***
Back at dragons tooth while the young family was enjoying themselves alaine happily cared for her diner
The scent of mouth watering food filled the air of the cozy place the sound of metal clanking echoed out of the kitchen while alaine cooked for her full house.
Her two helpers moving about taking orders and delivering plates, though she did enjoy delivering them herself from time to time to interact with her costumers
" why didn't you go with them alaine?...dont tell me they wouldn't let you come." A regular a human female stated after she delivered her order
" no its nothing like that really, the business they are on is for the king and queen and we aren't married yet so it wouldn't be right for me to go yet but im sure if I insisted on going they would have let me."
She smiled at the care the people showed to her reassuring she wasn't being left out by force
" that young man better be glad to have you when half this city wants you." Another woman spoke up from nearby a dwarve this time her gems lightly glowing with her emotions
The compassion the people showed towards her warmed her heart she never got to experience this from her own village since they were scared of her but here it's different
" that young man is a king you know."a female dragon sitting across from the dwarve said interjecting her friend
She waved her friends words away looking back to alaine to continue but she stopped her
" please I swear everything is ok, great in fact but thank you for your concern really." She made her way to the kitchen to continue working on everyone's food filling the kitchen with the sounds of flames and food stirring
The room clamored with the voices of her visitors both enjoying her food or waiting for giving a calm and welcoming atmosphere to her little place that brought her much joy for the rest of the day
" thank you patronage please come again."
" we truly hope you've enjoyed your meal today. " at the entrance her two young servers one a female beastmen the other a human boy slightly bowed as the last of the people inside left leaving them and alaine
Walking over to them she gave both of them a little pouch that had some coins in it their weekly payment for the help
" thank you guys for all you do i really appreciate the help this would be to overwhelming otherwise."
Both their eyes lit up at sight of the pouch " no thank you lady alaine thanks to you we can save up for when we leave the orphanage in a couple years." The two hugged her before rushing out the building
" be safe on the way home." Alaine yelled out the building before their footsteps got to far
Smiling she re-entered the kitchen cleaning the dishes for a couple hours before heading up stairs to undressing to the point of almost becoming naked and stopped in front of a mirror
In it she saw a beautiful woman with pure white tails and hair the two different colored eyes staring at her scanning her scared body
Her hands traced a few if the scars across her stomach ' will this affect me being able to have a child....I never thought it would be a possibility for me,but now...'
Her thoughts to a future she wished to have and never thought would pass until recently
A faint smile touched her lips as she laid down to sleep dreaming of a time yet to come
.
.
.
At some point in the night the faint sound of clothes shuffling made her ears twitch opening her eyes to check what it was a damp cloth suddenly covered her face while a sharp pain tore threw her arm
She struggled trying to call on her elements but they didn't not answer and before could think of something else to do alaine passed out
***
On a newly built watchtower overlooking a good portion of the city a lazza kept an eye on things with her rifle the air was crisp and cool refreshing ones mind
Pacing around the structure occasionally bringing the rifles's scope to her eye to get a better look at activity lazza watched over the citizens of thr place she called home
Moving her gaze from the less busy main street to one of the many short alleys lazza noticed a glint coming from something fast moving that was leaving the city curious she brought the scope the her eye to investigate
It didn't help much only being able to tell it was white when the light occasionally caught it at least until they were free from the surrounding buildings making her eyes go wide
" what!" Quickly relaying her findings to everyone, a second later a loud alarm rang out into the night
***
" hurry, go faster." a group of five all in pitch black raced through alleys of the city carrying a sack with a single white tail sticking out
Just as they left the cover of the surrounding buildings the outer wall not far and in sight the group heard an alarm echo out
Their movements never halted as the bolt towards the wall phasing through it to the forest on the other side
" this way." Taking a sharp turn the ran for a bit more before stopping opening a hatch in the ground
" inside." All of them quickly funneled into the hatch that lead to a tunnel thinking they were home free, when a loud bang was heard and the last to enter had the entire top half of their body blown off before they could full close the hatch spraying blood everywhere
The leader of this group clicked his tongue seeing the lower half of his subordinates slip down into the tunnel
' they have a sniper and a good one.' The leader thought realizing they had them in their sights but waited until then to shot
" they will be here soon split up they are trying to follow us." Nodding two left down one side of the tunnel while the other two carrying alaine went down the other
***
Back on the watchtower holding her smoking rifle lazza rechambers a projectile
" forest north west side downed one before they closed the hatch." James and Selena came over the earpiece conforming they got her comms
Curious about the way she had spotted the intruders fleeing from lazza went to investigate using a zip line installed to the tower cutting through the midnight she land on top of a roof moving from building to building until reaching the alley
After a momentary search she found alaine's window being open and entered " lady alaine are you alright its lazza." It didn't take long for her to search the place finding her missing conforming her thoughts about the white she saw
" they have lady alaine."
***
In the forest James and Selena arrive at the hatch, half a body blocking it from closing fully when when what lazza found out reached them
Nodding to each they moved the body hopping into the hatch a small squad was following them
Tapping the ear buds caused it to illuminate the immediate area letting them examine it
" two sets...they are trying to trick us
Leaning down James examined them more
" hmm...this set is slightly deeper you take two men and follow that one just in case I'll take the rest and follow this one
Splitting Selena took two men and followed one set while James took five following the other into the dark tunnel only able to see a little on front of him thanks to his earbud
James followed the footsteps until they split into different tunnels " tch...you three go that was inform me of what you find." Nodding the soldiers broke off into one tunnel while James continued
The darkness of the tunnel went on for a while the only sound he could hear was the sound of his footsteps...until he heard a click
" damn." Slamming his Gauntlets together he powered the rune etched into just in time to defend against the blast throwing him further into the and collapsing the way back
" how does he do it, my entire body aches down to the bone." James struggled to his feet shaking and bones aching from the explosion but undamaged
Without hesitation he upholstered one of his pistols bringing it to the lower jaw of a creature that had thought it caught the command off guard but it was mistaken
Pulling the trigger the creatures head blew apart spraying blood everywhere and the sound from the pistol echoed making the pounding in his head worse but he forced himself on dodging a couple more traps along the way
When he finally heard shuffling he knew the end of the tunnel was near
" you're a insistent one aren't you." There in front of him a man clothed in all black was just getting finished handing alaine to one of his comrades above in a exit hatch
Moving to aim a blinding white light spread across the area making him lose visibility
When the light faded the man was gone, rushing to the taking a minute to force off whatever was blocking and ran out into the forest air leaving behind the stail scent of earth
But there was no trace except for the scratches on some tree trunks and the distance sound of something being blown by the wind almost like a sail