Round 2: Princess Hunting [Mission]

The child lay still with her back pressed upon the cold surface of the church walls. Her messy blonde figure draped along her figure and her clothing, currently just what appeared to be a white robe going down to her knees, embroidered with the symbol of royalty upon it's left breast and lined with fine material, as well as composed of it. She covered herself with the blanket, continuing to shudder while beneath it's thin cloth, refusing to look at Lucian. Kanzaki shook her head silently, shock evident upon her features.

The little princess raised her head a little bit after a few moments. 'Why did she send him to kill the Captain..?' She didn't know what to think of this, or how to really rationalize or understand it. Fear quaked through her veins and the blood in her body seemed to chill, chills running down upon her spine in fear that she'd die too if she didn't come with.

She slowly lifted her pale, small arm, extending it out towards Lucian with her head still lowered into her knees. The Senju refused to look at him, refused to look at a "cold-hearted murderer" so to speak. She slowly allowed her hand to lift upright, initially hanging downward from her wrist but slowly but surely elevating in an eerie mannerism, finally stopping when her outstretched palm was before him.

Still, Kanzaki was quiet.

Perhaps this should have been the point where Lucian explained the whole situation to Kanzaki in excruciating detail. How the late captain Meryn kidnapped her and planned to use her to his own ends. How Tehniyat had sent the young chuunin on a do-or-die mission to save the even younger princess. Or even how Lucian had tracked the pair across the entirety of Hoshigakure.

But he did none of these things. He simply couldn't. The pain that periodically shot across his back like an electric shock discouraged speaking. And, he simply wasn't the right person to explain the nuances of the past seven hours or so. Moreover, it was not his place to provide an explanation. That much the boy knew.

"Princess," Lucian started, reaching out for her extended hand. "We should return to the palace."

If allowed, the monk would take the small girl's hand and gently pull her to her feet before turning to exit. Pushing open and holding the large oaken door, Lucian would allow it to slam shut behind him and princess.

Large puddles lined the street and all of Hoshigakure smelled of rain. However, most importantly, the streets were empty. People were still asleep while the odd pair of Lucian and Kanzaki walked the streets. Luckily, their passing would go unnoticed and for a long while Lucian found himself stuck with his conscience. The sound of flesh yielding and bone snapping played in a constant loop in his head.

[Possible exit.]

The Senju remained shuddering upon the floor, her hand still outstretched with goosebumps running across it. She was bewildered, confused and tired, and to say in the least she didn't want any conflict. So when he suggested that they return to the palace she protested little, only letting out a small whimper of fear and mild distrust. It'd been planted into her mind like a seed of wrath and deceiving, managing to make her question several things that she thought she understood by now.

Even with the inquiries needing to be answered, and Kanzaki herself still not feeling well at all after what just elapsed, the female would just move along. Hopefully her cousin would explain all of this and answer her questions. She didn't want to be left confused and unable to understand something that was practically her fault in a way, for getting kidnapped in the first place. All of that slacking had it's effect on her; and it was not a positive one.

'No one would have to die if I was good enough and strong enough.' She thought to herself dejectedly. The dimly lit and seemingly drab environment did nothing better to lighten the mood of her surroundings or her own sentiment. It was like she was walking in a pot of constant sadness and all of those things that her parents promised she'd never have to put up with.

Now where were they to protect her from the malevolence of people around her?

(exit)

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