guardian to a princess

The next morning, Shiro met her contact in the town square. She was brought to a middle-class inn, where a well-groomed woman in formal robes waited on a bed with an armed guard. Her hair was a deep, dark black, and though woven neatly behind her head by various clips and garments, Shiro estimated it to be enough to touch her ankles. She had sky-blue eyes that seemed to look deep into whatever she happened to be staring at. At the moment, it was Shiro, and she couldn't help but admire the quiet woman.

"This is Princess Masa," the contact, a nondescript common man informed her. "From the Noga kingdom."

Shiro nodded. "I'm familiar with it," she said plainly. The place had quite a booming economy, not the smallest reasons including several local experts of magic, so it was little surprise that she was making so much money for the job.

"We were on a simple trip of diplomacy to the southern colonies when an ambush hit our camp two nights ago," one of the guards explained. "We don't know if it was an **** attempt or a ****, but we managed to drive them off. This was the first settlement we came to, and with most of her guards slain in the attack."

"And that's where I come in," Shiro said tamely.

The contact frowned and nodded. "We suspect the attackers may have followed us, so we have been debating whether it would be wiser to attend you along the way." He pause a bit and shrugged. "Or if they will be watching for us, in which case it would be quieter for you to take her with you alone."

"That's a very wise idea," Shiro agreed for a few reasons, logic standing alongside Masa's loveliness.

"You would be paid extra for delivering her home safely," the guard emphasized, which Shiro received clearly. It was a riskier mission, yes, but he was also understanding that Shiro could turn into a hostage taker just as easily, and the extra money was to make sure that the mercenary wouldn't find it worth her efforts.