'll go to the creek."
"Mother, it's nearly dark!"
"But what other choice have we?"
"Okay, but return quickly. I'll be all alone."
Siana moved closer to her. "Listen, do not open the door if someone except me or Ulric knocks! Do you understand?"
Friszta gulped but nodded.
She quickly ran to her chamber, locked her door, and sat in her bed worriedly, and Siana grabbed up her bag again, and she put one dirk in it for protection and some other crucial things which she'd might have essence in the creek. She gulped and looked very anxious about Ulric, as though she was in other thoughts except for the creek, but she shook her head in deny because she just couldn't rise to worse conclusions. She creaked open the door and ran east to the Portaz creek.
The way to Portaz Creek was overwhelming, as some sticks, pieces of timbers, and infestation were all along the way. Even though it was not-so-remote, it took time to get there, and she couldn't risk any of the seconds, so she ran fast and faster, as though a warrior. She sat for a moment for breaths, and again, she stood up after reminding herself she couldn't risk any of the seconds. In halting, she gulped some water and was breathing very heavily. She ran so fast, even a warrior could be exhausted, but she was giving it all, and she wasn't going to give up on her strength so easily.
She didn't know what could be the reason for Ulric to be this late, and she noticed some of the weird things he just did last night, and she wasn't going to avoid any of that, so after running so much, she eventually approached the Portaz Creek, and she sat breathing very heavily for some seconds, and then she stood up.
"Ulric," she called. "Are you there? It's your mother."
She felt something very weird smoke was there, in the shape of a boy, which floated the same direction she came from very quickly. She didn't see anything but a water, and pitch black sky. It was completely the night, and the sight was horrifying. Everything seemed so dark, and that water was dark and pitch black, and she couldn't see. That was the reason she had a lantern attached in her bag.
"Ulric," she called again. And again, no reply.
She felt very anxious, and she sat down. Where could be you, Ulric? Don't say our peace is shattered again, Leofric.
She looked in the sky and then looked down, and she rose up to her feet, looked behind, and ran as fast as she could to reach her house. She was very exhausted and anxious, and even was crying in her mind, but she couldn't spend any of the minute doing nothing. She had to find Ulric — her only son beside her daughter. She even did all she could to be in peace with her son and daughter, withstood curses at Inn, did sweat herself in the work, and all that was to live in in peace, and then, at last, it was shattered and his son was taken. She guessed to whom could he be taken, and she had already made up her mind to go there.
She breathed heavily, approached the house, and entered it. Friszta came running to her, and she sat down on the couch.
"Bring me water."
Friszta ran to the kitchen, filled the bowl with the water, and returned to her mother with water.
Siana drank it slowly, but she was like zoned out.
"Mother, was Ulric not there?"
Siana shook her head and sighed.
"Friszta, tell me everything he told you about before he left. Everything. Leave nothing out."
"He said he was going to creek, and I asked: 'you don't like fishes,' but he said people change and he wanted fishes for us, for us to try new recipes. He only said that. Nothing else related."
Siana sighed.
Some minutes passed, and Siana eventually stood up. "Grab my bag, Friszta. Grab yours also. We're going to my workplace. Draven knows what to do in these situations. He'd certainly help us find him. I can't leave you alone in this dark, so we both go."
Friszta did as she was told: grabbed hers and her mother's bag, and they both approached the door, creaked open it, and began to walk west to her workplace.
They both knew it wasn't going to be easier.