Children Complicate Everything (Svad)

Waking up after an exhausting day. Something she hadn't done in so long she completely forgot what it felt like. Celestia couldn't decide if this felt good or bad. For now it was just a thing. As her eyes fluttered open she was put into a state of shock after seeing Svad's seething rage. She didn't say anything and just got up and prepared to leave. Although preparations were easy, she didn't have anything.

It didn't take too long before Celestia learned Svad had received a letter saying or rather implying his customer had kidnapped his children as an incentive for him to hurry up and get the job done. According to human tradition those children wouldn't be considered hers until they got married. But Cele didn't care. They had mated so she already considered them her children and this meant her children had just been kidnapped. If only she still had her powers she could rescue them near instantly. She cursed the timing of everything. Maybe she should be cursing Kelarth or maybe herself. Now she was virtually powerless. Sure she could still shift into her dragon form but she was a small dragon and she was in the human world now. She'd be dead before she even knew where to begin looking. Wait she did know where to begin looking. "Svad, the messenger. Isn't there a way we can trace him back?"

Svadilfare practically tore the door off its hinges as he opened it to leave the room. Celestia's voice stopped him in the threshold. "Yes. Couriers tend to jog--run if the distance is short enough--then stop to rest at a tavern. He's likely right outside here, so let's just ask him." Svad continued on and started walking down the short hall to the innkeeper's bar. Sure enough, the young courier was sitting at a table, a pitcher of water and a cup in hand.

The Kryoan strode across the room toward the courier. Reaching the table, he grabbed the younger man by the shirt and lifted him out of his chair, pushing him against the wall. "I need a bit of information."

"H-Hey what are you--" the young man was cut off when Svad pressed his arm into his chest. He grunted and started again, "What do you want to know?"

"The man who sent you here, where does he live?"

"Uh.. I-I don't know. I was leaving a blacksmith when he approached me."

Svadilfare answered through gritted teeth, "Did you at least see which way he went after he gave you the letter?"

The man swallowed hard, afraid to answer. Svad was oblivious to how hard he'd begun pressing against his chest, his arm slowly sliding up to his throat. He released the courier and turned sharply, heading outside. He didn't hear the man coughing and gasping for breath nor the murmurs of the people who'd just witnessed the event.

Turning to the right, Svadilfare headed toward the stables nearby. The blacksmith was in the opposite direction; he had no intention of going there. After getting his horse from the stablehand, he waited for Celestia.