Tannin de La Roche's Story

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The day was bright as Tannin found himself sitting atop his Oachi. The horse moved at a leisurely pace through the kingdom of Silanos. He'd only just arrived early that morning from Axijan. The two realms bordered each other yet they were quite different. The land of Silanos was much more vibrant than that of Axijan though in all honesty Tannin preferred his homeland to this one. There was a light mist falling from the sky, almost as if the moon goddess knew why the Axijan man was there. Lorn, the king of Nuhardos, had sent a sealed letter to the Guild Master. As Tannin had read it, he'd come to realize that he was the only one that could do as the new king wished. There was only a few who'd ever seen the man and even fewer who would help him in his aide to become the King of the World. As a new kingdom, Nuhardos still had few allies and so the only way that Lorn had deemed it possible to harm the King was to hire the Assassin's Guild.

Tannin had taken the job knowing that he was heading to kill the Princess. He did not normally take jobs in which harmed the innocent. As far as he was concerned, the Princess had done nothing to warrant death. Yet, he had no choice. Lorn Had discovered where the Guild hid out and was threatening to reveal its location if the girl was not killed. His top priority had to be protecting the Guild.

The sound of Oachi's hooves upon the lightly stoned path was all that he could hear save for the sounds of the nature that surrounded him. He was upon the outskirts of the kingdom and would not take him more than a day's ride to reach the location of the palace. He pulled his hood down though he'd not needed to. It was more of habit. He was well aware that his appearance would alert those within the realm to something going on. It was not often that Axijans came to Silanos. They were not on good terms with one another.

The reason was lost to all but a few that found the subject interesting. Tannin was one of these few. He'd researched it for a long time until he'd come to understand. His family and that of Santioa had once been tightly knit with one another. They'd been close friends and so it had come about that the King Santioa, the Princess's ancestor, had asked Tannin's ancestors for the hand of their most beautiful daughter for the Prince. The La Roches declined, saying that the woman was already promised to another. The King felt as if he'd been betrayed by the La Roches and so slowly had destroyed their lives. He'd turned them into traitors which caused the creation of Axijan.

Even just entering the realm of Silanos was cause for death for Tannin. He could not give his name for the Kings and Queens that had ruled over the years in Silanos had decreed that all bearing the name 'La Roche' was to die. It was how his mother had died. They'd hunted her down though had not been able to find the boy. Even now the memory haunted Tannin. He blamed the King for his mother's death..for his father leaving though he would never say as much to anyone.

Tannin pushed his mind from the thoughts. He would just have to be careful until he left this kingdom. He passed a few people along the worn road though ignored them. He had no need to speak to anyone while he was in Silanos. He simply needed to complete his mission.

His apprentice, Litania, had wished to join him though Tannin had ordered her to remain at the Guild. He knew that he needed to go this path alone. The child still had much to learn and he wouldn't be quicker on his own. He already knew that she would be angry with him by the time he returned to Axijan. It would be a welcomed sight. Tannin turned his attention back to the task at hand. He needed to be less than a day's ride by the evening. His slow pace would not allow that.

He suddenly nudged Oachi into a faster pace though not a full out gallop. Slowly, he left the road. He had no intent upon allowing any to see his approach. He felt better now, being out of the open in such a dangerous place. He was concentrating on the path, looking for the signs that he knew would be there leading the way to the main city.

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For most of the day Tannin continued at a fairly fast pace. He did not pass anyone within the forest. Something that he was glad of. Only once the sun was beginning to set did the man slow the horse down to a walk again, allowing the creature to rest. They finally made their way back onto the road and Tannin tugged on his hood once again, making sure that his face was still hidden. The sound of Oachi's hooves striking the stones that were upon the ground sounded, breaking the silence once again. Tannin reached out, stroking the horse's neck in praise. The horse bobbed his head happily causing a small smile to grace Tannin's face.

They traveled for another hour before coming across a stable that was located just outside of the city. The assassin brought Oachi to a stop a bit away from the building and then dismounted gracefully. He then pulled the reins over the horse's head and then began leading the horse. There were only a few lights lit within, showing Tannin just how late it was getting. He came to a stop at the door, knocking. He waited patiently. Only a few moments passed before the doors were opened revealing a rather short man who looked like he'd seen better times. "What do you want?"

Tannin was surprised at the almost rude way that the man spoke to him. However, he ignored it. "I'm sorry to disturb you so late. I've been traveling for some time and my horse needs looking after until my business here is dealt with. I can pay you well." Tannin was certain that the man could tell that he was not from Silanos though he said nothing of it. It seemed the promise of actual payment outweighed the fact that he was from Axijan. "Very well. I want the payment up front. How long will he be here?"

"That is no problem. He will be here tonight and through til tomorrow..around midnight. I'll pay you extra if you'll have him fully ready for travel before I arrive to pick him up." Tannin handed the reins over to the man and then moved to the saddle bags, pulling out a medium sized bag of gold coins. Tannin removed only a few coins and then handed the remaining bag of gold over to the man. "Anything you want, good sir. I will make sure that your horse is well taken care of and ready before you return for him." It was clear that the man had not been expecting such an amount.

Tannin thanked the man and then left, heading off onto the trail that led into the city. He walked at a slow pace, trying not to seem in too much of a hurry. He needed to find an inn. Somewhere that he could get some rest before he was to complete his job the following night. He entered the city and took a left, heading down one of the more main streets. It took him only a short distance to come across the Inn. Tannin sighed in relief. In all honesty, he was ready to get some sleep.

He reached the doors and opened them entering. He made his way to the bar where a large man was cleaning. "What can I help you with, lad?" Tannin bowed slightly to the man in greeting. "I need a room for the next two nights." The larger man nodded, looking through his books to see what room was available. Once he'd found one, he handed Tannin the key and Tannin gave the man the remainder of the gold he currently had on himself. The assassin was then led up to the room and then was left alone. He removed his cloak and then weapons, sitting them off to the side. Tannin then locked the door. He then readied himself for bed, and then laid down, trying to get comfortable. It was only a few moments before he drifted off into a very light sleep.

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The following morning, Tannin allowed himself to remain locked away in his room for most of the morning. He had no reason to really leave until around later in the day. He needed to make it appear that he was heading out to take care of the business that he'd come to Silanos for. At least in the eyes of the innkeeper. When he did finally rise, he decided to shower and then dressed at he'd been the day before. Only, this time he made sure to tuck the ends of his pants into his boots. He then pulled his cloak on, hiding his appearance.

Once he was ready, Tannin left his room and headed down the stairs and exited the inn. He could feel the innkeeper's eyes on him though paid no attention to it. He found himself in the street and then was soon walking in the direction of the large palace that could be seen from his location. He would not dare to get too close though needed to scout out possible escape routes before he entered and killed the Princess.

He walked slowly, looking as if he was simply taking in the sights. He soon found himself near the water's edge, looking across at the palace. The building was huge and he would likely have to find a more unthought of way to enter that night. Perhaps taking a boat across and scaling the building. He would then be able to easily exit the same way. There was no way of knowing how heavily guarded the Princess would be. It would be something that he would have to discover once he was in the palace.

Tannin turned, heading on along the dock. There were quite a few boats and a small ship upon the water. It was quite a different sight from that of Axijan. They were located within three different mountain ranges, making Axijan quite far from any bodies of water save for smaller ones such as streams or rivers. He'd been to Untsul before as well. It was even more of a thriving area...the entire main city built upon the sea. It was a sight not seen just anywhere.

He simply walked the streets of Silanos for the remainder of the day and only once the sun had begun going down did he return to the inn. He nodded in greeting to the innkeeper. "Would you care for some supper brought up?" Tannin said yes and then headed back up to his room. He removed his cloak and shortly after a knock was on his door. The assassin oped the door revealing a young boy, no doubt related to the innkeeper. Tannin thanked the child and took the tray, closing the door behind him. He then settled down at the small table and ate.

He had only a few hours now before he would be leaving. He was restless. He always got this way before going out on any job. This one was much more important than any others that he'd ever done. So much hung in the balance. Tannin could not allow himself to think about that. He needed to focus on only one thing. Kill the Princess.

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Tannin finished his meal and then began sharpening his weapons one at a time. He found as the time passed that he was getting more and more anxious. He was more than ready to get this over with. He sighed softly as he continued. He was unsure of how long had passed before he finally stopped sharpening. He replaced his weapons in their normal places upon his body, the sword at his hip and the daggers along his waist, located at his lower back. He then decided to try to relax for the remainder of his time. He sat back down at the small table, simply content to wait.

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When it was nearing midnight, Tannin finally began getting ready. He pulled his cloak on, hiding his face. He then unlocked the door, that way the innkeeper would be able to get in once they began wondering why he'd not left the room. Once ready, Tannin made his way to the window. He slid it open and then slowly slid out of the room, hanging expertly from the sill. He then carefully dropped to the ground. He was thankful that he'd not bee too high up. Otherwise, it would have been much more difficult to get down.

Once he was on the ground, Tannin quickly moved. He began heading back towards the dock. He knew that he only had a short window if he wished to complete his job. It didn't take him nearly as long as it had earlier in the day to reach the dock. Once he had, it was easy to see that none were there. They had all turned in for the night. The Assassin made his way along the dock until he came across a very small, aging boat. He made his way onto the old vessel and picked up the oar.

He then untied the tether and pushed off and away from the dock. The oar struck the water as Tannin began making his way towards the palace undetected. As he neared the palace, Tannin found himself looking up, eyeing the large structure. It was a beautiful building, every much the part of a palace. As he reached the side, Tannin moved the boat as close as he could and then sat the oar down. He then began slowly moving up the side of the building.

It wasn't easy, he had to find any stone that was jutting out just to continue. Before leaving Axijan, Tannin had gotten as much information about the building and its inhabitants as possible. He knew where he needed to go, what room was the Princess's. It would just be a matter of finding it. He finally, after about thirty minutes, reached a fairly high window. He was able to open it quietly and pulled himself up and into the palace. He froze, being silent. He did not hear anything and so silently began walking through the hall. By the decorations that lined the hall, it was clear that he was in the Royal Wing.

He suddenly heard voices and so he plastered himself against the wall. But, they were slowly getting farther away. He moved again, heading in the same direction that he'd been heading. He was not used to being around such nice things and he did not think that he could ever get used to it.

It was a short time later that Tannin came across a door that was unguarded. He approached, pressing his ear to the door. He didn't hear anything coming from within. He opened the door as quietly as he was able, finding himself within a sitting room. There was another door within the room and so Tannin quietly made his to it, opening it. It was easy to see that this was the Princess's room. He was glad that he'd found it first.

He made his way into the room, closing the door behind him. She was in the bed, asleep from what he could tell. He made his way to her, stopping only once he was close enough to touch her. He gazed down at her, regarding her for a moment. She was quite beautiful. Not that he'd suspected anything other than that. She was a Princess after all.

He reached behind him, pulling out one of his daggers. He then held it above the young woman, above her heart. He had to do this. He suddenly allowed his arms to move, the dagger moving dangerously fast towards her form. It was only right before it struck her that Tannin suddenly stopped. If he'd been a moment later he would have killed her. He found himself looking down at her again. He knew in that moment that he could not kill her. She'd done nothing to warrant it. To do so would to go against everything he lived by.

He put the dagger away suddenly, his eyes never leaving the young woman. He knew that Lorn would simply send someone else after her. She would not be safe in Silanos. Not once the news reached Nuhardos. He could not allow her to remain here. He suddenly began searching himself until he found some rope. Gently but surely, he moved her wrists together and then tightened it so that she would not be able to get free. He then tore off a piece of fabric from the end of his cloak and tied it about the woman's mouth so that when she awoke she could not alert anyone to his presence.

Tannin moved suddenly, pulling her up and over his shoulder. He then headed towards the window that was in her room. When he reached it, he opened it and exited onto the room. He then walked to the edge, looking down at the water. He would not be able to climb down with the Princess. They would have to jump. "I would suggest you take a breath and hold it."

Kenna went back to sleep shortly after her servant Mahayana left, seeing as she had nothing on her schedule for today, and she didn't feel all that well in the first place. She spent the next few hours sleeping rather peacefully until she felt herself suddenly being jerked out of bed. Her chocolate eyes shot open, and her fist instinctively shot to clobber her assailant. Though there was a small problem with that, her hands were bound together. Her next line of action was to scream, but judging by the cloth wrapped over her mouth, he predicted that response already.

Enraged by this man's arrogance, she did the only thing she saw possible, she swung her leg back and with as much force as she could muster, (Not a lot) She shot her leg forward, kicking him with all her might (weaker than the average woman). There was little else she could do as far as resistance went, but if this man wanted her dead, he wouldn't have went through the trouble. Her mind began to go through the best and worst case scenarios. In the best case scenario, he was kidnapping her for a ransom, but the worst case scenario, since he obviously didn't want her dead, was one of her worst fears.

Too often royal women were defiled by those who wished to hurt them or their chances of marriage. She began to thrash violently at the thought of having her body dishonored. Despite the fear swelling up in her stomach, Kenna didn't cry. She didn't want to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her in such a vulnerable state. Though her attire didn't comfort her nightmarish conclusion. Who abducted a young princess in her nightgown (Link here) and didn't have ill intent? She fought to free her wrists, violently so. She may have been a spoiled brat, but she apparently had the will of fire. Her determination was admirable, and despite the pain of having rope rub the skin raw, she didn't cease her attempts to loosen the bindings.

"I would suggest you take a breath and hold it."

If she wasn't already frightened enough, he was implying that they would jump from the balcony into the water?! Was he insane? There was no way they would survive the fall. Plenty of their servants committed suicide this way! This man was insane, she had to find a way to notify someone of their position, she had to find a way to free herself. She attempted to pull her wrists apart, realizing the attempt would be fruitless, but she had to try. She really wanted a word with her father right about now. HE was apparently never the target, this whole time he was paranoid for naught. Had he been less worried about his own life and even a little bit concerned about his only heir to the throne, this situation would have NEVER happened. She was feeling REALLY bitter right about now. If this strange man would have let her go, she might have went to her father's chambers and killed him herself. She never felt this much hatred for anyone, she hated King Santioa and this unnamed kidnapper and possible owner of a brothel, black marketer, and/or rapist. It was times like this that she regretted not being born male. If she had been born a man, he would have simply assassinated her while she slept and would have been done with it... but no. Women never got the easy route in anything. Men were always captivated by women, wanted to own them. She was so angry that she'd nearly bitten a chunk out of her lip. The inside was already bleeding.

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He could feel her still struggling though paid little attention to her actions. He needed to concentrate. He took a few steps back, almost as if he'd changed his mind about jumping. He tightened his grip on the Princess slightly. He needed to make sure that they both made it past the stone structures and the ground below. Suddenly, the assassin took off towards the edge again at as fast of a pace that he could while carrying the young woman.

Just as they reached the edge, Tannin pushed off as hard as he could, sending the pair almost flying through the air. For a moment, Tannin worried that he'd not gotten enough leverage. However, his fears were erased as they began falling towards the water below. They would just miss the stones of the street and wall. It seemed like forever that they fell but it was only a few moments before they hit the water.

The pair sunk below the water and Tannin was forced to release the Princess for a moment. He removed his hood and then grabbed her by the waist. He pulled her up to the surface with him, ignoring her still. He took a breath and then shook his head to get his soaked bangs out of his eyes and then replaced his hood.

He began swimming, helping to keep the Princess's head above the water. He began heading to the other side of the dock, where he'd gotten the boat from originally. "If you don't stop, you're going to cause us both to drown." He threatened suddenly.

After some time, they finally reached the other side. Tannin had to admit that he was rather glad of this. There was a wooden ladder that was connected to the wooden dock and Tannin made his way to it. He used his free hand, pulling himself up onto the first rung. Slowly, he began climbing and bringing the Princess with him. He was relieved when they were actually on the dock. Tannin sat the Princess down, allowing her to walk. However, he did not completely release her. He kept a hand upon her elbow as he led her into one of the side alleys. It would be the quickest way to the stables.

He made his way through the dark, pulling the woman with him. Within a few minutes, Tannin having to struggle with the Princess somewhat, they reached the stable. Oachi was waiting, ready, as promised. The horse was tied outside at a post, waiting patiently. As they reached the horse, Tannin turned to the woman. "I will help you up." He gently placed his hands upon her waist, easily lifting her up. He released her the moment she was up.

Tannin then untied the horse and mounted behind the woman, making sure that the woman could not get off. Oachi then turned and Tannin nudged him into a gallop. The horse took off on the road. Tannin only allowed this for a short time before moving the horse back into the woods.

He wanted nothing more than to tell her why he'd taken her. Yet, he could not tell her everything while they were out in the open. There was no telling where Lorn had his spies. "I will explain everything to you once we are no longer out in the open." He told her. Tannin was trying to come across as nice...nonthreatening. He was unsure if he was successful. The assassin knew what needed to be done. She needed to be protected. Something that her father and guards were unable to do. Lorn would stop at nothing to get to her but would have a much harder time facing the entirety of the Assassin's Guild.

They needed to get to the inn that he'd stayed at a few nights earlier. He'd already paid for the room and so it would be waiting for them. However, he was unsure of if the Princess would cooperate with him or not. He would not be able to leave her alone until she came to understand that by staying with him, she was safest.

She realized that her efforts were more or less futile against the assassin, but she knew her mother would roll in her grave if she allowed this man to have his way with her without her daughter offering him some sort of struggle. She didn't begin to really panic until he made a sprint for the edge. Her eyes widened, and in that exact moment she wished that the man would have blindfolded her instead of putting the cloth over her mouth. Honestly she could barely breath, let alone scream.

She kept her eyes shut, fearing the water more than anything the man would do to her. Honestly, despite her fears, part of Kenna prayed to Leirina that she would just drown.. or wake up. She'd be so relieved to wake and realize this was all just some horrible nightmare. A VERY realistic, horrible nightmare. She'd be ecstatic to wake up to Mahayana's and Shiva's faces. Somehow, despite never swimming in her life, Kenna managed an instinctive breath before submerging. For a moment, she believed Leirina answered her prayers, because the man released her, but apparently it was too much to ask for. Almost as soon as she was free, he seized her again. Just wait, if I get a chance to make your life a living hell, I will.. You better kill me, because I will have you brought to the dungeons and torture you myself if I ever return to my Kingdom.. she thought to herself, attempting to focus on her hatred, because she could feel her lungs attempting to hyperventilate. She was moments from allowing the water to fill her lungs, yet he ruined it. Sure, she was terrified, but she heard that the death was quick enough, and once underwater she didn't find it as horrible as she thought. She couldn't exactly fight the water so it wasn't as anxious as it could have been if she was struggling to stay afloat. It would have been a rather easy way to die.

"If you don't stop, you're going to cause us both to drown."

She instantly panicked after surfacing, and she wanted to yell at him, honestly if she had a sword she'd do her best to smite him down. She would have informed him that she COULDN'T swim, with or without her hands being bound. She couldn't even doggie paddle. Swimming wasn't exactly on her resume. It wasn't a requirement as royalty to learn how to swim. It wasn't like she was truly -meant- to leave the castle, she was just simply defiant in that respect.

Once they were on dry ground, she glared holes in the back of his skull. If looks could kill, Kenna would be strolling back to the castle with little more than a cold and post traumatic stress disorder. Though she was human, and had no such ability. She followed behind after a while, though she did decide to make things harder on him every now and then, purposefully tripping on things... Anything to prolong whatever it was he was trying to achieve. Maybe, just maybe the guards weren't complete idiots and they would rescue her. She just had to bide her time. She dropped pieces of fabric from her dress as they went, though she didn't manage many, seeing as her hands were bound... but they needed some sort of discreet trail to follow. How else would she survive this? She started complying, if only to keep her kidnapper from realizing she was sabotaging his efforts. How was she supposed to know he was the bad guy sent to kill her who had a sudden change of heart? Her chest was still going through spasms, seeing as two of her worst fears were becoming reality tonight.. She was having a panic attack, really. She was actually very glad that she was being ignored, it was the LAST thing she wanted this guy to see.

Her eyes widened a bit, and she gave an obvious sound of protest, but found herself atop the horse regardless. I REALLY am starting to question my faith. She thought in a VERY pissed tone of thought. What the hell did she do to piss the Goddess Leirina off this royally? She prayed EVERY night, she went to her temple, in fact, she was probably one of the most outspoken and faithful worshipers in the Castle. Kenna was very proud of her religion, but it seemed it was a fruitless effort? Why would their goddess allow something so cruel to happen to the Kingdom?

She felt every muscle in her body stiffen as he got onto the horse as well, highly uncomfortable and not to mention terrified. She kept as much distance between them as physically possible. Sure she was a flirtatious person, but honestly, she had never been this close to her own fiance, let alone some strange man! This situation was bad enough, but she had never left Silanos before! Well, never past it's outskirts. She continued to take fibers of her dress and drop them as discreetly as she could manage on a horse. Once in the woods, she began to calm down, if only because she could distract herself with the scenery. She knew sooner or later she'd risk a hole in her dress, but she could easily explain it due to their route.

"I will explain everything to you once we are no longer out in the open."

I'm sure you will.. She rolled her eyes, ignoring him this time. She stared off into nothing, considering the deeper they got in the woods, the darker it got. Even though she had nothing interesting left to gaze upon, she remained as stubborn as always. Sure, she had no choice when it came to being abducted, but she did have the choice whether she would amuse him. THAT she refused. She would be the most BORING and uncooperative victim alive. Maybe she could teach this man that a woman may be weaker physically, but she could definitely annoy him to the point he would want to commit suicide...Or perhaps he'd PAY her father to take her off of his hands, either way, he wanted her alive for some reason, and she would GLADLY abuse that knowledge.

If those imbecile guards do not notice my trail, I will have each and every one of them killed via the guillotine if...WHEN I find a way out of this. She didn't know it, but her Hansel and Gretel trail was probably attracting the WRONG sort of company, and due to the bad communication between Tannin and Kenna, well...actually, the lack of good OR bad communication, she was probably leading the true enemy right to them instead of her own soldiers. Despite being soaked, and chilly, she continued to bite into her already sore lip rather than allow a single shiver to pass through her frame. Be strong, be resilient, be stubborn... Be strong, be resilient, be stubborn... It was becoming a mantra of sorts.. but it did help ignoring the cold. She didn't want to even express her basic human needs, let alone excess. Accepting anything from her abductor, she'd vomit at the thought. It was as pathetic as one could get to drop their dignity to that level, at least in her opinion.

---

Oachi continued through the woods at the fast pace Tannin was demanding of the creature. The assassin was rather close to the Princess, something that he was quite aware of..however, he could not help it. He kept trying to put space between them but it was futile. He was suddenly trying to keep his mind from the current event. He was focusing on the horse's direction. Tannin was unsure of how long had passed before he allowed the horse back onto the road. It was only then that he allowed the hose to slow down to a walk.

The inn was within sight and it was easy to see the stable that was located nearby. Tannin directed Oachi to the stable. He would need to make sure that the horse was taken care of before they could head into the inn to rest. As they reached the stable, Tannin slid off the horse but made no attempt to help the Princess down. He'd decided that it would be best to leave her atop the horse for now. He opened the stable door, leading the horse inside. He was then quick to shut it behind him.

He then led the horse farther in. There was no sign of anyone being within..just a few horses that were stabled there. As they made their way farther back, they soon came upon the end and so Tannin stopped. Off in the corner was a large hay pile and on top of it was a rather weathered older man, asleep. Tannin rolled his eyes. Onar had known that he was coming and yet here he was asleep. Unacceptable.

Tannin brought Oachi to a stop, allowing the horse to rest for a moment. He then tied the horse and then made his way over to the man. He was completely out. The assassin sighed softly before picking up a bucket. He then dunked it into a nearby barrel that was filled with water. He moved quickly then, pouring the water over the sleeping man's head. Within a few short moments the mad was bolting up, sputtering. "Wha' do you think yer doin'?!"

It was clear that Onar was not happy. It seemed that he was ready to clobber whoever had dared to awaken him. That is..until his eyes settled on Tannin. The man was quick to suddenly change his attitude. He dropped to a deep bow before the short man. "F..forgive me, Master. I..I didn' realize that it was you."

"I gave you one task, Onar, and you can't even seem to do that." Though Tannin had not raised his voice, it was eerily calm. "I can do it. P..please allow me to do as you wish." Tannin was silent for a moment before suddenly moving back to the horse. From within the saddlebag he pulled out a small piece of paper, a small quill, and a small bottle of ink. Onar was suddenly watching the Princess closely. "Who..is she, if I might..""She is no one. Forget that you've seen her. Here." The Assassin had quickly written a short letter explaining everything to his second in command so that preparations could be made. "You will deliver this to Verrengar. No one else. You will leave now. There is no time to waste."

Onar suddenly looked back to Tannin, nodding. He left them, quickly retrieving his own horse and leaving quickly. Only once they were alone did Tannin turn back to the Princess. He was uncertain if she'd realized that he was not from Silanos. If not, she would soon enough. He pulled his hood down, finally, fully revealing his appearance to the woman. He then turned his gaze to her. He helped her down from the horse though was keeping a close eye on her. He didn't trust her at all and had no idea how she'd react. "I am Tannin." He said suddenly.

"I am an assassin that was..blackmailed into murdering you." He'd slowly begun untacking the horse as he spoke though continued to watch her. "Your father has a dangerous enemy. One that wants nothing more than to see him suffer..and to take his kingdom. The easier was would be to make sure that he has no heir and then to kill him. However, I could not kill you. Before coming to Silanos I did much research on you and your father. You've done nothing to warrant death. So I sparred your life."

He paused for a moment, finally putting the horse in one of the stalls. Tannin then turned back to her. "However, I could not leave you in Silanos. Lorn will learn quickly that I did not kill you and will send someone else to finish the job. You are unsafe here. However, in Axijan you will be safe. I intend to protect you until Lorn can be defeated. Then, I will return you to your home. Safe and untouched. However, I must insist that you do as I say." Tannin suddenly moved closer to her, removing the material that had kept her silent. He could only hope that she believe him. Truly, he meant her no harm.

Once she was free to speak, the bite wound in her lip became pretty obvious, but she didn't waste a second. Instead of checking on herself, she began an instant verbal assault, "I will work my way from the end of your message to the beginning." She stated in a sharp tone, unimpressed by him. She honestly resembled an angry snake right about now. Her words definitely were coated with poisonous intent, "Untouched? Can you HONESTLY tell me that you believe none of tonight's events, or any of the events to come will have no physical effect on me? I'm a woman, but I If War is truly approaching you have done the one thing that will make my people bend the knee to Lorn. I was the only thing keeping Silanos faithful to the crown!" she shouted in anger, obviously taking her position very seriously. Her entire body was shaking, mostly from anger. By then most of her dress was dry at least.

Her chocolate brown eyes glared at him, "Whether you've chosen to spare me amounts to naught. Silanos WILL fall and I will be the ruler of what? It's ashes?" She would have thrown her arms up in disbelief if they were not bound, but sufficed with shaking her head. She really wondered if he thought this through or was thinking in the moment, "I care not for the crown, nor my own life, but for the people I am no longer in contact with! At least at the castle I could have aided them until the next attempt. There are people starving in the slums." She clenched her jaw, thinking of the two children she bought food for just the day before. She wouldn't be able to aid them financially from here, "Children are starving. Do you think my father cares about their lives anymore? I haven't seen his face in nearly a year!" All of her anger, towards the king, towards Tannin was being let out in one swift rant. If her hands were free she probably would have slapped him for doing this to her people, "You might have spared one life, but you've doomed thousands more. What makes my life so important?!"

Then she finally admitted what she was feeling the entire time, "You can get one thing out of your head right now; I will never trust you. If anything, I am memorizing your voice and your face." She sneered, her lip trembling in anger. She was doing just that, the entire time, her eyes did not flinch, not even once. She was never going to let herself forget, "I am going to remember it.. and I hope you can run.." she warned him, glaring daggers into his skull for the second time that night, but this time she made sure he was aware of it. She was not going to be a victim, and she was not going to sugarcoat her words. She was not afraid for her life, nor would she cower before any man, "Because if I return to my kingdom, I don't care where you run, or where you think you can hide... I will have you smoked out." she wasn't bluffing, this was indeed a threat and she did not stutter. She was a very arrogant woman, especially for the era. Most women were soft spoken an ladylike, but Kenna had a fire to her, a raw, feral temper. She wasn't very strong, but her name held all the power she needed, "You should have killed me, because I will have you tortured for every child that is going to die in Silanos because of tonight's events."

She tore herself away from him, but not to run, not toward an exit. It wasn't like she'd make it very far with her hands bound anyway. Instead she sat down in the far corner, staring into lost space, "I hope you weren't expecting me to be grateful, because I'm not. I'm from house Santioa, we do not bend, we do not bow." she informed him, rolling her eyes. She would have nothing to return to. Her fiance, Her father... they were both in danger. They could die while she was stuck here with a complete stranger.

---

Whatever Tannin had been expecting from the Princess, it certainly was nowhere close to what he was hearing from her right now. He did not interrupt her, instead allowing her to speak her mind. He watched her, however, looking quite unbothered by her words. However, he could not say that he cared for how she was speaking to him. Only once she began moving from him did the assassin seem to unfreeze. In his honest opinion, the Princess looked silly sitting in the corner. He knew that she was angry. That much was clear.

He sighed silently. He hadn't prepared for this and had no idea how to handle the young woman. "I would not expect one from the house Santioa to be grateful for anything." He suddenly commented, mirroring part of her last statement. He was revealing to her his distaste for her family though would never outright say such a thing. As far as he was concerned, her family was rotten to the core.

"Lorn will know who you are with, drawing his attention from your precious realm. You are his target. He will not rest until he has your head on a pike. I do not need you to be grateful. I'm not doing this for your benefit. You can try all you like to hunt me down once you return..but you will find that your reach does not extend into Axijan any longer. Your father has long since lost his grasp on our land. The Assassin's Guild will stand between you and I until the end of time. You might as well get such thoughts out of your silly little head or you will only cause more bloodshed."

Tannin paused for a moment, turning his gaze to the woman once more. He knew that hearing that her father was loosing his hold on any of the realms would be hard to hear. "I'm not going to stand here arguing with you until we leave. That would be silly on my part. It's late. I suggest you get some rest. Once Oachi is fully rested we will be leaving."

He made his way to her, pulling her to her feet. Tannin led her through the stable, pausing once they reached the doors. He could not leave her tied up. It would draw far too much attention. Of course, the way she'd been acting would draw attention as well. "I will say this only once. If you draw attention to us, I will personally see to it that Lorn destroys your homeland. You will watch it burn to the ground."

It was the only threat he would give her. He unbound her wrists though did not let go of her elbow. He pulled her along with him, heading towards the inn. Once there, Tannin entered and noted that there was no sign of the innkeeper. Though, it was quite early in the morning. He suspected that the man had snuck off to get a bit of rest. Tannin led the way up the stairs, still pulling the woman with him. It did not take long to reach the room he'd rented. He opened the door, leading Kenna inside and then shut, locking the door. He'd released her, moving past her.

He removed his cloak though this time kept his weapons upon his body. He didn't trust the Princess not to try something if he were to part with them. He made his way to the wall farthest from the lone bed and leaned against it, eyeing her. He'd gone silent since he'd sort of lost his temper with her and he had not intention of breaking it now. He at least hoped she'd rest. It would do her no good trying to continue their journey with her exhausted.

"Lorn will know who you are with, drawing his attention from your precious realm. You are his target. He will not rest until he has your head on a pike. I do not need you to be grateful. I'm not doing this for your benefit. You can try all you like to hunt me down once you return..but you will find that your reach does not extend into Axijan any longer. Your father has long since lost his grasp on our land. The Assassin's Guild will stand between you and I until the end of time. You might as well get such thoughts out of your silly little head or you will only cause more bloodshed."

"It doesn't stop my people from starving. My father is not running a Kingdom. He is hiding in his living quarters with his advisers like child hiding behind their mother's skirt." She shot back, obviously not seeing how this benefited her in the slightest. Then she sighed a bit. She knew things were getting bad between Silanos and Axijan, but she wasn't aware that the Santioa had NO pull in the area. What was her father doing to their kingdom behind closed doors?

It made her blood boil to know she would one day have to clean up his messes, "Don't judge my future reign based on my Father's." she snapped in a very serious tone. The line of succession, her father, politics seemed to be a very touchy subject for Kenna. She apparently spent a lot of time thinking on the matter. Although spoiled and entitled, she did care for her people, and hated anyone who got in between her and her duty to her people, "I will not judge people based on minority or majority. I will not judge someone based on where they live, unlike my father. You may have researched me, but you do not know me, or my plans for this Kingdom." She stated matter-of-factly.

She ran a hand through her now messy brown hair, instantly disgusted. They both smelled like rotten fish. She was NOT going to sleep like this. She'd wake up with horrid consequences, like monstrous acne, "If you MUST know, I don't hate you because you're Axijan I hate you because I cannot help anyone while I am with you. You've taken my life from me. You may not see it, but I do." She did lower her voice as they went to the room, but did not cease her rant. She took heed of the threat, but she was burning every single misdeed into her mind, she would not let her forget a single thing that Tannin has done, nor would she allow herself to forget the things he will do, "I have NO choices, no say in anything happening to me, I might as well be dead already. What is the use of living if you cannot control how to live?"

Kenna went silent as soon as they entered the room. She stood silently where he'd left her for what felt like hours, but she was sure it was not near as long. She made her way to the foot of the bed, sitting down with her back against the wall, facing Tannin. She never once turned her back to him when she was in full control of herself. She straightened out her dress, trying to press the wrinkles out of it. She did not lay down, and she did not close her eyes. She told herself it was because she was doing it to defy him, but honestly she couldn't sleep if she wanted to. Even if she was back home in her own bed, even if she was out of his presence, she could not sleep. After that plunge into the water, it was almost all she could think about.

She saw her fingers trembling in her lap, but thankfully her bent knees shielded her hands from his sight. Her dress was long enough for her to sit this way, so she felt comfortable enough to do so. Though the other reason she couldn't sleep was the fact that she did not know this man, and regardless of what he said, she did not trust him to not touch her inappropriately as she slept. He was not beyond killing women, his only excuse for sparing her life was that she was "innocent" whatever the hell that was supposed to mean. No one was innocent, children aside... but even she knew incredibly evil children. She was one of them... She was not going to trust the word of a murderer. Her brown eyes barely blinked as she stared down at her knees, obviously in deep thought. She would attempt to pull the tangles from her hair once he went to sleep, but she didn't want to go one step near him while he was awake, let alone cross the room for the brush or metal bowl of water on the dresser.

Then she got a wonderful idea. She'd play along as best she could, she'd listen for the most part.. Aside from sleeping, she wasn't sure she would be able to sleep anytime in the next week, let alone that night. She knew exactly what she needed to do. She just had to do it slowly, else he'd see it coming. Instead she raised one hand in front of her head. Her fingers were stretched out, and she placed her forehead against the tip of her index finger. She prayed every night, she was not about to change that for this man, or any other man to come. She mentally voiced her anger toward Leirina, upset that the Goddess allowed something this horrible to happen to her. She remained chaste, she made offerings to Leirina's temple daily, she even was charitable to those around her. What did she do to earn this sort of fate? Was it wishing her mother's unborn child dead? She was a child, but it was the only truly horrible thing she'd ever done. Nothing else resulted in the end of a life. I can't believe this is where I end up.. she thought to herself, gritting her teeth.

---

Tannin continued to watch Kenna as she made her way to the bed. He found it rather odd, as he watched her, that she was intent upon straightening out her dress. He saw no point in it. They both looked rather rough and even though Tannin would have liked nothing better than to clean off..well..there was no way that he was leaving Kenna alone. He knew without a doubt that she would try to get away if she got the chance. He could not risk such a thing. It would not be the first time that Tannin would have to go without being clean. It was something that, for some reason, he found himself having to do quite often when on a job.

He allowed his focus to return to the Princess. As far as he could tell, she was deep in thought. It was only a short time later that she began, quite obviously, praying to her Goddess. Tannin, himself, was quite religious. However, he often found himself quite busy. It was why he'd gotten a statue of Darale placed within the hideout. At least that way he could still pray to the Dark Lady.

He would not do so, however, before the Princess. The Dark Lady heard and saw all. She would understand. Tannin was beginning to think that perhaps the Princess was not planning to sleep. It mattered little to him. It was only hurting her..not him. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her. Instead, the assassin opted for sliding down to the floor. He remained propped against the wall, one leg out straight and the other bent. He then removed his sword and its sheath, keeping it against his shoulder, close in case he needed it. The assassin then closed his eyes, head bowed. He knew that he would not be able to sleep much if at all. When he was out, somewhere on a job, Tannin just didn't sleep very heavily at all. The slightest sounds typically would awaken him.

This night...or...morning, as it were, would be no different. He tried to relax, knowing that he would have quite a bit of things that he would need to get done that day. Oachi would need at least until the following day to be ready to travel again. They would need supplies and the Princess needed something different to wear. The weather would be changing soon. Something that Tannin was not looking forward to. Especially since it was likely that they would get caught in it. The rainy seasons were terrible upon Varnaya. It was times like that Tannin was glad that he did not often venture above ground, out of the hideout, during the season.

Tannin suddenly began falling into a light sleep. He'd fought it as long as he could. However, the extra work that he'd ended up having to do had worn him out. As he slept, the assassin found his mind going back to a time before he was a murderer. A time when he'd truly been innocent. As a child, Tannin had been very close with his mother. He did not dream about their short time together very often. It was usually only when he found himself stressed out by his life. He was glad to see her form now.

However, he knew deep down that the dream would end as it always did. With her death. It was part of the reason Tannin hated the King of Silanos. His mother had been hunted down just because she'd married his father. It was his father's last name that had brought her death. If Tannin had not been hiding, he suspected that they would have killed him as well.

Kenna waited, making sure that he was asleep before sliding across the bed. She tiptoed over to the dresser holding her breath to keep her nerves at bay, eyes stuck on Tannin. If he moved, even a bit, she was prepared to dart to the other side of the room. Please don't wake up... She allowed her eyes to dart over to the brush, cloth, and metal tin of water, grabbing all three before making her way quickly over to the bed once more. She let out a relieved sigh once she was at a safe distance again.

She did not hesitate to unfold the cloth, submerging it in the water. She began washing her legs, arms, neck, and face, wringing the towel out every now and then in the bowl. Then she submerged the towel in the water, moving away from the bed and squeezed it over her head. It did the trick in wetting her hair and she began running her hands through it, trying to remove as much dirt and grime as possible from their midnight plunge.

She finally began brushing through her hair once it was very wet, seeing as it was the closest she'd get to a bath any time soon. She was not going to compromise her smooth complexion because this Tannin guy wanted to play hero, or whatever his true motives were. She let out a huff, rolling her eyes at his sleeping form, before taking the blanket and pillow off the bed. If she had to sleep, she wasn't doing so in the open. She crawled underneath the bed and curled up there. It felt safer, regardless of how uncomfortable the floor actually was.

Kenna kept her back to the wall, still staring at Tannin while wrapped up in the blankets. For the longest time her eyes refused to close, she didn't trust him.. She couldn't. He was a murderer and murder was not taken lightly in their kingdom. Considering it was his profession, her opinion of him was even lower than the average murderer. At least most murders were done for a reason, this man murdered for a bit of coin. Her nose crinkled in disgust. How could a man do such a thing so easily? How did he sleep at night knowing he wast responsible for so many deaths?

She began softly singing a lullaby that her mother used to sing to her. She didn't remember the words very well, so it took her a second to get the words out. Though, it always calmed her down as a child, she never sang it after her mother died.. It was about Leirina, but ever since her mother's death, Kenna never felt she deserved to sing the song.. but right now, she needed the comfort. She was also glad that Tannin was asleep.



It didn't take long after the song, Kenna fell asleep underneath the bed, but her dreams would surely torment her as much as she was bothered by reality. Most of the time she didn't dream, but the few times she did, she had dreams of her mother, her unborn siblings, who in her dreams was always a girl, the life the could have had... It was horrible, because she'd always wake up to find that they're both still dead. It was a horrible tease.

---

As the woman was moving about the room, Tannin was awake though made no move. He remained as still as he would have if he'd been asleep, his eyes remaining shut. He listened as she plunged something into the bowl that had been in the room, filled with water. She continued with whatever it was that she was doing, the assassin trying to relax once again. However, the sounds of her movements kept him awake.

Some time later, he could hear movement again. He could not tell what she was doing but he still remained motionless. He, however, could suddenly feel her eyes on him. Tannin, so far, had found the Princess quite odd. Not that he had any princesses to compare her to. He'd just not imagined her the way she was. The silence in the room was soon broken, the woman's voice soft as she thought him asleep.

Tannin listened to her as she sung. It was not a song that he was familiar with, that much he knew. He had to admit that he rather enjoyed her voice. Not many within the Guild often sang. They did not have much to sing about anymore. He allowed himself to listen to her. It was in that moment that Tannin knew that he would have to tell her who he really was. He was well aware that she would never trust him after learning his name...who his family was. Yet, he could not keep such a thing from her. She would find out once they were within the Guild. Best she hear it from him.

The woman went silent and Tannin hoped that she'd finally gone to sleep. She needed the rest. The assassin, however, knew that he would likely not get back to sleep, though he tried.

---

The following morning Tannin was up quite early. He straightened himself up, making sure that he was at least a bit more presentable. He was surprised to find that the Princess was not in the bed. He knew that she'd not left the room and so he checked the bathroom and then, finally, under the bed. He was surprised to see her there, curled. She was so afraid of him that she'd refused to sleep in the bed.

He simply shook head, rising. He would allow her to rise on her own. He made his way to the door, exiting. He was met by one of the girls that worked in the inn. Tannin asked for a small meal be brought up for him. The girl nodded, taking off quickly. Tannin then reentered the room.

He was quiet as he moved through the room. He stopped once again near the bed. "If I were you, my Princess, I would get out from under the bed. Breakfast will be here soon and I would very much like to speak with you." He knew that she most likely would want nothing more than to ignore him. However, he had to tell her. He felt that they were far enough away from the main city that speaking his name would cause little harm. At least if it was overheard.

There was suddenly a knock on the door and Tannin answered, taking the tray and thanking the girl. He then returned, placing the tray on the small table. He then offered Kenna one of the small plates and took the other. He would not force her to eat but he hoped that she knew that it would be best if she did so.

It did not take him long to finish the small meal and Tannin replaced the plate on the tray. His eyes suddenly landed on the Princess. "You need to know who I am." He said suddenly, seriously. He regarded her closely, knowing full well, the terrible things that she'd most likely been told about his family...and he supposed that finding out that there was still a La Roche alive..and living would not be something that she would be planning to hear from him. The King believed his entire family dead. "My full name..is Tannin de La Roche." The assassin went silent, waiting for her to take in his words.

She woke shortly after he peeked under the bed, though she refused to stir. She didn't want to be heard right away. She allowed him to go about his business while she came to complete consciousness. She did not want to approach interaction with Tannin when she wasn't in a state of complete clarity. She had to make her plan work, or she feared she'd never see her homeland again. She almost jumped clean out of her skin when she was directly addressed, but kept quiet.

"If I were you, my Princess, I would get out from under the bed. Breakfast will be here soon and I would very much like to speak with you."

Something with how he worded his sentence shook her composure, perhaps the honorific? No, she didn't care about that. Why was an assassin sent to kill her calling her 'my princess'. THAT was what got her curious. Not many would accept to take the life of a royal, they would live forever on the run at best. Regardless of how many peasants you kill, eventually they will stop looking.. For someone who seemed to against her family, why did he bother? It triggered her rage, but also her interest. She was about to slide out from under the bed, but hesitated as the food trays were brought in.

The smell of food tempted her, but she did little to prove she was awake. She did not want to come across as the type of woman that submits to her temptations so easily. Kenna crawled out from under the bed once the girl left, and she accepted the plate. She stared at it for a while, but deemed it edible. It wasn't like Tannin cooked it himself. She worked around the meat on the plate, but ate everything else in a quiet, slow manner, despite having missed two out of three meals at the castle the day before, "I would thank you, but this is far less....edible than I am used to..so I won't." Her eyes landed on the meat, but how was anyone outside of the castle supposed to know? Very few knew it made Kenna physically sick when she even thought about eating a dead animal.

"You need to know who I am. My full name..is Tannin de La Roche."

Though now she was glad the plate's portions were small. Had she eaten more, she'd of definitely vomited at this news. de La Roche? Seriously!? How many times will I want to punch you in the face before I die? She thought to herself venomously, but said nothing for a while, actually she left several minutes of silence. She half expected to begin foaming at the mouth. She wouldn't put it past someone in his family to poison her. Though despite her attempts to keep quiet, she'd eventually reopened the self-inflicted wound on her lip from the night before. It started bleeding again, pulling her out of her enraged gaze. Finally as she wiped at the blood, her anger got the best of her and she finally spoke up, "So, this whole 'I'm bad guy who despite doing bad things, still has a tiny heart that wishes to be redeemed' thing was a complete load of crap? All you wanted was petty revenge for the hate between our families? Was whatever Lorn had in mind for me too quick for your tastes?" She asked in complete disbelief, standing up and giving him a hateful glare. She never trusted him, but she expected more from Tannin than this. She always was a bad judge of character, though this was definitely the worst case so far. She really wanted to crawl back under the bed and die, "Whatever. Take the revenge you apparently want, go ahead. I don't blame you. Though it won't matter." she laughed, cynically one could say. She wasn't even sure if she would be given the chance to finish her next sentence, but it was worth a shot. It never really occurred to her until now, due to the fact she thought her father wiped out the last of the de La Roche, "Regardless of whose blood is spilt, be it Santioa.. or de La Roche.. it wouldn't end this. I don't care who started it.. You're living proof that people's pasts come back to haunt them in ways they'd never expect. I'm glad I threatened your life before I knew, now you know it's nothing to do with your family name."

---

Tannin watched the Princess closely after he'd gone silent. The young woman was quiet for what seemed like a long time. He noted her working her lip and he could only assume that she was less than pleased. Not that he was surprised. At last, she broke the silence yet Tannin still remained silent. He'd decided to allow her to speak her mind. It was least he could do. It soon became quite clear that the Princess had been well informed of the hatred that was between their families. It was only as she finally went silent that Tannin moved.

He moved so that he was still quite far away from Kenna. He saw no reason to near her right now. She believed that he wanted revenge. Wanted to see her dead. He doubted that there was anything that he could do or say to make her believe otherwise. "Tell me something..Princess. Why would I go to all of the trouble of getting you out of the Palace alive if I was just going to turn around and kill you? How would that make any sense?"

Tannin paused for a moment, regarding her closely. "I am well aware of the hatred that flows between our families. However, I have long since accepted where I am in life. Killing off you or your father would do me little good. I would still be labeled a traitor. I would still have to remain far from Silanos. You know nothing but the lies your father has fed you your entire life. Do you even know why our families hate each other so?"

He was silent for a few moments, carefully watching her. He'd allowed her to creep under his skin..not something he allowed too often. He was quick to hide it, however. His face became oddly calm as he listened to her. As he thought about it...it would make little difference if she knew the truth. She would think it lies. So, he would not say anything else on the subject.

"It matters little." He said softly. He pushed off of the wall, moving through the room. "We'll be leaving the moment Oachi is rested enough for the journey. I've some supplies that I need to get before we can leave. You will stay here in this room until I return or I will do as I promised you when we arrived here. I won't be long."

He meant what he'd said. Even if she did run...he'd be able to easily find her. He doubted that she'd ever been on her own before. He then adorned his cloak, hiding his appearance and then left the room, heading down the stairs and out into the small village. It was not hard to located the general goods store that was located there. It was a small building but they would have everything that they would need. Tannin entered and approached the counter.

A rather tall man approached him, asking what he needed. It didn't take long before Tannin had all that they needed until they reached Axijan. He'd gotten Kenna a few dresses, ones that were suitable for traveling, as well as a cloak. He knew that with the rains coming she would need it. He also had gotten them food, a few bedrolls, and a few waterskins. He paid the man with gold that he'd stashed in the room before he'd left for the main city.

Only once he was done did Tannin head back to the Inn, carrying the supplies. He made his way back up the stairs and to the room. He closed the door behind him and then sat the items down on the desk. He was doing the only thing he knew how to do in order to prove to her that he truly wished to help her.

"Tell me something..Princess. Why would I go to all of the trouble of getting you out of the Palace alive if I was just going to turn around and kill you? How would that make any sense?"

"Isn't that precisely the definition of a prisoner of war?" She retorted, still confident with her assumption. Plenty of men were taken alive, but slaughtered due to having an inadequate amount of holding cells. She knew a lot more about the battles Silanos had been through than she let on, she saw a lot more death in the Castle than her father, or anyone else knew. She was a sneaky, quiet child growing up. She would sneak around the castle in curiosity, and saw a lot more corpses than a child should have.

"I am well aware of the hatred that flows between our families. However, I have long since accepted where I am in life. Killing off you or your father would do me little good. I would still be labeled a traitor. I would still have to remain far from Silanos. You know nothing but the lies your father has fed you your entire life. Do you even know why our families hate each other so?"

Her face instantly became angry, feeling rather insulted. Did he think she didn't study her own family history? She was the princess, sole heir to the Santioa bloodline. Woman or not, she was highly educated. She read that the de La Roche family betrayed the Santioa family down the line, and ever since, different members of each bloodline have spilled immeasurable amounts of blood over the decades.

"It matters little."

She scoffed at this, crossing her arms. Why bring it up if he was just going to brush it under the rug again? Honestly she was beginning to think that her captor was a bit mental. Luckily she left a trail for her soldiers. If she calculated things right, perhaps they would make it in time, before Tannin rushed her away from this horrid excuse of an inn.

"We'll be leaving the moment Oachi is rested enough for the journey. I've some supplies that I need to get before we can leave. You will stay here in this room until I return or I will do as I promised you when we arrived here. I won't be long."

"If anything keeps me here, it's not your threat. The only thing that makes me care about whether or not I live or die is my duty to my people." She snapped as she watched Tannin leave. She waited patiently until she felt he was far enough away, and she ripped the bottom of her dress. She stuck the ripped piece of silky fabric under the bed, and another inside the dresser. She had to make sure that the guards knew she had been there. She paced the room, staring at the door, but withheld all temptation to flee. She didn't know enough about peasant life just yet, she had to also earn Tannin's trust if she were to find an opportunity to escape.

She knew it would be difficult learning to hide how she truly felt, but it was her only chance to make it back to her people. She had to sell that she was slowly learning to trust him, but she had to make sure that she didn't fall for her own act along the way. The last thing she wanted was to actually humanize her captor.

Kenna sat back down on the bed, humming her prayer under her bed to calm her nerves. It was times like this she really needed to know if she was going down the right path.. It didn't take long for Tannin to return, seeing as she heard the door open. She stayed leaned against the headboard of the bed, but opened one eye, watching him sit the items down. She almost immediately burst into a fit of laughter, there was no way she was changing into one of those dresses in front of him. She managed to keep a straight face, staring at the ceiling. Where are those good for nothing soldiers? I've left them plenty of clues.. Anyone could have followed those strings from my dress! Though she was grateful to have a change of clothes, she doubted any of the dresses would be comfortable compared to her own. She was prolonging the change for as long as possible.

---

Tannin turned his gaze to Kenna, regarding her for a long moment before he finally spoke. "You need to change." He paused, pulling his gaze from the woman. "Remaining in..that will only draw attention to yourself. You're filthy." He moved then, taking hold of the closest dress and throwing it to her. He then walked towards the door and left her, giving her time to change in privacy. He slowly made his way down to the bar in the inn. He then made his way off to one of the darker corners and took a seat, relaxing.

He planned on giving her time to herself. He knew that it wasn't easy hearing who he was. The hate that ran between their families was deep and the pain that still lingered there was great. However, as in all things, life would continue. The Innkeeper came by, asking Tannin if he'd like anything. The Assassin declined, waving the man off.

Soon, he was alone again. There were not many within the Inn. He doubted that many came through this area and when they did they did not remain long. He sighed before finally rising from his seat and slowly making his way back up to the room. He knocked and waited a moment before entering. Tannin made it a point to ignore the Princess. He saw no reason to speak with her. She was no doubt still angry at him though he did not blame her. Even though everything he'd done so far was to protect her, she could not see that. It was something that Tannin accepted.

He found himself leaning against the wall again, his eyes closed. The evening meal would soon be served and they could turn in for the night. The next morning Tannin was planning on leaving. He hoped that Oachi would be ready. There was little reason that he wouldn't be. "We'll be leaving in the morning." He said quietly, not bothering to look at the woman.

In truth, Tannin was ready to be back in Axijan. He was tired of scuttling about Silanos like some common criminal. He was so much more than that. He would have quite a bit of work to do however he look forward to it. It would be nice to be back home where everything was normal. He sighed silently. He had sent word with Onar as to what was going on so that Verrengar could prepare. The Princess would have a room all to herself as well as clothing more fitting a Princess.

It would be hard for Lorn to reach her within the Guild's protection. "Tell me something, Princess." He said, suddenly breaking the silence once again. "Your father..the King, when did he become so withdrawn for his world? Was there something that set him off? Lorn did not become persistent in his actions until as of late. From what I've heard your father has been like this for some time." He was unsure if Kenna would answer him though it was something that he'd been wondering. He had never met her father and honestly he never cared about him. However, he knew that there had been a time that the King had been much loved by his people.

"You need to change."

"I suppose so." She scoffed, continuing on. It was his fault she needed to change in the first place, she couldn't understand where he found the gall to point it out. Well aren't you cheeky. She thought with a glare on her face as she glared more daggers into his skull. How she wanted to shut him up, by any means, if necessary, "I assume anyone who falls from a tower into the disgusting depths of the sea would look ,more than relatively horrid."

"Remaining in..that will only draw attention to yourself. You're filthy."

Her mouth dropped as his next words came out, and had he been any other man, she would have immediately slapped him. Not one person aside from Mahayana and her father got away with spewing such blatant insults, "Such is the price when one finds herself in a man's care." she shot back with venom in her tone. She waited for him to leave, ignoring the dress until she figured he was long gone. She looked the fabric over, sighing. She was very disappointed when she had her wardrobe at home to compare it too. The dress was very plain compared to what she was used to, and the bodice of the dress looked very itchy.

She eventually caved. Any dress was better than her wrinkly and smelly one. She walked over to the door, with the bowl of water and cloth she'd used the night before and began washing off the rest of her body. Of course the water was used, but regardless it had to help with the smell of the nasty ocean water in her hair and on her body. She wiped her entire body down tediously before slipping into the dress. She was right, the torso was itchy.. but at least her undergarments provided a layer between her skin and a majority of the itch.

She then sat back down on the bed, staring out the window, glaring. She wanted to make a break for it right then and there, but she needed more experience. She needed to know more about the weather and land, and most importantly, she needed a horse. She couldn't escape until she found easier access to one. Timing would be everything. If she failed, she wouldn't get a second chance. Seeing as Tannin wasn't present, Kenna decided to take this time to finally cry. She couldn't believe her situation. She wanted nothing more than for her life to go back to the way it was.

She cried for some time, and probably would have continued to do so, had something furry not touched her face unexpectedly. Almost instantly Kenna squeaked in fright, instinctively jumping back away from the source. She was relieved to find the culprit was a small mess of brown fur that fell onto the bed in front of her. It was her pet cabbit, Shiva, "Where did you come from? My goodness... I'm so happy to see you.." The tears quickly stopped pouring down her face after she wiped her eyes a few times, and she hugged the small creature. She looked around at their dirty dishware, but saw no carrots in sight, "I don't have a way to feed you I'm afraid..." She muttered, regretting that her pet followed her, despite the obvious dedication it must have took for the tiny creature to keep up with the horse. All Kenna could think about is what would happen if Tannin realized the cabbit followed them, "You should have stayed at home. This is no place for the likes of you. For all we know Tannin might try to eat you if it comes down to it." She instantly grew quiet as the man returned, hugging Shiva close to her form. Even if she couldn't protect herself, she had to protect Shiva. Not many people knew the secret ability that cabbits possessed. Kenna would not allow Shiva to be harmed, especially due to the cabbit's resemblance to humans.

"We'll be leaving in the morning."

She simply nodded, not breathing a word to him. A collection of all the things he'd done since kidnapping her, well, let's just say they didn't put her in a sociable mood. He lacked charm and chivalry, so she barely noticed how attractive the man was. Not to mention she's only seen him covered in dirt, seaweed, and saltwater. It wasn't an appealing look, regardless of who wore it.

"Tell me something, Princess."

She quirked an eyebrow, petting Shiva as she listened to what he had to say, not that she'd reveal any more information about her kingdom's status. What if he simply was pretending to befriend her to gain information about the castle.. What if he is honestly still working for Lorn? This whole rescue mission could have been a farce to gain some sort of trust from me. she thought skeptically to herself She didn't understand his motives, why would a de La Roche want to rescue a Santioa in the first place? It didn't make sense.

"Your father..the King, when did he become so withdrawn for his world? Was there something that set him off? Lorn did not become persistent in his actions until as of late. From what I've heard your father has been like this for some time."

"Yes, something did cause this behavior. I remember the day, just as I remember the night I lost my mother and younger sister in one fell swoop. Neither have left my mind for an instant, but I do not wish to share such information. Why would I tell you something I haven't even told my handmaiden whom has practically raised me since infancy?" She asked in disbelief, but also in mild amusement. Did he honestly think they were in such a place where her family, no, political secrets were something she would comfortably share? It certainly wasn't the case, she did not betray her loyalties so easily. Anything that came from her lips, passed her tongue, could be used against her father, "My credibility as a royal may be tarnished, but I will not condemn my father. He can always have other daughters." When she said credibility, she meant her chastity. Whether or not Tannin touched her inappropriately, everyone in the Silanos court would assume that her virtue had been sullied. Her fiance would probably deny her, she tried to not think about it, because it was causing her fingers to tremble once more. Once she returned to Silanos, if she ever did, she would never be considered again as far as marriage was concerned. She began brushing her fingers through her hair tediously, trying to keep her mind off of what would become of her if she survived this. No one would want a bride with questionable purity.. She thought solemnly, closing her eyes in attempt to keep her thoughts to herself. She had to keep calm. It was the only thing she could control about her own life these days..

---

"Yes, something did cause this behavior. I remember the day, just as I remember the night I lost my mother and younger sister in one fell swoop. Neither have left my mind for an instant, but I do not wish to share such information. Why would I tell you something I haven't even told my handmaiden whom has practically raised me since infancy?" The Princess said in reply to his question. The assassin simply tilted his head, regarding her. He decided against speaking up, allowing her to continue. "My credibility as a royal may be tarnished, but I will not condemn my father. He can always have other daughters." Silence again. Tannin watched the young woman, watching as she closed her eyes.

He felt almost bad for her. In saving her from Lorn's plans he had damaged her reputation. "Is not a tarnished reputation better than a painful death? Or perhaps you would see it the other way round.." He'd taken notice of the creature that Kenna was holding. Sudden curiosity showed itself upon his face. He'd never encountered such a creature before. "What is that?" He asked her, his gaze simply taking in the creature's appearance.

Tannin waited for the Princess to speak, not really knowing if she would even give him an answer. After a few moments the Assassin decided that perhaps he should clean up a bit. He could only imagine what he looked liked. He turned suddenly, walking back out of the room. He felt no need to tell her where he was going. If she valued anything at all she would stay put.

He made his way through the Inn, stopping to speak with the Innkeeper. It seemed that there was a public 'bath' that was not being used at the moment. Tannin had not brought with him any change of clothing. He'd seen no reason for it as his trip was not supposed to last a long time. Which, was why he'd bought a new outfit which he'd left at the counter earlier before going upstairs. He took it and allowed the man to lead the way. It didn't take them long and before he knew it, Tannin was alone with the door locked.

It was a simple bath, already filled with heated waters. There were soaps sitting near. He undressed and then got in. It felt good to be in something so warm though he knew that he could not take a long time. He needed to get back to Kenna. He began washing his body, making sure to leave no trace of dirt or grime upon his skin. Only once he was done with that did he submerge himself completely. After he'd come back up, Tannin washed his hair thoroughly before getting out of the bath.

He dried off and then dressed. He decided that perhaps he could take a few extra minutes as he was in no hurry to get back to her for the sole reason that she was rather unpleasant to be around. He ran his fingers through his hair and then went ahead and pulled it back as he normally kept it.

Once he was presentable, the assassin left the bath and then back up the stairs to the room. He entered the room once again, this time simply ignoring the girl. He went to the wall that he'd been resting upon before and took up the same relaxed stance against it. They both needed to rest..the following day they would be traveling quite hard and he did not wish to have to stop unless absolutely necessary. He would allow her to keep her pet. He saw no harm in it. Though, he decided that he needn't tell her right away. It was far too much fun to watch her fret about it.

"Is not a tarnished reputation better than a painful death? Or perhaps you would see it the other way round.."

Finally he hit a nerve, but the opposite of what he'd hit prior. This nerve was more of an insecurity, "You're right, I do see it the other way around.." She replied in a soft voice, petting Shiva's warm fur to calm herself. She grew close to tears at the thought. She let out a sigh, standing up, sitting the small animal down on the bed, "You've been trying to get under my skin since last night, so fine, you win." She stated, her entire form quivering as she stared him down. He obviously didn't understand what it meant for a princess to have her virtue questioned.

"If my purity is brought to question, I could lose my claim to my crown. I cannot become Queen without a husband, and who would want to marry a Queen who the public would deem as a surviving prisoner of war? No one would believe my claim, or yours." She responded, voice shaking as she explained the situation she will face in the future, should she survive the oncoming war. She never thought about this before, she never had a reason to question her reign before now. Thoughts about losing her claim were unnerving, it left her feeling so helpless. The pain it would bring her would be immeasurable. She spent her whole life getting groomed to become Queen. To lose her birthright would destroy her.

"I would have nothing. No home, no power, no husband." She laughed, growing more upset as she continued. The tears were swelling up in her eyes, threatening to fall, but she was using every fiber of her being to keep them at bay, "My whole life I was raised to become Queen, I cannot do that.. Once a woman's virtue is gone, finding a suitor becomes nearly impossible. Men do not want a wife that society deems a harlot. I will have nothing, At best, I'll be deemed a duchess, but I'll lose that title as well, because I have never worked a day in my life. S-So I apologize if I'm not throwing myself at you in gratitude." Finally a single tear fell down her cheek.

"What is that?"

Though she quickly turned her back to him, wiping it from her face discreetly as she picked up Shiva, "You're telling me you've never encountered a cabbit on your journeys?" She asked, forcing a smile onto her face, feeling a little smug that she knew of a creature that he didn't. This was her first time outside of Silanos, so she was very proud of herself for the moment, but her mood still didn't rise. She kept wondering how she'd survive on her own.. She never had to contemplate that before, she never felt so "They're a hybrid, No one is sure how it happened, but they're a crossbreed between a rabbit and a cat that's diet consists solely of carrots." She informed him, presenting Shiva to him. She ran her fingers through the cabbit's soft brown fur, gazing down at her lovingly. She was scared he'd tell her she couldn't keep it, but perhaps if she educated him in her capabilities, he'd allow her to travel with them.

She watched Tannin leave the room, without explanation. Did I say something? She asked herself mentally, shaking her head. She tried to not take it personally, brushing it off as a weird guy thing, and simply took the liberty to lay down in the bed in peace for once, besides, she felt he was going to take a while. She wasn't tired, but the blanket was comforting, it gave her a false sense of security. She put Shiva under the blanket and the tiny creature crawled in front of her chest and curled up, purring happily. She always found it weird, it purred like a cat, but it's diet was carrots. The animal was a breathing contradiction and a living example that anything could happen.

She was still awake when he returned, just laying in the bed, cuddling Shiva, "They have a very special ability, you know." She mumbled, seeing as she wasn't in the best of spirits. She just came to full realization that her life would become a great deal more difficult, far more than she could have anticipated, "They can transform into a humanoid form." She added, smiling a bit. She couldn't believe he hadn't heard of them. She figured Assassins would use cabbits to their advantage. She sat up, staring out the window, wrapping the blanket around herself.

Once he was presentable, the assassin left the bath and then back up the stairs to the room. He entered the room once again, this time simply ignoring the girl. He went to the wall that he'd been resting upon before and took up the same relaxed stance against it. They both needed to rest..the following day they would be traveling quite hard and he did not wish to have to stop unless absolutely necessary. He would allow her to keep her pet. He saw no harm in it. Though, he decided that he needn't tell her right away. It was far too much fun to watch her fret about it. She noticed the outfit change, but said nothing of it. What was it to her? She had a fiance, one she would likely lose by the end of the war. She still felt depressed just thinking about it. She couldn't imagine life not being royalty, it was all that she ever knew. It looks fairly nice on him... for peasant wear. She thought to herself, but quickly dismissed her thoughts.