The little boy turned around terrified as the door to his bedroom exploded into splinters. A toy cart dropped from his hand to the floor, his mouth agog.
"mommy?"
he said as he stepped to the door
"mommy..." he said again, this time more of a worried wobble in his voice.
"mommie!" he walked into the hallway to the sound of an eirie silence, a tearful echo resounded against the stone walls.
There was a scratching from up the hall, around the corner, something was there, something wasn't right.
"the boy stood panicked, where was mommy?"
Something lay on the floor near the corner, a blue sparkle on the floor, a sapphire in the torch light.
The boy stepped a little closer, he looked around, shadows lurked by the wall where the corner turned.
"mommy?" he said as he looked around one last time then bent down to pick up the gem...
Mommy was already dead, mommy was stuffed in a crate down in the pantry.
The little boy never saw what came for him around that corner. He was of wealthy blood, it was in his nature to pick up the gem.
Soulless eyes looked upon the made bed, the figure of a little boy beneath the sheets, his calm face looked almost as if he was sleeping.
There was the sound of doors closing and then silence.
The warmth of the sun would not warm the cold chill that swept through the Tespergates villa this morning. The light of the sun could not drive back the shadow that the previous night had cast upon Waterdeeps most prominent lathandrite residence.
How long would it be before anyone noticed the curtains remained drawn? How long before the watch would come find them?
Perhaps a few hours, perhaps days.... who knows, it wouldn't make any difference. They were dead.
