A Stolen Heart

[Guy de Layne]

"Guy, can I see you for a moment?" Denis asked, poking his head out of the door to his study. I frowned, Rochelle and I were just packing up to head to Night's Doorstep for the second time to hand out food to those less fortunate, an activity which Rochelle loved, and gave me a reason to see Sandrine.

"Yes, Monsieur de Rouille?" I said, stepping into the study as he indicated I should.

"I need you to deliver something for me." He handed me a sealed envelope, which I barely looked at.

"Forgive me, sir, but Rochelle and I are going out. Might you not have a servant take this?" I placed some emphasis on the word servant, to remind him that I was not. Per usual, he paid no mind and shook his head.

"I cannot trust this to any other. Rochelle can go on ahead, and you can meet her."

I closed my eyes briefly and counted to ten. Cassiel, but the man and his arrogant ways were frustrating. "With all due respect, Night's Doorstep is no place for Rochelle to go alone-"

He cut me off with a wave of his hand. "It will be fine, Guy, I will send one of the guard. I'm beginning to think I overestimated my need for a bodyguard for her in the first place."

I shook my head in irritation, but bowed nonetheless. "I will take this right away then." I said tersely, turning on my heel and stalking out of the room. The man was an idiot, and how he had begotten such a sweet child was beyond me. I gave the guard that was going with Rochelle some instructions, then told Rochelle that I would meet her in Night's Doorstep as soon as I finished my errand. I wished that I had time to get a message to Sandrine to take care of her, but then I supposed that was unnecessary - I knew Sandrine knew how important Rochelle was to me, and thus would take her under her wing.

Once mounted on my horse, I cantered into the street, and then looked at the envelope in my hand. It was heavy, as if it had something in it, and it was addressed to my sister.

I frowned, looking up in time to see the carriage that carried the food and my ward pull out of the drive, and head toward Night's Doorstep. I frowned and hurried along my way to the West Borough, disturbed by both Rochelle being without me and by what Denis was sending my sister. Finally, halfway to Dyan's home, I couldn't take the curiousity. I slowed my horse to a walk and broke the seal on the envelope, letting whatever was inside fall into the palm of my hand. I didn't look at it, however, instead reading the note.

Sophine,

I was sorry that we were so rudely interrupted the last time that you were here. In the interest of making it up to, and in answering your question, I have enclosed something that most who have tried it do indeed find enjoyable. Perhaps you will come by and share it with me? I have the house to myself this afternoon, and I would love to have your company.

Sincerely,

Denis

I frowned and looked down into my hand at a bundle wrapped in fabric. Tossing the letter aside, uncaring as to where it landed, I opened the bundle, gasping audibly as I realized what I held. My stomach clenched in rage, and I had to stop my horse entirely until I could clear my head. Denis was sending opium to my sister? I shoved the offending drug into a pocket for later disposable, and debated where to go next. To Sophine's, to find out if she had done this sort of thing before? The idea filled me with dread, I knew firsthand what kind of destruction this drug could wreak in a person's life. I hadn't told father, but that was what gripped Marcel, not the wine nor the women, but the drug that he could not le go of. I'd be damned if I'd see Sophine go the same way. Or should I go back and throttle Denis? I felt sick inside thinking of him getting my sister hooked and then using her in whatever sick way he had in mind.

I was still trying to decide when I felt a prickle along my spine. I whirled in the saddle, daggers already in hand. I spied no danger, but the sense was still there. And suddenly it all came together. Sandrine's words of warning, the odd comings and goings in the de Rouille household, Denis's fortune... he was a drug smuggler. People like that had enemies, and that was why he'd hired me. And now Rochelle was practically unguarded and in Night's Doorstep.

[Sandrine nó Orchis]

Corin and I were walking ahead of the cart, both nervous as we could be. I was scared to see Guy again, scared and excited at the same time. I wasn't sure what had Corin all tied up in knots, but I would bet my marque that it had something to do with Rochelle.

As we approached the small square, I could see Rochelle's carriage sitting there. I craned my head around, but I couldn't see Guy anywhere. That struck me as odd. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I squeezed Corin's hand.

Then the coachman jumped down and started talking to the accompanying guard. Something made me pull Corin behind one of the marketplace stalls. I put my finger to my lips, signaling that he should be quiet, and he nodded. He had been in on enough pranks to know when to stop talking.

Before we could really get settled, the guard roughly pulled Rochelle out of the coach. It was early enough that her short scream was only heard by Corin and me before the guard clapped his hand over her mouth. I had to hold Corin tightly to keep him from running out into the street to help her.

To her credit, Rochelle struggled mightily. My mind raced with ideas--should we confront them? It would take nothing for the guard to kill Corin or me. My fears were compounded when he hit the poor girl in the back of the head, knocking her out with the pommel of his dagger. I put my hand over Corin's mouth to keep him from crying out.

The coachman started tearing his clothes as the guard unhitched the horse and slapped it on the rump, letting it run free in the streets with a whinny. Then he said a few more instructions before throwing Rochelle over his shoulders. Quickly I turned to Corin and said, "You stay here, Corin. When Guy comes, I need you to tell him what happened." I closed my eyes as I thought. "I'm going to tear off strips of my dress and leave them as a trail...remember the story we read together? Tell Guy that too."

"Sandrine," he said, his little face wet with tears, "I'm scared."

"I know, darling. I am too. Stay hidden." I kissed him before I eased out from behind the stall, following the guard on almost soundless feet. A crowd was starting to gather around the coachman as I left. As promised, I tore a bit from my dress every few steps and dropped it, my mind racing. Thank Elua the guard was not moving very fast--Rochelle must have weighed more than he thought.

I didn't have time to be scared. I didn't have time to think. I just knew that unless I figured out where they were going, something terrible could happen to Rochelle.