The next morning Airabella was gone, and so were the three other children. At first Onicent raged, but there was no one left in the palace to yell at. Everyone was avoiding the palace. Even Serse. Onicent contemplated searching for Airabella, but he knew she'd come home eventually.
The palace was eerie without his children. He missed Amos, why had he wanted to leave?
Onicent walked out into the forest.
He wasn't sure what he was looking for. He just was having trouble standing the silence. He wandered out in the forrest and saw nothing but trees and flowers. Then he heard something, it sounded like crying. He thought somewhere in his mind that it might be Airabella's sobbed. But to his confusion he saw nothing. Then he looked down, there was a hole, and inside was a nyphm. She was curled up in the bottom.
"Excuse me," Onicent said quietly. "Can I help you?"
She looked up, and he saw her eyes were glazed with tears. But underneath the sadness he saw something else. She was so delicate and small, so unlike Airabella in her expressions. She seemed soft and young, not rigid and not a challenge. Someone Onicent wanted to hold in his arms. He betted she'd smell wonderful.
He carefully dug a block out on the edge of the hole, so that she could climb out.
"The humans, they set traps for animals. I fell into one in the night." She said quietly. "Thank you lord for releasing me."
Onicent smiled. "What is your name?"
"Vya," she said.
"You must be tired, allow me to bring you back to my home." Onicent offered his hand.
Perhaps if Vya had known who her saviour was so would not have allowed herself to be taken to the palace. But unfortunately she was young and naive. And so she took his hand and allowed herself to be lead away.
Onicent took Vya to his palace, and lead her through to the dining room. There he set out a feast for her and himself. She was thankful to him, but he brushed it off. He had missed the feeling of charming a person, for he was cozy with Airabella. Part of his mind warned him he was breaking a promise, but he figured she'd never know.
Besides Airabella had left him.
Vya was shy at first. But soon she warmed to him. He offered her a place to stay for the night with him and she gladly accepted. He put her to bed in the room he shared with Airabella. Part of him almost dared her to find him. She'd be furious, but also jealous. Perhaps this is what he needed to bring her back to him.
He told Vya he loved her, that he had never seen a prettier nyphm. Vya believed him easily, for he sounded so sincere and earnest.
The next day Vya and Onicent were still alone. Onicent showered her in small gifts, and she had forgotten her life in the forest, she had fallen for Onicent's charms. It was mid day when they had an unexpected guest. Airabella had returned. Onicent quickly sent Vya away, though she was confused and betrayed.
Unfortunately Airabella had seen her retreating. Now Airabella was fiery, but also clever in her own way. She decided not to confront Onicent yet about his visiter. She would wait patiently for her revenge.