Knowing that Brom would do exactly as she ordered, Niah was able to set aside that one single fear in order to focus on creating calmness where there was only chaos. With the staff whipped up and told to prepare transportation for the Holden family, she set out to find them. First order of business; getting her mother. If she could convince the family matriarch of the danger, the rest would fall in line. But as it turned out she didn't need to do a lot of convincing.<br/><br/>Breathless and sweaty she burst into the house only to find an oddly silent scene of pandemonium. Her sisters ran to and fro collecting children and clothing, while she could hear her mother's powerful voice directing them from a room some way down the long hall which ran along the entire house. She caught the tail end of a sentence as she ran towards it.<br/><br/>"... messenger to the mayor as well!"<br/><br/>"Mother!" she called and burst into the kitchen. There she found Prudence Holden busily packing food into a container along with the help of her long-time maid, Bianca. "The Enemy -"<br/><br/>"Yes, I know," the elder woman snapped, barely looking up from her task. "They're just beyond the rise."<br/><br/>"Then why are you still here?" Niah exclaimed. She couldn't tell how close they were, although she knew they had to be drawing nearer with each second. There was no doubt in her mind that her mother knew better than she did - almost fifty years of experience in sensing such things had to mean something.<br/><br/>"We are gathering supplies, Niah," Prudence replied steadily. There was a clear note of underlying strain in her voice, as if she was also battling to remain calm. "If we run out of this house with nothing we won't survive for long."<br/><br/>"Neither will you if you stay here to be slaughtered, so come!" Niah reasoned desperately. "There's a ship waiting for you at the dock, ready to set off as soon as you board."<br/><br/>That caught her attention and Prudence looked up. For a few agonizing heartbeats she seemed to consider, then she nodded and snapped the large bag of food closed, only half packed. "Come, Bianca, it's time to leave." The maid obediently - although with a very pale face - took one side of the bag while Prudence supported the other. Niah turned and left the room ahead of them to help her siblings get out to the stables. She could hear Brom directing the rest of the staff and sent him her silent thanks.<br/><br/>Hurriedly she did a head count - three girls, two boys and two babies. Everyone was accounted for. Now came the hardest part; getting everyone on the ship before the Enemy set upon them. "Everybody out, come on, hurry hurry!" She ushered them outside with much protesting, crying and questions about what was going on.