Kouha Ren X OC ~ Harden Jewel

Tunnels requim

~Hadinia kingdom~

The Hours pass by faster then a whirlwind and it was nearly dawn.
"Everyone take your places" Hon shouts. While the troops gathered into formation.
Erika and Typu were passing out weapons and strapping on armor on the fighters of war.

"Lapis, I will not hide!, and I will stay on my throne and I will fight for it" spoke her highness

"Your grace!" Cried Lapis
"what if the unthinkable happens"

"Don't be a fool, for I am a metal vessel user and I will not be pushed by the kou empire" Leah informed Lapis.

Lapis bowed her head making her earrings swing "your right forgive me your highness"

"No need plus you and the three other squadron leaders are my household vessel users, and I expect you to do better then your best, but I have came here to speak with Hon, where is he"

"He's over there, my queen" lapis said pointing her thin finger to where the troops where lined up with Hon checking them off.
"Commander Hon!" Called her majesty, he whipped his face around, his long white hair flowing in the air from his movements.

"My queen!" He said, his eyes widen, they look like the depths of the ocean
"What are you doing down here" Hon Said surprised

"I have business to speak with you" queen Leah strolled towards Hon, discussing something about his vessel attacks

"Everyone this time has finally come the kou empire has planned a surprise attack but due to Judar its not so much of a surprise, we shell go on full treadle" lapis shouted

"General!,their going from the west" informed one of the scouts

"Just as we anticipated, Erika! take your troops on the front lines and distract them, hon!" She shouted he turned from the queen and brought his attention to Lapis " you and typu go on ether sides of the kingdom"
She gestured.
"Me and my troops will come up behind the kou army and attack" all the commanders nodded.
"right! Lets get going!" Typu cheered while her bouncy curly jaw length blond hair jump as she spoke.

The the worries let out a traditional cry.
"Precede forwards" yells Erika
"Hut" the troops shout as everyone moves towards the plan.

Lapis's armor shined like a gold baked sun, to the eye she look fierce but yet feminine, she wore a robe dress underneath that went to her Ankles and it was the color of the light blue sky, she brought her mesmerizing fans to eye level and flipped them open.
Her voice darkens "to get around to be behind them we'll have to take the tunnels" she said as she passed the other leaders.
Erika's wide face looked with shock "wait!, no one has used the tunnels since the incide-"
"Erika!" the queen warned her
She shut her mouth immediately and looked to the floor and whispered "yes ma'am"

The queen looked into lapis eyes and spoke "are you sure you are alright with that"

Lapis only glanced and and nodded and kept moving while Her troops marched behind her in formation.

Under the kingdom there was tunnels that lead throughout the palace, in case of a fire or for times such as this.

Lapis and her troops entered a steep old staircase that would take them to the back of the palace, you entered it through what looked like a old shrine but was really a passageway.

The staircase spiraled as they went down its dusty steps, the torches fluttered by them while they marched and the only noise was the sounds of their footsteps carrying across the cold damp staircase walls. An occasional cough Would echo with the following of of quiet shushes and and the sound of men elbowing each other.

And When they finally reached the bottom, even lapis took a hold, they stared down the emptiness of the dark tunnel, there was was a slight draft that howled like there was a wailing soul crying for help.

Her fingers began to twitch as she swallowed , these tunnel were so feared,even lapis had to hold in her gut.

It was only for a moment did they stand there, but then lapis insured herself as she took on the suffocating darkness and smell.

"One of you bring me a torch" she said calmly trying to hopefully insure her panicked looking squadron.

One of the young men jumped and brought her what she had asked for, he handed her the torch accidentally touching her smooth skin as she gripped onto the light.

The torch didnt do much but revealed only more darkness ahead, but never the less they preceded onward.
They walked for what seemed like forever, with sounds of droplets coming from the cracks of the ceiling.

It wasn't that lapis was particularly strong or fast that got her a high position, it was more of that she could hide her weaknesses better and was able to figure things long before anyone else, tho her occasional tenderness is what made her squadron love her, and the reason people called her beautiful was not because of her looks, but because she was intelligent, and the odd way she carried herself,and her somewhat bizarre mind that blew people away.

Lapis breath ringed in her ears and she felt her heart pounding, many people knew what had happened here and why no one had used these tunnels anymore,
The walls appeared as if they were getting closer but was that just in her head, her heart raced as the tunnel began to make a fish bowl effect, she she started to feel excited, but she took a breath to regain her senses.

They came apon two huge doors that were covered with cobwebs and and dirt, lapis reached her hand out and lightly touched it, she felt the dust crumble underneath her fingertips "it's been a so long since I've seen these doors" lapis spoke with a small dim in her eyes.
"General" the young man from before asked
"Hm?" She hummed kindly
"Will you be alright" he said with concern in his voice.
the other worriers looked at him, some of them smirked and mocked him quietly.
It wasn't normal for a single worrier to act so familiar with their commander.
Lapis moved her hand away leaving fingerprints on the door, she looked at her finger tips that were gray from the dust.
She then looked at him and smiled "what is your name" she asked rubbing her fingertips together to remove the access dirt.

He stood up straight and replied "Jaheim" he said working hard to avoid eye contact out respect, but the way lapis move was strange and a little bit erratic she moves kinda linky and very softly like she was only a after image, it was hard for anyone not to look at her.
"Jaheim" she said "interesting you know that Jaheim means raised up" she said cocking her head to the side for no real reason.

"Yes ma'am, my mother named me after my father, he died before he was able to partake in my birth"

Lapis's eyebrows lowered into each other and she lifted her head and glared at him "oh~ what was your" she paused for a second "Fathers last name?"lapis questioned. The tunnel felt weirdly colder which made the squadron shiver.

She watched his eyes as he stared at her with his lips slightly parted, her piercing dark green eyes locked onto his as lapis ignored custom "Smer" he said "my last name is smer".

Lapis's eyes lightened and her face faded into a gentle smile and suddenly even the tunnels felt lighter.

"Well Jaheim smer, you have nothing to worry I will be just fine" she spoke relaxingly.
amazing how this woman with such small effort can change the mood so fast, the worrier thought among themselves.

Lapis turned around and looked the doors up and down and grabbed the keys that were hooked next to the wall, the click of the lock sounded throughout the passageway, she glanced to either side of her, and that was enough for two of the soldiers to know to open the doors, and with both of them pushing with their might, the stone doors opened with the sound of grinding rock scrapping the floor.

the doors boomed when it locked into place. With only gasps all around and lapis's eerie grin as the torches almost flickered out.