I couldn’t help but feel some measure of reward was needed to commemorate our efforts. Thinking it senseless to reach behind myself and properly pat my own back, I settled for Tuwar’s burly behind instead. Flinching on contact, Tuwar ground his teeth and knocked away my hand in a show of unbridled displeasure. “Will you quit messing around? We need to review our plan before we reach the city's guard post!”, he said, his usual impatience evident.

Flicking the strands of hair from the corner of my eye I chuckled. “Settle down already, I have it under control”.

Reaching into the pouch kept tucked beneath my woolen dress, I took out a silver ring with our tribal language forged along the sides.

“That again?” Tuwar’s brow lifted, curiously.

“Indeed,” I placed the ring onto its respective finger and watched as the path of insertion shrunk to accommodate my wearing it. The calligraphic indentions started glowing and I could feel the radiating aura of shimmering blue encompass my hand like mittens.

Taking a deep breath, I applied a steady flow of force from my body into the ring.

The iridescent light grew brighter and the grip around my finger tightened, cutting away my blood flow. Recalling the dozens of homeland books about the anatomy of the human body, an idea had struck me. Unlike us, it comprises 70% water; the remaining 30% a mixture of various miscellaneous elements. So what would happen if a large chunk of that water was siphoned out?

I watched as my once bright-silky skin started shifting to a sickly shade of tan. My cheeks sank inward and my lips developed a white-like crust. I then relaxed the output of force and the declining bloom of my appearance came to a halt.

“This should be enough, right?” I outstretched my arms in a showy gesture.

“Hmm” Tuwar mulled it over. “Except, the dead do not smell of rosemary and sea salt. We should find some animal droppings to make your unkempt smell a bit more...pungent” he surveyed the area around us.

Giving him a look of doubt, I wondered for a moment if this was just his attempt at trying to be funny so I played along. “You may be onto something brother. But, we’ll need enough for the both of us, since it would seem odd if my escort returned unscathed and….unscented” I added, letting my smirk slowly unveil.

“Not so, sister” he tugged at the collar of his cloak. “I’ll cover you in this. That way, you can hunch over under the pretense of being cold.

“In 80 degree heat?” I placed my hand above my forehead.

“You ‘caught’ a cold then”.

Sighing, I turned my attention back to the mass of civilization before us. “You need not worry about such things. No one would dare be so trivial under these circumstances”.

“I suppose you’re right” Tuwar began unfastening his cloak. “But, do you really think our disguises will work?”

“Of course, I never indulge risk without sure gain” I reached out to receive it. “Besides, we need only abide by the intel given to us by our new ‘friend’ and let my brilliant acting skills do the rest”.

Scoffing, Tuwar gave an unaffirmative nod. “That's assuming that what our new ‘friend’ said was the truth”.

“Even if it wasn’t” I showed an iniquitous smile.”It'll be the same outcome, just a messier process”!

Tuwar shrugged tiredly. “For me you mean”.

….

A narrow path overlooking a vast, mist-cloaked valley leads us to one of the city’s entrances. At first scorching, but now soothing was the remainder of our journey as blooming cherry blossom trees stretched from the highest point of the mountain, providing an adequate shade to help us cruise along comfortably. Or once comfortably as a slight splintering noise caused me to flinch backward in terror..

“Ahh!”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It didn't help that Tuwar simply strolled ahead of me, never looking back so much as once to ensure my safety.

“Some escort you are!” I grumbled aloud.

The entrance was well hidden, being camouflaged behind the drop point of a waterfall, making it indistinguishable from the rest of the cliff side. As we approached, we quickly gained the attention of the two guards standing stiffly on each side. Their piercing emerald eyes zeroed in on Tuwar and for a moment, I saw a slight squint of distaste coming from the man on our left.

“Go on ahead” I decided to distance myself as a test of sorts, tugging my woolen cloak overhead while I waited behind the curb of the mountain.

The one closest to us, a red haired woman garbed in bronze armor, merely heaved a sigh as she stared at Tuwar. Her spear, a long pole with a hook shaped blade, was leveled at her waist and a tinge of green light radiated along the edges of its tip. She stepped forward, reaching out to him with her remaining arm.

“Where the hell have you been?!” She squeezed him tightly. “The king was moments away from issuing a search for you, Haru!”

Haru was the name of the appearance my brother had stolen. It made sense why they were so relieved to see him, considering how he had been missing since last night when we lured him to the shore.

“My apologies” Tuwar gave a nervous bow. “Something rather urgent came up and..”!

“Hmm?” The guard woman’s brow lifted curiously at Tuwar’s words. “My apologies, is it?” She doubtfully repeated. “Well, knowing you, there must be some grand excuse to make up for missing the official meeting this morning and for your sake I—“

“—Something urgent? Yeah, I bet!” The second guard, a tall and lean man with plain black hair, cut in. “How many times has it been now? Tens? Dozens?” He held his fingers out, but kept his eyes locked with Tuwar’s. “When’re you gonna grow up, Haru?”

The guard woman looked back cautiously at her companion whose voice had begun to ring aloud. “Daiki!” She attempted to quell his fury, but he relented, swatting her hand away as he took her place at eye level with Tuwar.

“Your majesty’s words were made abundantly clear. In lieu of such unspoken events..” He took a second to grunt in displeasure. “ ..you, nor anyone for that matter, is permitted to leave Picea city. Isn't that right”?

Tuwar looked away shamefully. A trait unbecoming of his prideful nature, but one perfectly suited for the boy Haru’s. “I know that!” he mustered frigidly. “But—“!

It was cute how his act included that of an actual frail tone and a strained attempt to meet the man’s eyes.

“But? But, what?” Daiki pressed him. “Oh, don’t tell me it’s true?” He chuckled derisively, causing The woman beside him to cut in.

“What are you talking about, Daiki? What’s true?” She looked genuinely lost as her partner struggled to contain more of his shameless laughter.

“Oh Tsuna, haven’t you heard?” He mused. “Haru over here has been meeting with someone—a woman in fact!” Daiki smiled widely.

“A-A woman?” Tsuna expressed a look of confusion at Daiki’s reveal. “Is that true?”

“Oh, yes!” Daiki continued. “It seems our royal aid has finally found someone to match his youthful obscurity and word is, they met at the shore”!

So he told someone after all? I took note of this while patiently gathering myself behind the curve of the cliff. I was certain that after he returned several times following our initial meeting, that it was no use assuming that he had made my presence at the beach known. But, looking back at what my anonymous tip had told me, it was quite uncommon for the words of the boy to be taken seriously.

“So, how is our mysterious maiden?” He leaned forward in a light jeer, hoping to provoke a reaction from Tuwar. “Will she be coming to visit sometime, or are your meetings some illicit secret?”

Tsuna rolled her eyes at Daiki who would not relent, despite her continuous warning. Tuwar, however, remained silent.

“I suppose we can no longer mock you for your lack of masculine charm? No sir, we can’t,” He walked in circles, pondering another humorous remark to shoot at my stone-faced brother. “Before, we called you, “lady killer”, but not in the way one might enjoy being called”.

“Ohh, I know” his eyes lit up. How about, ‘sea-man ’?” He joked, clasping the area of his groin. “Fitting isn’t it? seeing as your first experience was—“

Daiki’s chatter was cut short as the excitement fueling his words dampened, replacing it with wide eyes and baffling disbelief. Tsuna , sensing my presence instantly, tilted her head confusingly at my sudden appearance from behind the curb of the cliff. Her counterpart, by no surprise, was the first to speak out.

“Holy crap, she’s real!” He pointed, shifting his gaze between Tuwar and I.

”Tsuna, look!” Daiki froze for a moment, taking in the fierce look on Tsuna’s face.

“Can I help you?!” She glared, lifting the pointed end of her staff toward my chest. “State your name, immediately”!

“H-Haru, you idiot—” Daiki stuttered, attempting to recollect himself. “—Don’t tell me you brought an enemy wench back with you?”

“Enemy?” Tuwar paused before shifting his attention to me. “No, she’s—“!

Raising a hand, I beckoned for Tuwar to stop.

“What my meek-minded servant is trying to say is…” I lifted the tattered hood from the top of my head, strolling weakly toward the two guards.

“…your princess has returned”.