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The bustle of a tavern just outside the capital of Taycia churned around Silas.

The now Holy General sat in a corner, out of uniform, clasping a mug of ale he did not attempt to stake a swig of. The drink was more a prop to look more natural in his surroundings as he waits for his acquaintance to join him.

Silas had been on edge for the past month and a half waiting to hear back from his old friend and trying to formulate a plan.

He eyed the door like it was about to run away, he had been here for over an hour waiting, and growing rather annoyed.

A soft tap on his shoulder caused his attention switch from the door to a woman standing by him.

She had shoulder length blonde hair that curled at the ends, and her outfit was very revealing. He did not spare another look at it, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose to meet eyes with the woman again.

"Is there something I can help you with?" His words were nice, but his tone was flat and serious. "I sure hope so, darling."

She placed her fair hand on his shoulder, applying pressure as if she were giving him a mini massage. Silas grabbed her wrist and took it off him, firmly pushing it away.

"I see, then quit pestering me, filth."

Her countenance instantly clouded with humiliation, and a sharp gasp escaped her thin, pink lips.

"How dare you?" She raised her hand to deliver the man a slap.

Though before she could swing her wrist was grabbed. She turned to see and even more handsome face, and red eyes.

"Leave my man alone, would ya'?" He spoke very matter of fact, yet aloof.

Her face twisted with confusion, then realization.

The blonde looked between both men and decided it was better to bow out then.

The sharp eyes of the new arrived man watched her walk away before looking down to his old friend.

"Silas," He said as he sat in his chair sideways, leaning his back against the wall and kicking his legs up onto the corner of the table.

"It has been awhile." The red head admitted, hooking his fingers behind his head to use his hands a cushion against the wall.

"Mamoru..." Silas muttered.

The fox-spirit boy smiled; his two canine teeth were sharper than a human.

Mamoru had seemingly unnatural fiery red hair, with bright orange highlights racing through the strands. His eyelashes were pitch black, contrasting with his pale skin and eyes that matched his hair, only accenting the sharp shape of his eyes.

Mamoru, in all, was a handsome man. But his attitude easily distracted from that, as he was always carefree and aloof, and at times arrogant.

"Why would you say something as idiotic as that?" Silas asked the fox.

"You mean about you being my man?" Mamoru smirked. "I know you want me and my body, Si, you can admit it now after all these years."

Mamoru was good at getting under Silas's skin, it has been that way since they were children. "Enough," Silas said, closing his eyes to calm himself. "I didn't ask you here to make stupid jokes."

"I don't know, your letter was quite cryptic." Mamoru huffed beginning to fiddle with one of the many earrings that trailed along his right ear.

"I am ordered by the King and Queen to keep this information confidential; I couldn't risk a paper trail." Silas's face hardened at the thought of their talk.

"Speaking of the royal pains-in-the-ass, isn't the princess getting lonely without you following her like a duckling?" Mamoru stated more than asked.

Silas's heart pinched at his words, he hated not knowing how she was doing, or what she was doing, or with who.

"That is why I called you here." Silas continued, staring down into his mug. "The princess has gone missing." Words could not express the shame he felt for having to admit that aloud again, especially to Mamoru.

"Come again, I don't think I heard you clearly." Mamoru said even though his hearing was impeccable, cupping a pale hand around his decorated ear.

"She ran away a month and half ago." Silas explained.

Mamoru was silent for a minute, a rage he does not often have boiling inside of him. He sat straight in his chair giving Silas his full attention.

"You had one job, one responsibility, to protect (Y/N)." Mamoru began lowly.

"I know!" Silas growled loudly, causing everyone nearby to stop and look for a moment. It did not take long for the commotion to begin again. "I know," Silas repeated softer.

"She took the opportunity that I was out the room, under the guise she was changing clothes, to ambush a mousy maid and escape from her balcony. By time I realized she was taking too long, she was gone..." Silas summarized.

"Ambushed?" Mamoru scoffed. "(Y/N)? No way, she wouldn't hurt anyone." Mamoru's rage subsided quickly. He had a funny way with his emotions, no matter how mad he got he was returned aloof relatively quickly.

Silas thought about that for the first time, now that Mamoru mentioned it, he was right. (Y/N) would never attack someone, even for her own gain. He was so wrapped up in her absence that his thoughts were clouded.

"She is your princess, address her as such. How dare you speak so informally about her." Silas ignored his mistake and scolded Mamoru.

"No, she's my dear friend." Mamoru argued. "Something you would not understand." He stood from the table before Silas could say anything.

"Since this is the situation, I assume you brought a belonging of (Y/N)'s so I can track her." Mamoru held out his hand, his long black nails, or claws rather, on display.

Silas gritted his teeth as he pulled out (Y/N)'s old hair ribbon from his pocket. It was a deep red, and fairly plain, she only wore it to tie her hair up to sleep at night.

Mamoru took it from him, raised it to his nose and deeply inhaled her scent. Silas's jaw clenched watching the fox spirit do that as it reminded him of his own guilty habit.

Mamoru, being endowed with a Kitsune spirit, had incredible senses, strength, speed, and agility. Because he was born with the fox inside him, he does not need to be in distress, or in danger for his abilities to awaken.

He has full control over his spirit, and his sense of tracking and agility make him the perfect pawn for the queen and king as an assassin.

"If you find her, inform me immediately, I will be heading west in order to search myself as well." Silas said.

He loathed having to ask for his help, but Mamoru is the best tracker, and with his sense of smell he will find her a lot quicker than Silas could.

"I will find her," Mamoru corrected, he turned away from the table and Silas to walk out into the warm summer night.

Mamoru recalled the love of his life fondly, recalling once how her then small fingers pulled up his top lip to look at his teeth.

He chuckled at the memory; he brought the ribbon up to his nose again.