Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown

Where the Lost Things Go

Lilith was not a morning person, due to contrary belief.

Unfortunately, being both Empress, Head Coven Leader and a mother, required her to get up early. Life was not kind to Lilith and certainly wasn't going to start now.

She woke up feeling rather uncomfortable that morning. She couldn't help but feel like something was very wrong. She couldn't pinpoint when or where or why, but something was definitely wrong.

She got out of her bed and to the vanity. Her hair went back to its natural state, a curly mess. If Amity had been in the room, she would hug it like there was no tomorrow. She smiled at the memory.

Thinking of her daughter, she finally got the motivation to get ready. She looked at the brush on the vanity's surface in great determination, like it was her greatest enemy. She glared at it as she picked it up. "I don't like you, but I'm in a hurry and you've become my last resort."

She took a deep breath and started to wrestle her hair back to what it was supposed to be like.

--x--

After exactly 44 minutes and 56 seconds of aggressive hair brushing, hair ironing and cursing, Lilith's hair was finally straight. She finally placed it in her usual bun and took her diadem. The Emperor's crest is engraved in gold. It shined on her head, bringing out her blue eyes. She did not care for it as much as her earrings, but it was a part of a uniform and she would not risk rebelling that far.

She would make a quick stop to the nursery, greet her daughter, drop her off to the maids and go to her office to finish her papers. Breakfast would be served shortly after, which she would have with Amity. Perhaps Belos would greet her at lunch, if he was in a good enough mood.

She almost forgot her stupid gut feeling that morning. Lilith was sure she was just being paranoid. There was nothing wrong or different that morning.

Except there was when she opened the door.

Her daughter was not in bed. In fact, her bed was made and looked like she hadn't slept in it at all. Amity never woke up before 8 o'clock. The girl had a habit of waking up at exactly 8. And she did not know how to make her bed, and the maids never came this early.

Lilith began to panic. Her heart beating more violently than it ever did in her 32 years of life.

"Amity?" she shouted into the empty room. Perhaps she was hiding? And learned how to finally make her bed on her own?

"Amity dear? Are you here?"

All that returned to her was silence. A painful and suffocating silence.

"Amity! This isn't funny dear."

More silence.

Lilith ran out the door and ran to the nearest guard. She clutched their collar and brought them close to her face. Their body went limp in fear.

"WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON TO COME OUT THAT DOOR?" she demanded, her whole body practically screaming bloody murder.

"N- no one since you tucked her- her in la- last night, Empress." he swore as she dropped him to the floor. His voice was shaky, but Lilith did not think of it. Her mind thought of the worst. The world stopped, she was sure of it. Everything around her became impossibly loud. She could hear the clocks ticking, the titan's heart beating and the whispering of the guards around her.

"Search the castle." she demanded. She turned to all of them, all of them flinched at the woman who was now at the verge of tears. "Search the castle, all of the Isles if you have to. No one is to rest until we find the princess. Is that understood?" she asked in a broken but cold voice. A couple guards stuttered out shaky understoods, but none moved.