The disappearance of other half humans didn't move the Empress that much but because Mira had joined amongst the victims, she had to do something concerning their disappearance not because of any other good reason but because of her evil ambitions.
She has been in deep thoughts of what to do since the squad left.
Firstly, she really wants her daughter to unlock herself and secondly, she was not done with Mira. All and what she wanted was to eliminate her completely but she was yet to find a way to accomplish that without anyone suspecting her.
Thoughts on how to get Mira kept running through her mind but all to no avail.
It was after she calmed herself and organized her thoughts that she came up with a plan that was best known to her.
Without wasting time after she had arrived on that decision, he called Sibraa in a loud voice that could make the weak tremble upon hearing it.
"Sibraa!!"
The echoes of her voice came thundering on Sibraa's ears at once.
He quickly jumped from where he was and hurried up to the Empress's abode to answer her call.
"Long Live, your majesty!" He hailed with a sad voice.
"You called for me," he added.
The Empress who was moving thro and fro her throne gave her orders at once.
"Go immediately and inform everyone, The males and females, the young and the old, even the sick or whatever, let no one be left out from getting the information; tell them to assemble in my abode immediately they hear your voice. I need to see and address them concerning the missing half humans immediately!" She paused and looked at Sibraa who was listening to her with keen attention.
"Go!" She concluded with an authoritative voice.
"Long live, your majesty!!" He hailed in confirmation and then left to pass across the information as the empress commanded.
Puuuu!
Puuuuuuu!!!
Puuupuuupuuu!!
Were the sounds of the trumpet. These sounds continued for a while and after he assumed that he had gotten everyone's attention, he started spreading the message he had for them as was commanded by the empress.
He went round the whole districts in their community and made sure that he delivered his job well while making the message get across to everyone - male, female, the young and the old, even the sick and the disabled were not left out, too as he was commanded by the empress.
Not quite too long after he passed the information across, some beings started trooping into the empress's abode in honor of her orders.
Bella from where she was lying and thinking of a solution to their problem got up and moved towards her brother immediately she got the information.
They both left to join others in the Empress's abode as they were commanded.
After some time, her abode was filled with beings plus the sick even the disabled ones as they were not left out.
As they had all assembled, the Empress who was seated on her throne with the silver staff in her right hand heaved a sigh, cleared her throat and started addressing the crowd who had gathered in honor of her call.
"Greetings to you all!" She said adjusting herself and repositioning the silver staff in a way that would soothe her hands smoothly.
"Long live, your majesty!!" Echoed the crowd in one voice.
"I'm glad to see you all gathering in my presence in honor of my call," she said warmly.
"With regards to what happened after the last census. I mean, the subtle reduction in our numerical strength without our notice.
Adding to That, we wouldn't have known about it if not because of the census that was conducted and now, this is the ugly news that is on board and it needs to be tackled outrightly to avoid it getting out of hand." She paused a little and glanced at the crowd who were watching quietly and then continued.
"What I mean is this……… readjusted herself while clearing her throat.
Let me stop speaking in parables and go straight to the point.
Our fellows are missing. Three of them.
I don't know if a predator had penetrated into our empire or what!
This is because I no longer understand how and why our fellow beings will just disappear into the thin air within a twinkle of an eye.
The securities are functional and as a matter of fact, they are strict in carrying out their functions.
What may have happened and caused the disappearance of those fellows is what no one can be able to tell." She paused again to observe their reactions towards her words.
There was distortion in the crowd which demanded that she should let out the identity of those who were missing.
Some were so much interested in getting to know the particular beings that were missing as they have not set their eyes on Mira for a long time since they casted her into the prison.
Some also suspected that she might be among the missing ones or that they must have made away with her secretly,
While some thought and suspected that her daughter might be among the missing ones too since they didn't see her sitting with her mother in her supposed position as the princess and as usual and that it may be the very reason for her acting up and showing concern.
As the noise went on, she could not do anything but to calm them.
"Alright everyone!" She echoed.
"Allow me to conclude what I have to dish out before you murmur what you don't know anything about," She said with a harsh voice and then continued.
At this point, Princess Bellina who was in her chambers listening to all that was going on outside readjusted and got her ears really active to hear the next thing that will come from the Empress.
Gilmore and Bella too were not left out. They glanced at each other and immediately focused their eyes on the furious Empress who was still trying to organize what she had in her mind to say next.
"Liamb that you all know is missing."
Immediately, there was a great noise from the background.
Some had faced themselves in groups and had started talking while some were still listening with keen attention to get the real gist.
"He was reported missing a few days ago by his best friend Sibraa. He said he visited him in his chambers to say "hello" to him as it was past seventy two hours since they last saw each other but to his surprise, he didn't see him in his chambers when he got there. He went ahead to tell me that he searched for him in every nook and cranny of his surroundings but all his searches were like he poured water on a hard rock……"
"This is just the preamble", she said, heaved a sigh before she continued again.
"I am not forgetting ma'am Eva's granddaughter who is amongst them too……"
Ma'am Eva who was just seated hopelessly amongst the crowd bursted out a loud sympathetic cry that interrupted her and made her pause for a while.
Some other aged half humans that were seated close to her started calming her from crying painful tears.
"Then the last stroke that broke the camel's back was Mira's disappearance," she said, frowning.
This time, the noise was horrible. It was like a storm. It was not compared to the distortion when they heard of Liamb's case.
Everyone was marvelled at the hearing of her disappearance. Some were crying while some were murmuring and cursing the prey that may have attacked her while some were totally lost in shock which took them a while before they regained their cautiousness.
The noise really went on and on for a long while before she was able to make them keep shut and then she continued from where she stopped before she got interrupted by ma'am Eva's painful cry and the noise from the crowd.
"You all have seen that the rate with which we are decreasing is becoming alarming and as a matter of fact, we will definitely go extinct and this empire would crumble if nothing is done about it."
There was silence everywhere in a manner that left everyone cold.
"What I am saying and letting out to you all is that we can't keep our hands crossed and watch things grow worse by the day and finally lose everything that we have labored for.
I want all hands to be on deck as we go out there to search for our fellows who are missing because I so much believe that we will find them.
I promise to reward anyone who would find any of those missing ones alive handsomely.
Therefore, go out there and search for them.
I mean, all of you should search for them and find them alive and also bring them to me.
Remember, Mira is not left out, she added while shaking her head sadly.
Go and bring home goodness, she concluded," stretching out her right hand in a way that signified that she had dismissed the meeting.
A thick noise broke into the air as the crowd scattered. Everyone was in groups, Discussing about the calamity that had befallen them while moving out gently from the empress's abode.
Some were still cold and lost of words as regards to the ugly news that were given to them,
While some were airing their thoughts to the hearing of many.
Gilmore and his sister couldn't say a word as they already know what's up with Mira as it might implicate them if anyone should hear anything concerning it.
They quietly made for their chamber although they were really lost in thoughts deep inside of them even on their way back.
Princess Bellina in her chambers too could not help the matter as she had proposed in her mind not to come out until Mira is found.
She thought aloud, "The search is a better decision as it will avail the opportunity of getting to find Mira quickly," and then she wagged her tail and readjusted.
As the crowd moved out slowly, the empress required to have a meeting with the securities.
In their meeting, she spoke angrily to them and demanded to know if they were really doing their job perfectly.
"Does that mean that you guys are not taking your jobs seriously?" She questioned arrogantly.
"How can you be in your duty posts and those preys had the space to penetrate into this empire?"
"This signifies that you all are not delivering your duties appropriately, at the right place and at the right time, then.
…… because you cannot tell me that you guys delivered well and those enemies had the opportunity to come in just like that," she paused a Little breathing fast and at the same time looking them one after the other at their faces.
The securities could not do anything but to keep adjusting and readjusting in fear of the punishment that the empress might apportion them.
Many of them have been out of their duty posts for a long while since they last met with the empress after the last census.
Some have not taken their duties seriously as they should have.
Some do leave their duty posts once they are tired while some do relax and sleep off in their duty post and as regards to that, it made it easier for the half humans to move in and out of Crums anytime they feel like that they could easily pass.
Some also travel to the surface anytime that they see that no security is at their duty post especially at night as it is easier and safer.
A lot had happened which also resulted in the terrible disappearances of their fellow half humans as regards to their lackadaisical attitude to work.
And because of that, the empress got very vexed to her marrows and really scolded them mercilessly and then she made it clear to them that anyone who would repeat the nonchalant attitude towards delivering his services again would be punished without looking back.
At this point, she called Sibraa who was seated close to her to get the new security equipment that they just fabricated.
Sibraa did as he was ordered and then she handed a few of the newly fabricated equipment to each of the security members in turns.
"Take these equipment and add to the ones you already have, use it wisely and be serious in your duty posts," she said with a husky voice while handing them over the equipment. When she was done, she paused a little to release a heavy breath and then continued.
"You all can go and make sure that you deliver your services well!" She then concluded and at the same time directed them in a manner that signified that they should get going.
"Long live your majesty!" They hailed the empress in one accord and took their leave immediately.
They headed directly to their duty post being more careful and eager to work unlike usual as the ugly news and the empress's admonitions pierced deeply through their hearts.
Sibraa too left for his chambers. He was so troubled about his missing friend - Liamb. He could not help but was lost in thoughts on his way back. He was thinking out loudly without his notice but not until the sea veggies that was by his way called him to order by distracting his thoughts.
The Empress whose heart was already biting in high frequency after admonishing the securities was still moving thro and fro in her throne when they all left her alone.