Chapter Text
“Hawks.
With the second disappearance of King Enji Todoroki’s children, we implore you to find the culprit and recover His Majesty’s missing sons, Shoto and Natsuo. Likewise, it would be wise if you keep close watch over His Majesty’s daughter, Fuyumi, currently in a village west of the Musutafu Capital. As the only remaining child, she will likely be taken next.
Find the perpetrator. This is your last chance.
The Council.”
Hawks folded the letter again before it could get completely soggy and tucked it back into his coat. As the rain picked up and prattled onto the shingles of the tiny house, his knuckles rasped on the door a few times.
A moment later, the door cracked open. The light from some candles within stood out amidst the drab, gray aura of the town outside. “May I help you?” the woman behind the door asked. She had white hair sprinkled with a familiar red: the same red that belonged to the king whom Hawks had served all his life.
Though no mission had been as important as this.
“Princess,” Hawks started, though didn’t miss the way the woman’s eyes blinked away at the title. Denial? Embarrassment? Shame? Hawks’ observation skills rushed to read the woman without a second thought. With eyes as keen as his, it was just second nature.
He continued, “I’m here at the request of His Majesty, Enji Todoroki and the capital’s council. Your life could be in danger, so I’m here to protect you.”
Make her feel safe. Make her trust you, Hawks told himself. While his orders put the capture of the kidnapper above this woman’s safety, Hawks wasn’t heartless. Calculative, but not that cold. Some may say manipulative, but Hawks didn’t let that get to him. Everything he did was for the greater good of the kingdom. The greater good in this case was to catch the kidnapper, recover the missing princes, and keep the princess out of danger.
Hawks was going to make sure he accomplished all of those goals. Otherwise, his reputation as the King’s greatest champion would mean nothing.
“Make yourself at home,” the princess said and led the man inside before rushing to the kettle on the stove across the room. “I’ll make us some tea.”
“That would be great, thank you.” Hawks replied, a grin split across his face now that he was out of the rain. Looking around the room, the place was cozy. There were piles of books across the nook and table, spilling over the shelves against one wall. A small flame cracked and popped in the fireplace in one corner; the only sound outside of the princess herself within the house.
Fuyumi lived alone in some smaller, quiet village. From the information Hawks had gathered, he knew she had spent the last few years moving around to different villages within the sovereign, teaching the lower-class locals how to read and write. It was an honorable act; a charity that lived up to her reputation among those back at the palace. Though this was Hawks’ first encounter with the woman, he already had an idea of what a gentle soul she was.
The type of person who would easily be swept away by whatever darkness was after the family.
“My father said someone would be coming after Natsu disappeared,” Fuyumi said. She poured a cup of tea for them both and sat with Hawks at what little room there was on her table between her collection of novels. There were even books under the table’s feet, though that was likely because the table itself was the issue. After a long, quiet sip, she stared down at the cup between her hands and said, “I didn’t think it would be his prized champion.”
Hawks perked up, face glowing at the mention. “I’m flattered you know who I am. Though I should probably introduce myself properly, right? You may call me Hawks, Princess.” Hawks bowed slightly forward, as much as the room between his seat and the table would allow, then fiddled with the handle on his teacup.
“Please, call me Fuyumi. I much prefer it over my title, anyway.” Fuyumi corrected. A troubled look took over her expression shortly after. “You’re a war hero, correct Hawks?” she asked.
“I wouldn’t call myself a hero per se…”
“My father would.” Fuyumi interjected, “So would the council. You’ve accomplished a lot for my Father and this kingdom. You’re an incredible warrior and strategist from what I hear, and—”
“I’m sorry, Prin—Fuyumi,” Hawks cut in, waving a hand in front of him, “Not that I don’t enjoy all the compliments, but…”
The princess pushed a lock of fine, white hair behind her ear, eyes darting to the pile of books beside them both. She said, “If my father sent you to protect me, then it must be something terrible that’s coming for me.” The woman bit her lip. “Which means whatever happened to my brothers… with all their sense and strength, they couldn’t stop it and now they’re—” A small, quiet whimper threatened to escape her lips until she stopped short to breathe. Cupping a hand over her mouth, she shut her eyes and relaxed as best she could. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried for them.”
Natsuo and Shoto Todoroki, both princes spirited away with each full moon. Hawks had only ever met Shoto briefly during war room meetings, when Enji insisted the boy listen in and learn from the experience. He was a destine king; trained to utilize his natural sense of wit and cunning along with his refined swordsmanship skills. Had the boy not been kidnapped, the king would’ve likely had him train against Hawks next. Instead, Hawks had spent the last two months investigating the disappearance of both princes; going from town to town, villager to villager inquiring into what exactly happened. From what little evidence he had collected, Hawks had a hunch that this was all the doing of magic.
Though, letting Fuyumi know that detail would only worry her more. When he wasn’t called to the battlefield by the king, Hawks was responsible for dealing with illegal use of magic throughout the kingdom at the council’s behest. Aside from those who worked directly under the king or the royal family themselves, magic was forbidden across the land. Such hubris bred wicked things, as the council had always reminded him. Yet, that didn’t stop them from teaching him to use magic. Where Shoto showed promise for dabbling into magic, Hawks was a prodigy.
Hawks leaned forward and took her free hand into his, warming her icy fingers within the security of his palms. “It’s fine,” Hawks said, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. And then I’m going to find your brothers and bring them back. On my honor.”
“If only…” Fuyumi trailed off, a wish lost on her lips as she became quiet. She slipped her hand from Hawks’ and stood to feed the fire more kindling instead. As she stood before the flames, arms crossed in disquietude, she spoke in what was nearly a whisper, “Do you like stories, Hawks?”
Pushing his cold tea aside, Hawks leaned back in his chair and answered, “It depends. I don’t read often enough if I’m honest.”
“But you’ve heard some fairy tales before, haven’t you?”
“Hasn’t everyone?”
Hawks caught the hint of a smile gracing Fuyumi’s lips at his comment. He wasn’t sure where she was going with this, but if it meant she was comfortable and felt safe, then that would only prove beneficial to them all. Taking down this villain of sorts would not be an easy task if he had to deal with a panicked princess as well.
Fuyumi watched the fire before her. “I love stories myself, as you can likely tell. My mother would always read me fairy tales when I couldn’t sleep. Those nights when…” she paused, then shook her head, “Nothing, that’s not important anymore.” The fire crackled before she continued, “Natsu and Shoto were probably too young to remember. They would just think I was repeating one of Mother’s fairy tales if I told them.”
“Told them what?” Hawks asked.
“About what happened ten years ago.” Fuyumi replied. Fingers wrapped tightly around her arms, she turned and faced Hawks again. There was a nervous look in her expression as she said, “This curse… I think it’s happening because—”
A crash through the window caught their immediate attention. Hawks sprang to his feet, hand reaching for the sword hidden beneath his cape. The wind howled through the hole, raindrops falling onto some of the books and knick-knacks stacked beneath the window. Broken glass remained scattered on the ground, though there was no sign of what broke the window. Cautious, Hawks approached the door beside the scene. Whoever had broken the window had to have done it with their own weapon, which meant they were likely still outside.
“Fuyumi, stay close to me,” Hawks said. He began to unsheathe his sword when a wind snuffed out the fire in the pit behind him, along with any other candles in the room. Everything went dark in an instant and by the time Hawks had looked back, the princess was gone.
All that remained was a shoe within the ashes of the fireplace.
Hawks picked the shoe up briefly, then eyed up the chute. “You’re kidding…” He grumbled to himself before rushing out of the house. The rain hadn’t let up since he was last outside—in fact, it was much worse now— but he couldn’t stop. Scanning the roofs above, Hawks spotted a shadow moving across each house. Slamming the sword back into its scabbard, he ran after the figure from the ground.
When the kidnapper jumped between buildings, Hawks cut through the tightest alleyways; when he disappeared behind steeples and spires, Hawks changed course to track him again; and when the figure finally spotted Hawks chasing after him, Hawks yelled out, “Stop right there! Hand over the princess!”
The shadow stopped short at the end of a building, just before the town reached the edge of a forest . Hawks on the other hand showed no hesitation. In an instant he made his way to the top of the building, dragging both spadroons out and rushing at the cloaked figure.
Hawks’ first swing was blocked by the man’s arm, protected by some sort of armor, and the second dodged. “You used magic to take her didn’t you?” Hawks yelled over the rain. This was bad. The mysterious cloaked man seemed to be capable of going toe-to-toe with him. Not like the rain or stage was doing Hawks any favors, either. Still, if the man had used magic to spirit the princess away, then he would need to persuade the figure to undo it with another spell.
The best persuasion, of course, being through overwhelming force.
Hawks swung again, his dual blades barely missing its target until finally, Hawks had pushed the man into a corner. The cloaked man stumbled on the edge of the roof, leaving Hawks with an opening. Going in for a final strike, Hawks was surprised by a flash of blue and a wave of heat directed at him. The burst of flames sent Hawks flying onto his back, his swords clanging as they fell from his hands and slid out of range with the rain. Before he could reach over, the figure was standing above him, blue fire nestled in his palms despite the downpour.
That color and unnatural resistance only confirmed his suspicions: the man was using magic.
“What do you want with His Majesty’s children?” Hawks asked. If he was going to be burned to death, he might as well seek out the truth in his last moments.
The man’s face was obscured from Hawks’ view by the hood he had flipped over his head. Though, a bright, blue glow from the man’s eyes while his spell was at work made his piercing gaze clear.
To Hawks’ surprise, no attack came. No swift merciful death, nor gruesome murder left in the man’s wake. Instead, the figure dropped his arms, flames gone in an instant, and said, “I want to help them.”
Hawks stared up at the man, confused by the statement. Though before he could ask any questions, the man turned and jumped from the roof. Unfortunately for him, Hawks was a fast-thinker. He quickly pulled himself together and dug out a dagger strapped to his leg. In an instant and with incredible precision, the dagger had pierced through the man’s hood into a nearby wall as he was descending to the ground. Caught in midair with nowhere to go, the man desperately tried to pull out the dagger as he hung by his cloak, to no avail.
“What the hell… let me go!” The man scowled and yelled out toward Hawks.
Gathering his swords and jumping down to the man’s level, Hawks pushed a slab of wet hair back and sighed in relief.
“Now, ready to tell me what you want with His Majesty’s children?”