Return of the Prince (Lamenting_Quill and Loki)

[Lamenting_Quill]

Deep in the BRPD compound, within the library sat the daughter of Red Bruttenholm and Liz Shermon, the girl's nose buried in notebooks and research. She was a mission.

Usagi sat at the library desk tapping the eraser end of a pencil against her rose hued lips, deep in thought. Her long raven black hair flowing about her shoulders and down her back in elegant waves. If not for the red markings on her face, Usagi could easily be described as being very pretty.
Her mind was concentrated on stories told to her this evening about an old enemie when she had asked about a spear encased in glass in the library, her father had told her it belonged to a Prince Nuada.
Usagi asked him whom this was and her father had simply replied “Someone who was very confused and misunderstood”
She had tried to pry for more, but after retelling what had transpired between her family and the prince, he wouldn't tell her anything more, said it no longer mattered. Usagi had given up thought on him however and now focused on the other elf mentioned in the tales, someone her father told her was loved by her honorary uncle Abe. Someone whom had died too soon. Princess Nuala.

It made Usagi's heart break when she thought of it, what her father told her explained the sadness she often saw in her uncle's eyes.
She wanted to change this, she wanted to give her beloved Uncle a reason to be happy again and smile. To do that, Usagi would go farther than she had ever gone with her gifts in the arcane, a truly dark place if one did attempted this with selfish reasons.
Well, there was no selfishness here, only a niece whom wanted her dear Uncle to have has chance at love returned to him.

Her brother Aiden often told her she was too sweet and wanted too badly to see good in everything and everyone, but he never meant it in a bad way. He just worried about her, said her sweetness could get her into real trouble someday. She only hoped that day would not be this one.
Usagi glanced down her research notes and smiled, she had gathered enough and come up with a decent incantation in ancient Gaelic to perform the spell. She was going to ressurect Princess Nuala.
She would need something now that had connection to the deceased, which made her look the glass encased spear once more. True that it had belonged to Nuada and not Nuala, but she learned that the prince and princess had shared a psychic link and Usagi prayed that this would substitute well enough to make the spell work.

“I can only pray I do not get grounded too hard for removing that thing” Usagi murmured as she got up from her seat to where the glass case sat up a shelf among some of the books “I am sure they will forgive me when Princess Nuala lives and breaths again with no danger from the prince to be seen anywhere”
She withdrew the key she had lifted from her Uncle Johan's office and slipped it into the lock. Usagi opened the small glass door and gingerly withdrew the minimized spear.
Quickly before anyone caught her, she hurried back to the table where her notes sat waiting for her. Though what anyone would be doing awake at nearly four in the morning would be beyond her.

Placing the spear on the table, Usagi's golden eyes trained on the words she had written on the pages of the notebook and began to chant the Gaelic spell she had crafted specifically for this.
Disappointment was hers however when at the end of the spell, a good five minutes passed and nothing happened. She sighed sadly and moved to return the spear to it's case, she would put the key back later in her Uncle Johan's office.
“Sorry Uncle Abe, I tried” Usagi murmured softly as she walked back to the table to gather up her notebooks and pencils “Man, this sucks, I worked so hard on all of this”

“Miss Bruttenholm?”

Usagi whirled around with a near heart attack when she heard a voice behind her, she was a little relieved to see it was only was of the new guys.
“Agent Yards, you scared the daylights out of me” Usagi chuckled softly, brushing off the scare “Is there something wrong? I figured you'd have gone home for the night”
“I would have, Miss Bruttenholm, but... I pray you will forgive me” He said and at Usagi's questioning look, he withdrew a rag and lunged at her “Forgive me!”
The rag covered her nose and mouth, she tried hard to fight back but the male was much physically stronger than her and before she knew it, she was met with blackness.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Usagi woke a few hours later in the back of a van, her vision was a little blurry and her head a bit groggy, but she remembered everything that happened back in the library. Agent Yards had attacked her and used a chloroform soaked rag to render her unconcious, but why?
“I am so sorry, Miss Bruttenholm, this is not about you” Came a familiar voice not too far away “Your father has enemies, enemies that want to hurt him through you”
“Agent Yards” Usagi pleaded desperately, noticing the gun he held pointed directly at her face “You do not have to do this, please just let me go, I know you do not want to hurt me”
“Forgive me, Miss Bruttenholm” Yards replied sorrowfully, ignoring her words as he moved his finger towards the trigger...

[Loki]

Awareness was the first thing he had been granted as Usagi performed her ritual. Nuada was able to perceive the sight below his disembodied consciousness as she continued. It was a disorientating sensation as memories raced through his mind, remembering the encounter that had narrowly robbed him of a victory that would surely give him the power necessary to wipe the scourge that was the human race off the face of the planet. Of the way Anung Un Rama contested his right to rule the Golden Army and came out victorious on account of his sister's misguided morality. And... of his death. Had he really died? If so, where was he now, how had he returned, and who was this young woman beneath him?

It only took a moment for him to recognize the room he was in; though several things had changed it was obvious he had been there before. The compound where humans enslaved supernatural beings to do their bidding, even if they were not aware of the chains around their neck. As Usagi neared the end of the ritual, Nuada was able to recognize several words of power she was using and quickly assumed she was the one who was responsible for his second chance. With each muttered phrase he felt his vitality strengthen even though he still had no physical body. He looked harder upon the woman to get a feeling of who she was and could tell from sight alone she was not human. Or at least not entirely. Had he possessed the physical facilities to do so, Nuada would have sucked in a surprised breath when realization dawned on him like a hammer blow. She had to be, the markings upon her person were a dead giveaway as to the demon blood running through her veins. In all of his millennia upon this earth, there was only one individual he knew of that so willingly served humanity's will. There was no other explanation, she had to be the granddaughter of the Fallen One.

When she finally concluded the ritual, an odd indescribably sensation flooded over Nuada. He felt his awareness pulled to the ground where he stood as though he had a physical form, but when he looked down there was none to be seen. Curious, he tried to place his hand upon the table only to have it pass through as though it wasn't even there. Or perhaps the other way around would be a more accurate analogy. The elf watched as she put the spear, his spear, into a display case before locking it. The familiar object seemed to beckon him and he took a few cautious strides towards it before a male human voice pulled his attention away to face its source. Nuada could see the treachery lurking in the man's eyes as he approached Usagi. He watched as the soaked cloth was put over her face, rendering her unconscious in a matter of moments and he felt a surge of a very familiar rage towards the man. Once again humanity lives up to the nature he had come to associate with their kind; treacherous, greedy, violent, and countless other selfish traits that had only fueled his contempt for their kind.

As the agent began carrying her unconscious form away, Nuada went towards the case containing his spear without considering the notion that he would not be able to touch it like with the table. To his surprise, he felt himself grip the weapon. It was the physical object binding him to this plane and he instantly felt the magical tension in the air that hummed like a power station in his senses. He felt the motes of dust in the air congeal around him, combing its matter with one another to give him physical form as if carved from stone. The process that resembled when one of his kind perished, only in reverse as his form rebuilt rather than crumbled. As it did so, the wall of the case shattered to give way to the stone arm that had coalesced there with his hand gripping upon the shaft of his weapon. Once the statuary of himself was complete he felt his vitality course through it, filling it with life and turning it into living flesh.

With a sharp intake of breath, as though he had held it to the point of his lungs bursting, he sucked in his first gasp of air in nearly two decades. He could finally feel the slightly cool air of the room caress his bare flesh noting that his clothing had not reanimated with him, which made sense and he dismissed that awareness with a casual indifference. As it stood, he was indebted to the daughter of his enemy for giving him back his life and Nuada was intent on making things even between both her and her father. With spear in hand, the prince of the elves sprinted down the vacant hallway with footfalls that hardly made a noise as he gave chase to the kidnapper.

As he made it outside, he watched a van with Agent Yards peel out of the motor pool and onto the darkened city streets. Nuada may have been on foot, but his agility proved more capable than the vehicle who had to obey the traffic laws lest he invites unwelcomed interferences by the police. It didn't take him long to climb his way to the rooftops where he begun leaping from building to building in pursuit until the van finally pulled into a darkened alley outside of the public eye. With hardly a pattering of his feet as they landed on the metal fire escape, Nuada made his way down from the rooftop allowing himself to drop the last few stories as effortlessly as though he had simply jumped the last few steps of a staircase to land next to the driver side door. The agent's back was to him and he recognized the firearm that was undoubtedly pointed at his prisoner. Without ceremony, the Elven prince brings the full length of his spear to bear upon the unwitting agent as he trusts the weapon through the back of the man's neck and out through his throat as the glass of the door's window shattered in its passing.

Agent Yards wasn't able to so much as make a sound as blood begun to spill out of his fatal wounds and onto his clothing even after Nuada opened the door to allow the man to fall pitifully to the alley's floor. With a jerk on the door handle, the panel door of the van slid open to reveal a terrified and confused Usagi. There wasn't even so much as a hint of shame on his face as he stood there before the woman wearing nothing but his pale flesh that accentuated the lithe muscles in his frame. Glad to see he had not arrived too late, Nuada flicked his spear aside to fling the blood from its blade before retracting it to a more convenient size. "This is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into Princess, but I regret to inform you that you're not out of the woods yet." With a twist of his wrist, a small compartment within the weapon opened to fill his hand with a fine glittering dust. Lifting his open palm to his lips, he blew the contents at Usagi allowing the enthralling magic powder to do its job and render her unconscious yet again.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Usagi screamed when she heard a loud noise, but when she opened her eyes, she saw it was not the gun she'd heard but instead the back windows shattering and a familiar looking spear piercing Agent Yards's throat.
The stream of glittering red that followed its exit made Usagi's stomach churn, it took all she had to keep her dinner from coming to say hello.

The back doors of the van whipped open then to reveal the most beautiful man Usagi had ever seen in her life, he was beautiful to her at least.
The only thing keeping her from blushing at his nakedness was the prone body of Agent Yards falling out of the van.
Usagi's golden eyes focused then on the spear he held in his hand, it was the spear that had belonged to Prince Nuada, the brother of Princess Nuala.
"Oh crap" Usagi murmured softly as she realized what she had done, her father was going to ground her until the end of the century for this.

She watched him make a motion with his hand to flick the lingering blood from his spear as if it was nothing and he'd not just killed a man.
His amber colored eyes looked into hers then, she wasn't sure whether to thank him for saving her or to run screaming what with the look he was currently giving her. Usagi greatly considered it up until he spoke, even his voice was delicious.
"This is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into Princess, but I regret to inform you that you're not out of the woods yet."

She didn't have the time to question him before he held up a handful of some sort of glittering powder and blew the substance into her face, her mind growing fuzzy and sending her spiraling into unconscious blackness.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

A groan escaped Usagi's throat as she began to rouse awake, her head mildly ached as she pushed herself into a sitting position. She dreaded having to open her eyes with the current throbbing, but she needed to know where she was.
Her golden orbs were revealed as her lids lifted, she gasped to see a room with walls of stone baring golden leaves and vines. There were tall candles here and there to cast a soft glow upon the room.

She currently sat upon a rather comfortable full size bed, there were heavy blankets over her lap, the sheets were a pristine white followed by a blanket of a rich emerald green and topped with a comforter of a shimmering gold.
The fabric all the blankets were made from was something very unique, Usagi had never seen anything like it before, but it was comfortable and warm.
"As much as I appreciate the hospitality of a prince, I need to go home" Usagi murmured to herself as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, she found her shoes beside the bed and slipped the elegant black ballet flats back onto her feet.

The elegant folds of her knee length crimson skirt flowed like water as she hurried towards the room only to find it would not budge, he'd locked her in here somehow!
"Hey!" Usagi hollered as her small feminine fists pounded on the wood of the door "Let me out! Hello?! Let me out of here! I need to go home!"

[Loki]

Nuada waited patiently in the room where he laid the unconscious Usagi, seated in a chair placed at the foot of the bed under a magical veil that would hide him from observation. The first thing he wanted to do was see just how much she behaved like her father so he knew whether or not she inherited his volatile personality. An amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips to an almost imperceptive scale as she managed to remain courteous even when waking in a strange place after having been abducted. Just for the sake of being thorough, he watched her for a few moments longer from under his magical crafting. Only when he watched her more aggressive side reach the surface did his grin become smug with amusement.

With her back do him and attention focused entirely upon the door and the person whom she assumed was on the other side, the Elven prince lowered the veil causing him to reappear in absolute silence. His general demeanor was one that was typically reserved for when a self-righteous parent addressed a naive child who was making an obvious misjudgment without even realizing it. "Not content with only one near death experience this night, Princess?" Nuada gave her a moment to turn and face him directly, but continued before she had a chance to say anything in reply. "Have you become so jaded to humanity's seditious nature that you are able to dismiss it entirely without a second thought?"

Prince Nuada leaned forward in his chair to meet Usagi's gaze directly. "Stop and consider your abduction for a moment. Were you not in the depths of a secure military compound whenever that agent turned his hand against you? And yet he managed to make it through all those security checkpoints not only unchallenged, but draping your unconscious form over his shoulder. By the divines, even I managed to make it out without coming across a single guard or sign that a struggle took place! Though I managed to dispatch one assassin, evidence would support that there are more that worked in tandem to get you out. For all you know, it was orders from the very organization you work for to begin purging the world from beings such as us. The evidence would support that theory given the lax security at that particular vital moment. I cannot in clear conscious return you to the group who had nearly taken your life, especially after you had gifted me with mine."

[Lamenting_Quill]

The silken smooth calm voice behind her caused Usagi to whirl around with a soft cry of surprise, she seemed to calm down when she saw the handsome elf she was certain was Prince Nuada.
Usagi opened her mouth to speak, but the prince beat her to it.

"Stop and consider your abduction for a moment. Were you not in the depths of a secure military compound whenever that agent turned his hand against you? And yet he managed to make it through all those security checkpoints not only unchallenged, but draping your unconscious form over his shoulder. By the divines, even I managed to make it out without coming across a single guard or sign that a struggle took place! Though I managed to dispatch one assassin, evidence would support that there are more that worked in tandem to get you out. For all you know, it was orders from the very organization you work for to begin purging the world from beings such as us. The evidence would support that theory given the lax security at that particular vital moment. I cannot in clear conscious return you to the group who had nearly taken your life, especially after you had gifted me with mine."

"That will be worked on when I get home, my dad will furious" Usagi replied insistently "He will get to the bottom of this, him and my family. Prince Nuada, you need to let me go home, please. My family will be very worried about me"
She did not believe the prince was an unreasonable male, he was just doing what he thought was the right thing to do in this situation, it seemed obvious to her.

He really was beautiful, his silvery blonde hair reaching down to his biceps shimmered like moonbeams and his eyes were like the most beautiful amber gems. His skin was the color of fresh snow.
Usagi supposed he might seem frightening to most women, human women, but she found him absolutely gorgeous.
"I do not believe a 'purge' is happening, that is silly paranoia. Humanity does have its darkness, but what race doesn't? There is goodness in this world, there are good people. Some of the younger human agents, they are my friends, hell I am fairly certain Harper plans to ask me out from the hints he's been dropping. You are trying to judge all of humanity as a whole, that's not fair, there are good and there are bad, same as every other race. I have seen it myself, I have seen humans with good and kind hearts, reaching out to others with sincere warmth and love when they do not have to do so"

She took a breath then after her insistent rant, she had not meant to do that, but Nuada's narrow view of humanity got the best of her. Usagi had always been taught to look past people's faults and see what truly mattered, to see the heart and soul within.
That was another thing, she did not believe Nuada evil at all as some at the compound had said, he was just trying to do what he believed was necessary to protect his people. He was just misguided, that's all.

"I want to go home" Usagi said firmly "I am very grateful for what you did for me, but I will force my way out of here if I must. This is kidnapping as well, I am not here willingly. I ask you, Prince Nuada, take me home. Please"

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Where is she?!" Hellboy shouted, slamming the upper agent against the wall of the library "Where did that little shit take my daughter?! How could you not know he was a traitor?!"
"Red, calm down!" Liz insisted, pulling on her husband's shoulder "None of this is going to Usagi found"
"She's right" The whimpering agent pleaded "We don't know how a traitor got into our midst or even how he got Usagi out of here, but we'll find her! Now please, put me down!"
Hellboy glared at the agent as he dropped him to the floor "Staying here was a mistake, we should have left after the kids were born"
Liz nodded sadly "I know, but right now, Usagi needs us. We have to focus on finding her"

A clearing throat from behind gained the attention of all in the room, they turned to see Abe Sapien and a very unexpected person beside him, Princess Nuala. Someone they all thought dead.
"I can help you find her" Nuala said, her face concerned "It is a long story as to how I am here, all will be explained in time, but we need Usagi for that. I am certain she is with my brother, when I reach out to his mind, I can feel Usagi in his thoughts. I believe I know where he has taken her"

Hellboy's jaw was still hanging open as his took in the sight of the elf princess that had been dead for 19 years now, so it was left to the sensible Johan to answer "Take us to her"
Princess Nuala nodded "I do not know why he took her, but I am sure he does not mean to harm her..."
"Don't worry" Hellboy replied, regaining his sense "We won't kill him a second time, that wouldn't be fair to Abe"
"Thank you, Red" Abe murmured softly, grateful that he'd not lose Nuala a second time.

"Afterwards, do tell us how you came back and how my daughter is connected" Hellboy said gruffly, though careful not to appear rude, he was merely concerned for his kid.

[Loki]

"HA!" Nuada scoffed loudly enough for his forced laugh to practically boom in the confined space. "Not a purge going on?! Look around you Princess!" He said gesturing to the cold stone walls completely devoid of windows; though the decor gives it an element of coziness, without it the room would surely be a bleak place. "There was once a time where my people lived among the trees, basking in the sun's radiance, and breathing crisp clean air. You think we wanted to give all that up to live in the sewers, practically drowning in humanity's filth? We had to go into hiding because mortals fear anything that is not their own. And when they pressed us so far into hiding that we became things of myth and fantasy, they turned their prejudice among one another over such trivial differences as skin color!"

The Elven Prince's expression became haunted as it seethed with deep emotional wounds that refused to heal. "You were not around like I was to witness the true depth of humanity's bloodlust that spans through their written history and far beyond. They would even go so far as to torture and slay their own kind without remorse based upon an unfounded suspicion that they are like us. You do not know how many races were driven to extinction by their ambition for power and dominance. Their society is literally paved over the corpses of those whose only transgression is that they were not born human. You are looking at their deeds through a magnifying lens and seeing isolated instances of brief and petty charity. Look at their breed as a whole! Every season they come out with new things to declare war against, whether it is a nation or simply an idea it makes no difference. With every new generation there is more powerful weaponry that they discover to slay their own kind with more brutal efficiency. They have not only developed the technology to kill hundreds of thousands in the blink of an eye, but they have actually used it on multiple occasions! Even against their own kind they kill those whose only transgression was living in a nation at war."

He warily pulled himself to his feet, the weight of all that he had witnessed acting as a physical burden upon his shoulders. "You say you will be safe if I took you home, but human's skill at delivering death has gotten to a point where your life could be gone before you knew it was even in danger. So cowardly are they in their desire to shed blood that they will do all they can to avoid putting themselves at risk by engaging in battle with honor. Can you be certain that another assassin isn't waiting on a rooftop or vacant room of a nearby building with a rifle just waiting for you to return so they can succeed where their kinsman had failed? It might not even need to be something requiring that much skill thanks to the invention of remote detonated high explosives that could be concealed just about anywhere. They are unworthy of this world and despite that fact they will not stop until they drown in the rivers of blood they create."

"Those who were assigned to protect you have already proven their incompetence, if not their outright treachery. For your own good, I will not let you go until you are able to see humans as they truly are."

[Lamenting_Quill]

"Those who were assigned to protect you have already proven their incompetence, if not their outright treachery. For your own good, I will not let you go until you are able to see humans as they truly are."

Usagi sighed heavily as Nuada finished his passionate rant about the human race and how vile they all were, could he hear himself? Honestly.
Though she did understand why he might feel like this, living as long as he had... he most likely saw a lot of horrible things that humanity did to each other, but... could beauty and light truly exist without ugliness and darkness?
She wasn't sure she could judge this fairly with her youth, but Usagi was certain that there were a lot of good people in this world, ignorant perhaps, but good people with good intentions.

Over time, this is just what people were taught to think and believe, could anything truly change if you didn't at least try?
"I feel sorry for you" Usagi murmured softly, fixing her gentle golden eyes upon his face, contorted with hate for humanity "I do not think humanity is just such a prize, but I do not think genocide is the answer. There is still hope for humanity. Nuada, nothing is ever going to change if we do not at least try to make it change, you do get honey with vinegar"

Usagi shook her head and moved to sit down on the bed "I think you are a good person, Nuada, you only wanted the best for your people... but, killing... annihilation... it's not the way to effect change, it won't make things better"
She had to get through to him, but how?

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Troll market again, eh?" Hellboy said, golden eyes taking in the sights just the same as before "How far away is Usagi?"
"Not too far, it's underground though" Nuala explained "Away from prying eyes"
Aiden walked up beside the princess and gave her a serious expression "He won't hurt my sister, will he? She'd never do anything to hurt anyone, she's good and kind"

"I do not believe he will harm her" Nuala replied, doing her best to comfort Usagi's twin "She will be perfectly safe when we get to her, you will see"
"I doubt he'll cough her up without a fight though" Hellboy grumbled "We'll have to come up with a plan to get her from him without hurting him"
"I can handle that" Aiden piped up, "Usagi isn't the only one good with magic, I just need ole princey kept busy"
"Consider him kept busy" Johan offered "You just get our girl back"
Liz came up beside her son and touched his shoulder "Becareful, Aiden. Make sure you get your sister out of there and then give us all a signal of some sort to let us know we're good to retreat"

Aiden nodded "You can count on me, mom, I won't let you down"

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The group came to the end of the market after awhile and entered into the forest, Nuala led them to one of the larger trees and began to feel around the trunk as if looking for something. She obviously found it when after pressing into a weak spot on the tree, the ground on the other side of the tree slid away to reveal stairs leading down into a secret hideaway.
"She is down there, shall I accompany you?" Nuala asked, she was hesitant for her brother to know right away that it was she whom led them to where they could find Usagi.
"No, we'll be fine, but thank you so much" Liz replied for the rest of the group before she began to head down into the lair.
"We will be right back" Abe replied as he and the others made their descent down the dark stairs.

[Loki]

“If the humans shared your opinion,” Nuada said in response to Usagi’s stance on genocide, “then I would not carry such disdain for their kind. However, they are the ones who led the charge of wiping everything that is not their own off the planet and have been successful on several campaigns. Hear me, daughter of Anung Un Rama; they will not stop. My kind are among countless others whose numbers have been dwindled to a paltry sum of what they had been in the wake of humanity’s greed and ambition. Only through going into hiding for centuries were we able to prolong the executioner’s axe that would surely claim our peoples unless something is done to stop them. Their march for dominance has gone on since time immemorial and it is as much as their nature as breathing. If you need proof, simply walk down one of the countless dark alleys in their metropolis at night unarmed and alone. Tell me then of their compassion and capacity for mercy, especially for somebody who is not of their own kind.”

The prince’s posture became firm once more, filled with grim determination and steely resolve one would expect in a competent ruler. “Do not pity me, Princess. I know what must be done for the good of me people, nay, for the good of our world. I will not relent my cause until the humans have paid for their war crimes in kind. It is the only way.”

A realization washed over him, causing his head to jerk towards one side of the room with a snarl on his face. “It would seem that my sister has once again chosen to forsake her blood in support of those who ultimately wish it extinction.” He felt the bitter resentment towards his sister who had inherited his late father’s willingness to simply allow his race to lie down and die rather than fight for their survival. Stalking towards the door, Nuada pressed his hand against its frame to disable the wards sealing it shut before casting a glance over his shoulder. “Fate, it would seem, has decided to return you to your misguided family. You have gifted me with my life and I have repaid you in kind. The scales are now even, so be wary of those humans you hold in such high regard for I will not be there next time to prevent the dagger from being buried in your back.”

With that Nuada shoved open the door without bothering to close it behind him. If he was to make good on his escape, he would need to utilize his alternate escape route while he still had the opportunity. As well natured albeit naïve Usagi may be, he would sooner die than allow himself to be placed in the custody of humans.

[Lamenting_Quill]

“Fate, it would seem, has decided to return you to your misguided family. You have gifted me with my life and I have repaid you in kind. The scales are now even, so be wary of those humans you hold in such high regard for I will not be there next time to prevent the dagger from being buried in your back.”
Usagi stood from the bed and rushed forward to grab Nuada by the hand "Nuada, wait! In case I never see you again..."
She brought up her other hand to touch the side of his face before she briefly kissed his lips and withdrew with a smile "Thank you for saving me"
Her feminine hands released their grip on him then and allowed the prince to make his escape, she watched him retreat with a heavy heart. She could never think so ill of the world as he did and it was a pity he could not see the worth humanity still had left, there was still love in their hearts.

"Goodbye, handsome prince" Usagi murmured softly to herself as she stood there alone for a few minutes before her family arrived in the larger room to see the open door of where Nuada had obviously been keeping her.
"Hi, daddy. Hi, mom" Usagi said, smiling at her parents.
"Where is that little bastard that took you?" Hellboy asked, drawing his daughter into a tight hug "Did he know we were here?"
Usagi nodded as soon as her father withdrew from the hug "Yes, he fled. He never wanted to hurt me, he just wanted me to look at humans the same way he does. How could I though, with a mom as awesome as what I have?"

"I love you, sweetheart" Liz said with a smile "You are a very brave young lady, you know that?"
"Thanks mom and I learned it from you" Usagi replied, her smile warm and genuine "Lets go home now, okay?"
"Agreed" Aiden replied, coming up beside his parents and hugging his sister "Harper has been worried sick over you, the guy certainly is sweet on you"
The appeal of Harper had dimmed somewhat after meeting Prince Nuada, but Usagi reasoned with herself that it was only because she had never before been so close to a man as firmly built or raw as Prince Nuada, it was would pass. It had to, she'd never see the elf again most likely.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

It had been nearly three days since Usagi had been kidnapped and she sat down in the garden, a place she was told that her Grandpa Bruttenholm had loved very much, she sat on the marble bench with the sun shimmering over her long raven black hair. The wind on occasionally would blow gently through her ebony waves only to let them rest once more quietly against her hips, in Usagi's hand was a white rose she had plucked.
It was odd, but she just couldn't stop thinking about Prince Nuada, there was something about him that she just couldn't get out of her head and she needed to, she didn't need people thinking she had Stockholm syndrome or something.

She smiled softly at the rose she held, the color reminded her Nuada, of the way his skin resembled the purest moonlight.
Usagi felt sadness as well, Nuada had the potential to be such a great hero, he had the potential to help so much in changing the way humans looked at the supernatural world forever. He was trying to, but going about it in the entirely wrong way.
"Nuada...." Usagi whispered softly to herself "Why can I not get you from my mind?"

"Usagi?"

Usagi turned around the bench and smiled when she saw Agent Harper Blake, probably the sweetest young man she had ever met.
"Hi Harper, what's up? My dad ask you to check on me?" Usagi asked, a genuinely warm smile meeting her lips.
Harper visibly blushed when she smiled and shook his head "No, Usagi. I was actually wondering if maybe, perhaps... I know you don't get out much and the beach is so pretty at sunset..."

It was so cute to watch the agent stumble over his words like this, but she took pity on him "Are you trying to ask me on a date, Harper?"
Harper looked relieved and nodded with a shy smile "Yes, but I understand if you don't want to... I don't know if you are interested in humans like your dad was..."
Harper instantly shut himself up before he said anything stupid and just simply waited for Usagi's reply.

Usagi was still thinking about the prince, but maybe Harper was exactly what she needed to forget him "After we are sure the danger is passed, I would love that walk on the beach, but for now... How does a moonlight picnic sound? Here, in the garden"
Harper blushed deep and smiled brightly "That... That sounds fantastic, tonight maybe?"
With a beautiful smile, Usagi nodded which cause her silken black hair to bounce a little bit. Harper's blush grew even deeper.
"You are so beautiful, Usagi, even if you don't seem to think so" Harper said, turning and leaving to return to his duties, hope in his great to come out of this with the girl of his dreams as his girlfriend.

Usagi watched Harper return inside and sighed, she had no idea what was wrong with her, but she couldn't help but notice how frail and thin Harper looked when compared to Prince Nuada.
"I do NOT have a crush on Prince Nuada" Usagi insisted aloud to herself, certain no one heard her "I do not"
Inside, she knew that wasn't true, but there was no one here that would try to convince her otherwise.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"All spies we had in BRPD was found and executed after the girl was rescued and returned home" Fredrick Hammel said, entering his bosses dark office. He resisted the urge to shiver with fear of what the man might do those whom failed him.
"No matter" The cool voice replied from the chair behind the desk "I have been told the girl has great talent with magic, she could be of use to us. I think I want her brought to me instead, there is no need to be so hasty in killing her. We will see first if she will bend to my will"
"When should we try to get her back?" Fredrick asked, eager to please his boss and move up in ranks.

"Not yet" The voice replied, the coolness of it and the shadows draped over the form made it all the more creepy "The time isn't right yet, wait till everyone has let their guard down and think all is well again, then when she is vulnerable once more... bring her to me"
"Yes, sir!" Fredrick replied before turning on his heel and leaving, he knew when his boss was dismissing him.
He was not going to screw this up like Reginald Yards did, there was no way he was going to allow himself to fail.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Evening had come quickly, Usagi emerged out into the gardens to see the beautiful picnic Harper brought spread out over a checkered blanket, two study candle sticks offered romantic lighting. Usagi was very touched that Harper went to such trouble for her, no one had ever tried to romance her before and she had to admit it was nice to feel desired for once.
"Oh Harper" Usagi breathed as she approached the scene, Harper had his back turned as he relighted a candle "I cannot believe you'd do all this for me"
Harper turned his head and smiled "You deserve this and more, Usagi, you are amazing"
Tears pricked at Usagi's eyes, she honestly feared she was going to spend her entire life alone, that no man would ever want a freak like her. Maybe she was wrong and there was a chance for her to have that coveted happily ever after with Harper.

She looked up when the wind blew gently through the trees, filling Usagi with a longing to be out in nature, she always loved the trees surrounding the compound.
Harper seemed to notice her attention on the trees, he knew how much Usagi loved nature and wanted so much to make her smile... even if he got in trouble for it "Why don't I take you for a walk outside the gates, we can sneak out the garden exit"
Usagi smiled, she never knew Harper had this rebellious side "Sounds good to me, we'll be careful and be back before anyone notices us gone"
Harper smiled brilliantly when Usagi smiled at him, she had such a pretty smile "Great, come on then"
After the candles were extinguished, Harper came up and took Usagi by the hand and guided her towards the garden gates, punching in his code into the keypad.
"This way, fair lady" Harper said, smiling adoringly at Usagi as he guided her out into the night air.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Oh Harper, this is great" Usagi said, gently hugging his left arm and laying her head on his shoulder as they strolled beneath the trees "Thank you for doing this for me"
"I'd do anything to make you smile, Usagi" Harper said, "Your smile is the most beautiful thing on this earth, matched only by your beautiful heart... Um, Usagi? I was wondering... may I kiss you"
Usagi lifted her head in shock that he'd actually asked her permission first and smiled serenely before she nodded "Yes"
Harper was filled with sheer joy and her gathered the girl of his dreams into his arms and leaned down to go in for the kiss.

[Loki]

Despite his parting words, Prince Nuada kept an eye on Usagi. Regardless that their debts to one another have been settled, he knew that it was only a matter of time before another assassin would make an attempt on her life. This time, however, he would take them alive so he could track down the ones who are seeking out supernaturals for execution and return the favor. Presently he crouched stalwartly on the roof of the BRPD building overlooking the courtyard. It was obvious that that human was showing far too much interest in the daughter of Anung Un Rama and she was foolish enough to lower her guard around him.

"Just like humans." He mumbled to himself with a snarl from where he crouched. "Manipulating somebody's emotions to create an opening so that you not only have easy access for the betrayal, but the added effect of breaking their will."

It was difficult to hear their conversation from that distance because of the surrounding noises of the city. A once majestic wilderness demolished so that humanity had a place to concentrate even more of its filth to a point where one couldn't even hear the music of night over the constant noise. Still, he was able to get the impression of their conversation and picked up on his attempt to cajole her out of the so called safety of her prison. Nuada stared in disbelief as she actually accepted the offer and that was all the evidence he needed. The man had to be an assassin and he was about to make his move to strike down his naive target.

As the two made their way out into the night, Nuada kept pace with them by sticking to the rooftops and eventually the treetops as they ventured into the park. It was then that he recognized how the assassination would take place. She would lean in for a kiss and in that moment of distraction and intimate proximity he would holder her close with one hand while burying a dagger into her back with the other. She could try to scream, but they would be so muffled by the way his lips smothered hers that they would not be heard. A smug grin spread across his face as the haft of his spear extended to its full length. Your group is going to have to try harder than that.

The leaves barely stirred as he leapt down from one of the upper branches of the towering tree, flipping and contorting his body gracefully to guide his fall and build momentum. Just as he leaned forward for the treacherous kiss, he presented him the target of the back of his neck that had been his objective. Going for an incapacitating blow, Nuada brought all of his weight and falling momentum to bear upon the shaft of his spear which came crashing down in the spot where his neck met his shoulders. Harper fell down in a boneless heap just as the elven prince landed easily on the earth. Though he cast a sinister smile down at the man, he spoke to Usagi. "Looks like you owe me your life yet again, Princess."

[Lamenting_Quill]

Usagi screamed when Harper crumpled to the earth and she saw Nuada then, standing over poor Harper. She had fallen over when Harper was torn from her and she scrambled back to her feet.
"Looks like you owe me your life yet again, Princess."
"Harper, oh Harper!" Usagi exclaimed, pushing Nuada away from him and bending down to check and see if he was okay "Harper, can you hear me?"

She looked up then after making sure that Harper still had a pulse and glared at Nuada "Why did you do that? And what are you doing here? Harper did not intend to hurt me, he's my boyfriend. He was trying to make me happy. What did you think he was going to do? Suffocate me with his mouth?"
Standing up, Usagi strode up to Nuada and placed her hands on her pleasantly rounded hips "Are you stalking me or something?"

Before Nuada could answer her, she heard Harper groan and she hurried back to his side just as he was starting to get up on his knees "Harper slow down"
"What happened? Something hit me" He said and then his eyes focused on Nuada "Who the hell is that?"
"Don't panic" Usagi said and tried to think of something quick to prevent Harper from sounding any alarms on Nuada "He's just a friend, he thought you meant to hurt me."

"Hurt you?" Harper said, the idea completely repulsive to him "I'd never hurt Usagi! I think you ought to leave, now"
Harper got up to his feet and walked towards the prince despite his throbbing head "Are you jealous or something? I was only going to kiss her, not like you have any right to interfere"
Usagi bit back a slight laugh, Harper had a point, whomever kissed her was none of Nuada's business... as much as she wanted it to be.

Harper groaned and reached up for his head "Ugh, my head. Usagi, we should go back now. I am so sorry this night was ruined for you"
"We can still salvage it" Usagi said sweetly, she wished she could feel more attracted to the sweet man, but Nuada's presence so close was making it hard.
She looked to Nuada, her expression softer now "I appreciate what you tried to do, but I know Harper very well. I'm safe, really"

"You don't owe him anything, Usa" Harper said in a half groan as he reached for Usagi's hand, there was a hint of jealousy in his voice from how Usagi looked at the elf "Let's go"

[Loki]

Nuada scoffed at the man’s accusation of jealousy. “It will be a cold day in Hell before I’m ever jealous of a human. Though you should find yourself fortunate because had that been the case I would have filleted you where you stand. And you…” He said turning his gaze towards Usagi, “You’re being awfully careless venturing into such a secluded area knowing full well that you’re a marked woman. Have you even bothered to check if he was armed before allowing him to move in so close to you?” It did not go unnoticed with how quickly Harper changed the subject away from that particular topic by playing up his injury and insisting they leave. The prince glared suspiciously at him, knowing how humans were prone to evasion tactics when their lies are not as airtight as they had hoped.

The way Harper’s tone became more assertive to lead the Princess away when she tried to speak to him longer was yet another slip in composure. He was in a hurry and now had to contend with a witness who was not only aware of his treachery, but in a position to defend himself and even circumvent the attempt. “I think not.” Unada said as the man turned to lead his target away from the safety he offered. With neigh imperceptible slashes of his spear, the keen edge of the blade sliced Harper’s jacket from the nape of the collar to the bottommost hem with all the precision of a surgeon while managing to entirely avoid cutting anything that wasn’t the jacket itself. With its integrity compromised, the heavy cloth parted in two pieces that slid down his arms to reveal what was hidden beneath.

A devious grin spread across the Prince’s lips as he found exactly what he had suspected, a murder weapon riding at the man’s hip. “Exactly as I thought!” He said before slicing his weapon through the air once more with the same masterful control that severed the thick leather gunbelt as though it had been made of cheese cloth. Before the accessory and weapon could fall to the ground, he carried through with his swing to bring the butt of his spear around to catch the belt in mid air. From there he flung it several feet behind him where the only way he’d be able to reach it was by going through the elf who braced his spear with the point directed harshly at Harper. “Do you always attempt to seduce women while armed or did I give you even less time than your predecessor to draw it on her? After all, if it were safe enough to take the Princess out of the place that is supposedly secure without telling anybody and bringing her to such a secluded location, then certainly you wouldn’t need your firearm, agent.”

[Lamenting_Quill]

“Do you always attempt to seduce women while armed or did I give you even less time than your predecessor to draw it on her? After all, if it were safe enough to take the Princess out of the place that is supposedly secure without telling anybody and bringing her to such a secluded location, then certainly you wouldn’t need your firearm, agent.”

The agent was frustrated enough after having his jacket cut in half, the notion that he would ever draw a gun on sweet Usagi was infuriating.
Though it was obvious that the prince could easily cut him into ribbons before he even knew what was going on, so it would not be a wise decision to instigate a physical fight with him.
"Look" Harper said, trying to keep his temper down "It's obvious you care about Usagi's welfare as much as I do, I only wanted to make her happy. She was cooped up and miserable, she loves the outdoors. Just let me take her back inside now, Agent Hellboy will kick my ass if he knew about all this"

Usagi grimaced at that thought, it was true that her dad would be quite upset that she had left the compound at such a perilous time for her.
"Nuada, all the agents are required to be armed at all times" Usagi explained gently "I am sure the gun Harper carried would have only been used to protect me from any would-be attackers"
She turned to Harper and smiled "Harper, go on inside without me. I am sure Prince Nuada will escort me to the compound... and please Harper, do not sound any alarms"

She meant it when she told him not to sound off any alarms on Nuada and it was obvious he could tell she did, he seemed a little disappointed that she would send him away. It was for his own good though and he would see that when he was able to keep all his limbs.
"Usagi, I don't think..." Harper began, but Usagi cut him off.
"Harper, do as I say" Usagi said, her expression serious "The prince will not hurt me. He will however, hurt you. So go inside and wait for me, please"

With a sigh of pure frustration, Harper turned and walked away to head back inside the garden entrance from where they had left.
When he was gone, Usagi turned back to Nuada "He's gone now, happy?"
She wanted to be angry with Nuada over what he'd done, but found it actually quite difficult to remain upset with the prince "Thank you for trying to protect me, but you really don't have to"

She reached up and gave his cheek a gentle caress, his skin felt even more wonderful than she imagined.
"Would you mind walking me to the gate?" Usagi asked, extending a hand for one of his own.

[Loki]

"Nuada, all the agents are required to be armed at all times. I am sure the gun Harper carried would have only been used to protect me from any would-be attackers." A bitterly smug grin spread across Nuada's lips at that assumption. "You mean like the agent in the van, Princess? Oh yes, he definitely wielded that pistol with your well being in mind." As Usagi urged Harper to return to headquarters, he simply stared at him with a level look. Only when she mentioned his willingness to hurt the agent did a devious smile slowly form on his face. An expression that only faded when the agent was out of sight and Usagi once again started talking to him.

"You trust them too easily you know. You're clearly in no position to protect yourself. If-" Nuada's train of thought was derailed when he felt her hand caress the side of his face. It was certainly something he enjoyed, but the cynic inside of him was only able to quirk an inquisitive eyebrow as to what would inspire her to do so. "Would you mind walking me to the gate?" Nuada's eyes flicked down to see her extended hand and regarded it for a moment. He was having a particularly difficult time figuring out this woman and what motivated her. What's more was that he was having an even more difficult time figuring out why he was so intent on keeping her safe. Warily, he reached out and slid his hand into hers and felt the exceptional warmth of her skin against his. Not too surprising considering her parents. "It only stands to reason since I'm the only real competent guardian in your retinue. Though you'd be much safer and more accepted if you lived among your own kind. I just wonder how many more attempts need to be made on your safety before you'll be pleading to live with me underground." He was not referring to living with him specifically, rather living underground in general. Of course it would be easy to misconstrue his words.

[Lamenting_Quill]

"You trust them too easily you know. You're clearly in no position to protect yourself. If-"
He seemed to caught off guard by her touching his cheek, though it didn't seem to be an unpleasant sort of surprised. She was quite happy when he seemed to accept her request and took her offered hand.
"It only stands to reason since I'm the only real competent guardian in your retinue. Though you'd be much safer and more accepted if you lived among your own kind. I just wonder how many more attempts need to be made on your safety before you'll be pleading to live with me underground.

Usagi smiled when he spoke of himself as her only competent guardian, which implied a continued presence in her life. She honestly wasn't sure if that was a bad thing or not.
"I suppose that in some ways I am a little too trusting and maybe a little naive" Usagi smiled and looked over at him as they walked "No comments please, but anyway, I know there is good in this world and in humanity. There are those that will take the wrong path and darken the outlook others may have on humanity as a whole, but there other many whom carry inside them a beautiful light. I fight for that light, for that warm love that resides in so many"

They were nearing the back entrance now into the garden and Usagi actually felt herself kind of sad about having to say goodbye to the fair skinned prince.
"I know it looks bleak" Usagi continued "I know that. I just cannot give up, not yet. I know there are people in this world worth fighting for. It is true that they may never be able to accept me due to ignorance taught to them from birth, but I forgive them for that. They know nothing else, it has been drilled into them. Someday though... I am confident that someday, things will change"

She turned to look at him with a sweet and warm smile that reached all the way down to the shining warm light inside her that her who she was.
When they reached the gate, Usagi turned to face Nuada with an inviting smile "Um, your welcome to come into the garden and walk me to the door if you want to, I don't mind"
Usagi turned the keypad on the outside of the gate and punched in the code belonging to herself and her folks, when she heard the beep she pushed the gate open.
She looked back at Nuada with a playful smile before she withdrew her hand from his and walked inside the gate, she slowed her pace so he could follow her.

When Usagi turned her golden eyes towards the door leading into the compound, the entrance was blocked by Harper and four other agents.
"Harper! I told you not to radio any agents, Nuada is not a threat!" Usagi chided, though her heart sank to her stomach when the other agents gave her a cold smile. Something was not right.
"It didn't have to be like this, Usagi" Harper said, his former shyness ancient history "It still doesn't, our boss wants you to join us. I convinced him that killing you was not necessary, that your magical talent could be of use. All you have to do is say yes"
Usagi was utterly horrified, she couldn't believe that sweet shy Harper could betray her like this "Harper... you... your one of them?"

Harper shrugged and then smiled at Usagi, completely ignoring Nuada "I really do care for you, Usagi, that's why I convinced my boss to let you live. Just say yes, Usagi, then we can be together"
"Bastard" Usagi said, backing away with tears in her eyes "I trusted you, I looked at you like someone I could love... everything I ever thought I knew about you... was a lie"
"No, Usagi" Harper said, taking steps closer to Usagi "I was always myself with you, I want you. I have always wanted you"

Usagi shook her head as a few tears trickled down her cheek "You are a liar and a traitor. You can go to hell"
Harper frowned darkly as Usagi and then glared at Nuada "I blame this mostly on you, you showed up and played hero, making Usagi develop a crush on you. She could have been happy with me, I could have made her happy"
Harper backed up to stand just a little behind the other four men, all of them wielding guns "Shoot them both"

[Loki]

Nuada listened with a grim look on his face as he listened to Usagi’s foolish trust and regard for humanity. Her youth shown clearly in her words, not yet tarnished by the realities of the world and the scale of humanity’s malevolence. All he could do was shake his head in reproof of the futility in her hope for a brighter future with humanity. “I’ve watched humanity and waited for millennia. They are as true to their acts of betrayal as they ever were. Perhaps even more so now that their technology gives them far greater potential for abuse. Heed my words, Princess, the only thing that awaits those who put trust in humans is regret and remorse. If you are not wary, it will be your undoing. The day will come where you are either as jaded by humanity’s treacherous ways or be killed by them.”

The warm jovial elation in her face when the Prince looked upon her stood in stark contrast to his dour features that almost seemed indelibly etched into his demeanor. He considered her invitation to walk her to the door of her supposed stronghold. It was safe for him to assume that her parents would turn their hand against him for his actions in his previous life. Perhaps not kill him since his sister’s life was tied to his own, but he refused to allow himself to be incarcerated. And yet, despite all that logic to go against it, Nuada follow anyways and had no idea why.

He came to a halt just a pace ahead of Usagi as Harper and a handful of other agents blocked their path. She may not have seen it, but he did and as the two talked Nuada’s hands casually moved to the small of his back just under the red sash at his waist. One hand retrieved his spear from where he had stored it while the other removed two small blades only halfway from its concealed sheath. All the while his expression remained entirely neutral. Only when she labeled the man as a traitor did his head turn to glance at her from over his shoulder with a rather smug grin that wordlessly said ‘I warned you.’ He could practically feel it when Harper’s scorn was directed upon him and Nuada returned his gaze forward, his grin becoming more of a devious smile.

Harper had only gotten so far as saying ‘Shoot’ when the elven prince’s hand moved in a blur from behind his back casting two objects that flashed briefly in the artificial light as they soared across the short distance between them. Before they had even gotten the command to engage, two of the four thugs fell to the ground choking wetly with a throwing dagger buried to the hilt in their throats allowing their lifeblood to spill freely from their body. The sight caused the third man in the line to flinch as he looked at the fate that befell his comrades leaving only the fourth to open fire. Nuada sprinted to the side away from Usagi to prevent errant bullets from striking her while avoiding the rounds himself. As he did so, he flicked his spear to the side to snap it into full extension before rounding his strafe into a charge towards the gunman.

Before he could bring the muzzle to bear on the elf, Nuada planted the butt of his spear into the earth and allowed the haft to bend as his weight fell into it. At the last moment, he leapt and the energy stored in the shaft of his weapon sprung back upon him causing him to vault a few feet higher than he otherwise would have been able to achieve. So used to firing in a plane, the gunman’s shooting became wild as he was suddenly having to adjust for firing upward as the man who spun in an almost lazy arch towards him. In the short time it took Nuada to complete his axial spin and fall to the ground, he managed to reorient his grip upon his weapon and sweep it downward in a powerful arch just before his feet planted upon the earth. The masterful maneuver had put him just within range of his spear’s reach and the razor sharp edge bit deep into the man cutting him open from throat to groin. Gore and worse spilled out from the wound, but Nuada didn’t wait for him to fall before following up with a second attack aimed at the remaining gunman who was stunned for a crucial instant as he struggled to comprehend how quickly his companions were falling. Instead of stopping the downward motion of his spear, Nuada redirected the momentum laterally to spin him around once with all the grace of a dancer before whipping the scalpel edge to flick across his neck with all the resistance of open air. An instant later, he dropped his weapon and began swatting at the tide of crimson that flowed out of the wound as though he could simply wipe away the injury in his last few seconds of life.

Still, his motion didn’t stop so much as flow seamlessly into the next as his spin transitioned into an acrobatic flip towards Harper before ending in a powerful lunge that forced the man back a few paces as Nuada buried the entirety of the blade into the man’s solar plexus. He let out an abrupt gasp as the air was knocked free from his lungs, his balance beginning to waver as Nuada drew himself close enough to whisper in the dying man’s ear. “Unlike the Princess, I saw straight through your lies the entire time. She was even kind enough to give you fair warning of what would happen if you crossed me. Though, I feel I must thank you for proving the merit of advice to her. Your betrayal had done something that words alone might never have achieved.”

With a savage twist of his arm, Nuada wrenched the blade within Harper’s wound making it that much larger before jerking it free. He stepped back a few paces to let the man fall to his knees then to his side before sweeping his weapon through the open air to clear the blood from its tip looking down while the life drained from the human at his feet. Nuada had killed five men in just as many seconds and he couldn't help but feel a sense of elation by doing so as a faint satisfied smile traced the corners of his lips.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Usagi feel to her knees in her grief after all the blood shed had finished, she had before retreated back towards the line of trees by the fence.
She felt so hurt and so betrayed, it made her wonder if there was anyone in this world capable of loving her without wanting something huge in return first.

She looked up when she heard the doors of the compound opening and out came her brother, thankfully Aiden was alone.
He looked to Nuada as if he was about to accuse him of a wrong, but Usagi quickly interrupted before a mistake could be made "Aiden! Nuada saved me, Harper was with the men that wanted to hurt me. The other agents here dead were under Harper's command, they were going to shoot me. If Nuada had not come, I would be dead now. Do not judge him wrongfully or I will not forgive you!"

Aiden was taken aback by his sister's explanation, though a bit more so by her defending of Prince Nuada. She meant it when she said she would not forgive him if he did anything to Nuada, that much Aiden could see.
"I... I won't... Usagi, come here" Aiden said "Please, I need to see for myself that you are alright, call it a brother's worry"
He was relieved when Usagi got up and came to him, though it seemed her legs were still a little jelly-like from the terror she had just witnessed and endured.

Looking her over, Aiden concluded that she sustained no injuries and for that he was so grateful. He looked warily to Prince Nuada, obviously at war with his thoughts.
"I know we should be enemies, but....." Aiden began, hesitant at first but overcame it "My sister means everything to me, I cannot hate someone who kept her from being taken from those who love her"
"Aiden" Usagi said "I really think this is all much bigger than we ever thought it was, the BRPD is not safe anymore. We have no idea how many have infiltrated the staff, there could be more impersonators than we thought. I really think I should disappear for awhile until this is all resolved"

Aiden nodded "What do you suggest then, we could always send you to Alaska, dad and mom have a friend there"
Usagi smiled at her brother and shook her head "I was actually thinking that I should go away with Prince Nuada for awhile, they were never find me with him and if they did, I would be perfectly safe with Nuada around. The only problem is......"
"Mom and dad" Aiden finished for her "Yea... I have reservations about this Usagi, but I will admit that your reasons for it are sound and wise. I don't know how we'll convince them to go through with this"

"We give them no choice" Usagi replied "I will leave with Nuada now and you will tell them in the morning what I decided to do and what happened here tonight. Make sure they know I went of my own free will"
Aiden sighed, he really did not want to be the one to have to tell their parents this news, but there was little other choice.
"Fine, but Usagi... be safe" Aiden said, drawing Usagi in for a huge before releasing her and then looking at Nuada "I place my sister's life in your hands now for the time being, I trust you will bring her home when the time is right"

[Loki]

"I know we should be enemies, but.....”

Nuada shook his head at Aiden as a professor would a student who had failed to grasp what should be a simple concept. “That’s where you’re wrong. We should be allies, but you choose to align yourself with the humans who use you as a disposable shield to protect their own interests.” He then waved a hand demonstratively to the fallen people around them. “And this is how they repay you.”

It had taken him by surprise when Usagi suggested that she return to his protective custody despite how adamantly she was against it before. Though the expression never shown on his face and he simply turned his head only slightly in her direction, just enough to watch her at the extreme of his peripheries. His expression remained stoic and emotionless. Aiden’s comment about bringing her home directed his same level gaze away from his sister to meet his squarely. “I suspect that our definitions of when that time is differs greatly. If it were left to me, such a thing would only happen once you and your family purged every living human from this complex and anything within a mile radius. Though I don’t really foresee your dedication to protecting you and yours to be as steadfast as mine.”

The elven prince then shrugged casually. “But as it stands, I’m running low on the number of secure safe houses I have left at my disposal. It would do me no favors to have them discovered as the last one had been. So as long as you keep my sister from tracking us down again…” Nuada reached to the ornate bracelet that created a band of leafy ivy wrought of white gold around his wrist and plucked off one of the fine leaves as though it was from a branch itself. He offered the charm to Aiden and placed it in his palm. “All you need to do is crush that leaf and I will know you wish your sister to be returned. Expect a few days to pass before seeing any results, for I will need to see with my own eyes that returning her won’t put her back into harm’s way.”

With the exchange and terms settled, Nuada moved closer to Usagi’s side and held her hand while his other reached into a pocket and withdrew a small tile with a rune inscribed upon its surface. As comparatively young and unfamiliar with the ancient mystic arts as they were, only he would see the character as the recall spell magically worked into the wondrous item. “Remember, don’t come looking for us. The moment you find out where we’re hiding, it’s likely those who wish to do your sister harm would be quick to learn of her whereabouts shortly thereafter.”

With that reminder, he broke the tile in his fingers and the two were transported in a disorientating blur of motion lasting a few moments. Once the world around them began to congeal into clarity, they stood in a large room adorned in more elegant elven décor. This side was much more cozy than the last, the space seemingly to be a den of sorts that had a handful of doors leading to other rooms. The cool air of the space, despite the low burning fireplace, suggested they were underground once more even if it could be anywhere. “Here we are princess, you’re new safe haven. Feel free to walk around and familiarize yourself with the place, for there’s no telling how long we’ll be here. You’ll find no locked doors, though that’s largely in part due to the fact that this place is only accessible through magical means and you’ll find no door leading to the outside world.”

[Lamenting_Quill]

In the haze of being taken to another place, Usagi had turned and clung to Prince Nuada's waist until everything was clear and she could see where they were.

“Here we are princess, you’re new safe haven. Feel free to walk around and familiarize yourself with the place, for there’s no telling how long we’ll be here. You’ll find no locked doors, though that’s largely in part due to the fact that this place is only accessible through magical means and you’ll find no door leading to the outside world.”

It seemed almost like a small elven palace, it was lovely with elegant elven desgins etched into the walls with gold. They stood now in what seemed to be an elven styled parlor, there was a table and a few comfortable looking chairs around it "It's beautiful, I think I will like it here. I appreciate all of this, Nuada, I really do"

She turned to face him with a genuinely warm smile, the gentle purity of her soul meeting her golden eyes.
"Would you show me around?" She asked eagerly, reaching for his hand "You know this place better than I do and please, call me Usagi. I don't really see myself as a princess"
Usagi knew that she technically was indeed a princess, but that wasn't how she saw it, she was just Usagi. Plain ole Usagi.
This was also a grand opportunity to get to know Prince Nuada better, perhaps become friends. She liked the idea of a friend.

She needed to distraction too, she was feeling rather down about her love life. Usagi wondered if it was truly possible at all for someone to genuinely want her with no strings attached, she was starting to wonder if she was just an unattractive freak after all.
Finding love was starting to seem rather bleak to Usagi, there wasn't many whom would look her and actually want to know her. It wasn't like she, a half demon, could just go out and meet regular average joes in hopes of a date being the result.
Usagi wasn't going to let Nuada realize her current thoughts though, she didn't want him to worry or think her foolish for even caring about love at all, but she did. She wanted to be happy, she wanted to be safe in the arms of a man she could love for the rest of her life.

All of that was seeming hopeless now, she was truly considering that once this was all over she would just focus on her arcane studies from that point on. Give up on the foolish notion she could ever find someone to love her.

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