How I pity the dark life you live

Coated in the melting reds and purples of the smoldering sunset, she was something of frost. The snow which blanketed her gently from the recent fall sparkled under the fleeting glow of the sun, casting her as a radiant gem, stark against the landscape.

Peacefully, Dunja slept. Tucked away within one of various dens littered about Risnjak's great form. The lady only lifted her head when she heard the approaching of footsteps, hefty and leisurely. From her groggy nap, the graceful woman lifted her head from her paws and she peeked out from the den, only to be met by a ghost of her past.

“Lucian?” Her voice was soft, almost confused. “Where did you come from?”

@Lucian

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Another day was coming to an end, and true to his nature, Lucian decided to venture out to explore his land further. He was not the type to sit still and rule from a throne. No, the prince wanted to be amongst his family, checking their home's security and learning the ins and outs. In some way, it offered a sense of peace for the king to be within the serenity of nature. Lucian enjoyed his solitude, finding his nightly escapades a time for his thoughts to escape the box he forced them into. Thoughts of his competence, if he was truly worthy of his crown. Thoughts he knew he could never share with Vanille.

Lucian's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. Lucian paused some feet from the mouth of one of Risnjak's various caverns, his narrowed eyes never leaving the dim entrance. When a pale head appeared from the swarthy shadows, his heart seemed to stop beating.

"Dunja?" What was she doing here? Lucian never expected the woman to come to the land as well, let alone to find her resting within the boundaries of Risnjak. Pale eyes remained locked on the woman as his jaw remained lax. "Where I came from? Dunja, where did you come from?" Lucian replied, his body rigid.

This made sense to him, but also did not. His past had come in pieces, with Kyrillos and Vanille being here, but deep down, Lucian wished they had not come with him. Was he the reason they were being torn from their families? Were they being forced to shoulder the burden of his sin? Was this his punishment? To see his friends suffer in a foreign world without the support of their families?

"Are you alright?" He asked, approaching the woman. It seemed the Fates had smiled on Dunja, placing her in the safety of a cave. Giving her the blessing of not having to brave the storm he and Vanille experienced upon their awakening. Perhaps the presence of the noblewoman was a gift the Kralj was not prepared to receive.

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The girl slowly extended forwards, stretching her long and graceful legs outwards to drag herself from the shallow cavern she'd apparently settled down for a nap within. With limble movements and grace akin to a pretty feline, Dunja stepped out into the snowy expanse of the ridge, tossing a firm glance towards the tall Prince. 

“What do you mean...?” Her voice trailed off, and trim brows furrowed above her soft eyes, which darted around curiously. They dragged slowly across the landscape, and Dunja soon realized something was off. From her spotty memory and lack of recollection she'd ever laid down for a nap, or the unfamiliar but familiar terrain before her, she paused. Quizzically, she focused on Lucian's handsome features. 

Why was her Prince so perplexed? Where- “What do you mean what am I doing here?” She tossed the words back at him, her confusion clear. She turned and glanced back at her chosen den, her tail tucking closely against her legs. “I settled down for a nap, clearly...” The words dragged off, fading into nothingness. 

Alarm rose over her. Her fur bristled. The woman's head turned with an urgent speed and she was tracing the harsh edges of Lucian's face. “I'm fine, Lucian.” Though she claimed she was, she did not sound it. Her breathing quickened, almost panicked. “You're just.. scaring me.”

@Lucian

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