Kidnapped Princess

Hostage

The wait for the news was agonizing. All of them were on edge. If the plan hadn't worked, it was going to get even more complicated.

"When will she come back?" Yō whined as she pawed at Hanamaru's feet.

"Soon." Hanamaru promised.

Hanamaru, Yohane, Mari, and Yō were gathered around waiting for Kanan. She had gone out to see if there was any news in the town about the note. The door opened to the house.

Kanan stepped in.

"What's wrong?" Mari asked.

Kanan took a deep breath, "It didn't work..."

"Why do you look so worried?" Hanamaru asked.

"Where are Dia and Riko?" Kanan asked as she looked around the room.

"Need us?" Riko popped her head out of the spare bedroom.

Kanan nodded. Riko went back into the room. After a few minutes of whispers being exchanged between them, her and Dia came out and sat around the small living room.

"The note didn't work... they did arrest him and all, but they still stated that Mari is also planning to overthrow her." Kanan explained, "And... they seem to have figured out that the Diamond kingdom is aiding Mari."

"What?" Dia and Riko went pale.

"They... they launched a raid on the castle... thinking Mari was there." Kanan struggled to speak. She knew it would be tough on them. She hadn't even gotten to the worst part yet.

"Do you know if there were any deaths?" Riko asked.

"There were about five. All soldiers, I believe." Kanan said, "And one hostage was taken."

"Hostage?"

"Princess Ruby." Kanan braced herself for Dia's reaction.

"W... what?" Dia didn't know how to react, "They... they have..."

"Princess?" Riko asked worriedly.

Dia threw her arms around Riko. She started crying and cursing. No one said anything. They knew a reaction like that would come eventually. Riko did her best to calm Dia down.

"Are there any reports of a recovery mission?" Riko asked.

"I didn't hear about any. They might be making it undercover, after all." Kanan replied.

"Guys! Guys!" Chika ran into the house.

She hadn't been able to take the anxiety and had gone out to hunt. Everyone looked at Chika.

"I was hunting and I caught a bird and there was this in its talons!" Chika held up a neatly wrapped letter in her mouth.

Yohane took it from Chika and read it. She looked at everyone in the room as they waited to hear what was on it.

"This is addressed to Dia." Yohane stated.

Riko took the letter from Yohane and read it over herself. She whispered something into Dia's ear. Dia whispered something back to her.

"They said that we have to hand over Mari. They aren't gon-going to protect her if it means Ruby is in danger." Riko explained.

"There has to be another way!" Mari begged.

"Yeah. A life for a life isn't the fairest." Kanan agreed.

"I can see about tracking her location down." Hanamaru stood up, "We should at least figure out what we're working with."