A Tamia's Tale

Chapter 1: Kanami

Kanami. This was the name of the one called the dog of the princess. That day, she was doing her usual stroll around the castle's walls, the residence of the old king, Albius Sora. These ramparts were built long ago to accommodate the movement of the guards protecting it all day long. But protecting the castle wasn't her job. After all, the guards here, equipped with spears and shields, were far enough to monitor the horizon. Furthermore, the geographical position of the castle rendered any invasion from an army near impossible. Whether it's the different hills surrounding it from West to East and North, or the walls circling the city below, the castle was probably the last thing that would come down in a war.

No, if Kanami was doing this little stroll, it was because a few months ago, the king fell terribly ill. Since, his daughter, Morgann, took the throne to guide the kingdom. But Kanami couldn't help but feel that this illness wasn't normal. Nobody what sickness, or curse, could have caused it. No doctor could heal him.

"Everything's fine here," she thought while looking through the nobles' quarters windows.

A treason was the most probable outcome. There were many people in the council, and every one of them was a candidate for the throne once the king died, Morgann was just a temporary replacement. That's why she was doing these strolls every day, keeping an eye on every guard, every person entering and leaving the castle, like a bird in the shadows. And today again, nothing of note happened. Just an ordinary day like every other.

She sighed, quite annoyed. She then walked back in the direction of her lord's chamber, the princess herself. She had a few minutes left before Maria, the head maid, had finished some touches on the royal garments. But before she could arrive there, she heard someone dashing at full speed in the corridor in front of her.

"Kanami!" the voice of a young girl echoed through the stone walls.

This young woman with shining brown hair was running barefoot, almost tripping at every step on the carpet covering the floor. Seeing that, indeed, she was going to trip, Kanami rushed to her and caught her just in time.

"Your majesty, what is the matter?" she asked in an urgent tone.

"The young man that arrived this morning!" the princess shouted before catching her breath, "He was kidnapped! Uncle Marsh said they took him out of the castle!"

"Understood," answered Kanami with a nod. "Any information about their destination?"

"No! But find him!"

Kanami nodded again and quickly helped the princess to put her back on her two feet. She then sprinted at an inhuman speed toward the closest opened window and jumped through it. It was a dozen-meter fall, but she landed with an inhuman facility and suppleness, like a feather falling on the ground, making no sound on arrival. Then with a single jump, she landed on the roof of one of the nobles' houses, ignoring his comment on how she should get down from there. Some guards even looked at the all in black-clothed figure aghast, as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop like a human grasshopper.

"I still can't see them..."

Methodically and rapidly, she scanned the city, street by street, in search of the young man. No sign of urgency nor stress was visible on her face, her lips betraying no expression. Just the robotic work she was used to do, the result of years of experience and training.

Once she landed on the roof of a certain tavern, she stopped abruptly, gripping tightly the handle of her dagger attached to the back of her belt.

"Here they are."

Was it her instinct? Most of the guards didn't know how she was so good at tracking people, even those she never met. She didn't get her nickname of "guard dog" for no reason. Mana, magic, energy, chi, no matter what one would call it, in this world exists something sleeping inside every living being. The magicians of this country use it to create all sorts of miracles or to wage war. This mana, unlike others, Kanami could feel it. Each mana had a different color, a different smell, and a different sensation when it brushed against her skin. Each mana... is unique. And when she had left the castle, she noticed immediately traces of a spell being used near the gate, a camouflage spell she betted on. All she had to do, was to follow the trail.