for susan [TR; Dinoplot 2010; timed to 23 July]

[fears_nothing]

Seeing Hal disappear in front of him had brought back all of Niko's memories regarding Cal's disappearance to Tumulus and for a man who tried his best to sublimate anger and fear into zen, it had been difficult. Hal was not as close as Cal, not by far, but in training the boy and seeing Cal look out for his well-being, Niko had formed a connection

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[onceaqueen]

Susan had nearly worn a hole in her floor with pacing. At first, when Rickon had disappeared right from under her nose while she made breakfast, she thought he might be gone, and her morning was one of frantic upset until word filtered through to her that there had been a mass disappearance and it was suspected to be much like those in years past. This brought Susan only a moment's relief, for while it meant he might not be gone, it meant that he was likely wandering about lost and alone with no one to help him find his way home.

And that frightened her.

"Niko!" She went to the door in a hurry, Helen in her arms--she hadn't put Helen down since Rickon went missing, even having taken her with her through the rain to ask Edmund and Robb to look for him. "Rickon--he's missing."

[fears_nothing]

Niko took her in; Susan normally looked very put together, even by island standards, and it was hard to see her so out of sorts. Of course, had it been Cal, Niko likely would eschew normal grooming in lieu of looking for him, so he wasn't exactly surprised.

"I was afraid one of your family had gone," he admitted, jaw tight. "Since your..."

It would be poor taste to mention her husband and Niko trailed off, trying to determine how best to phrase it. "A boy I took in a couple months ago disappeared while I was training him. When did you see Rickon last?"

[onceaqueen]

"Just this morning," Susan said. "I was making breakfast and Rickon was right there playing with his blocks." The blocks were still scattered across the floor where he'd left them. "I turned to call him to the table and he had just vanished."

[fears_nothing]

Niko frowned. "Was there anything you saw? Flash of light, puff of smoke?"

He was grasping at straws, but it helped him to try and pace through the disappearances logically, to see how each had occurred. "I saw neither with Hal. If all the disappearances are the same, perhaps they're related."

He quieted for a moment. "I want to go look for them."