Apostol wasn't anywhere in the castle. That wasn't surprising. After all, she was well aware of what happened. In fact, it was probably her that gave the order, so it was in her best interest to stay far away. The royal guards could not find anything in their investigations and Orion was still trying his best to keep her far away from the issue. However, if they would not help (Y/n), she could turn, instead, to the inhumans. Verona caught the (h/c) haired girl heading towards Tia, only to intercept her.

"Where are you going in such a hurry? Didn't you know? The castle is locked down."

"Yes. Your son is trying very hard to keep me here. But there are always ways to escape."

"And you would know, hm?" the woman chuckled, "I assume you're going to cause trouble."

"Are you going to stop me?"

"Well, I admit I'm worried. Either way, though, you were probably on your way to see Tia. Maybe I might I offer my assistance instead?"

Though she questioned how Verona would know anything, the woman merely guided her to her room. She sat her down and presented her with cookies - obviously, a bribe. Nonetheless, she felt at ease. With Verona, the younger girl always did. Her overall atmosphere was relaxing, though she understood it wasn't the same for everyone. Still, for her, she was put at ease despite the situation, allowing her to enjoy a cookie as opposed to merely munching on it to get the woman to talk.

"Before I tell you," the woman mumbled, giving a little pause as she stared down at her teacup, "I want to have a little talk with you. You were not born out of normal circumstances, as I'm sure you're aware."

"That's a nice way of putting it."

"Don't take it wrongly. It's just that, for you especially, a mother would have been important. You know, males are usually the ones that take care of the children, but female children are rare. The mother usually takes the girl with her."

"Because the other guys she has in her weird hierarchy are stronger."

"That may be a part of it. But it's the things that she teaches the girl that are important. However loving a father - Sorry. However attentive(?) a father, he just doesn't know the things a mother would."

The girl darted her eyes away. That sounded bizarre. She'd been taught most of what she needed to know by the man, and all the modern technology and social norms were things she learned on her own. Magic, for example, was taught by him. Just because she wasn't good at it and didn't have a talent for it didn't mean much. He still taught her. But, apparently, like with most things, he just wasn't good enough.

"And it makes it that much more complicated that you are only half," Verona continued with a reassuring hug, "Though I have far less than that, I can still offer some advice. If you'll let me, of course."

(Y/n) was relieved to smile at that. She didn't really need someone to talk to her about the birds and the bees, but she had always wanted someone there for her. The first time her period happened, for example, she thought she was dying. She had to hide it from her owners before they ate her alive first. It was entirely possible for her to go off and find some books - likely in Tia's possession - about the differences in female or halfblood anatomy. Still, it seemed much nicer to get it from someone who experienced it firsthand.

"Yeah. I'd like that, actually."

Verona gave a cheer before urging her to eat another cookie. They talked a bit about the specialness of her situation. There were problems that would arise, she noted, but also opportunities that others didn't have. And while it was wholly awkward for the princess when she asked something she didn't know, the time spent was well worth it. Feeling a bit more relieved that the (h/c) haired girl knew a bit more about her limits and potential, the princess then scribbled down an address for her. It directed her to where Eloise and Bastien had been taken.

"How do you know all this stuff?" the younger girl hummed, glancing up suspiciously at her, "About me. About where the Akahito's were. Or even about your ancestry."

"Well, I don't think you have the time. When you come back, I'll tell you whatever you want to know. Off you go now."

(Y/n) gave a hum before doing as she said. Truth be told, she probably could have gone to fetch Haru. It might have helped him lift his spirits if she included him. He would have had an outlet to get rid of his pent-up frustration and heartbreak and he would have gotten a little hope back. And yet, even as she passed the embassy to take Kazuya's car parked on the outskirts of the castle, she didn't even make an attempt to tell him. Deep down she knew why.

The car was obnoxious. She had never liked cars. In the first place, she was horrible with technology. It was too wildly different from her childhood and she had never gotten used to it, even with Haru. The most she could manage was video games. Even in her work, while she could do an email, hopping on a video call was different. She was always muted or the camera didn't work or she hopped on the wrong call. Of course this was a tame example. Nonetheless, like the calls, she had no choice but to use the car.

Vethela didn't have many main roads, but it also had no cars. She could speed her way to the coordinates Verona gave her. The entire time, she was gripping on the steering wheel for dear life, knowing one wrong jerk could kill her. Of course, whether she was driving or not, the same was true. She never got how people could drive or sit in a car without fearing for their lives. The silence made it all the worse, the sound of air flying at the windshield unnerving. And, at some point, she had made it so far away from everything else that some nondescript animal noise would jolt her.

Thankfully, she was able to abandon the car by the side of the road after some time, but, the moment her feet touched the earth, she had to hold back vomit. Angrily, she kicked the car before wandering out quite a distance to find an abandoned building. It wasn't clear what it was, but it was coated in moss, having been almost absorbed into the plants around it. Curiously, she crept behind a tree, assessing the threat level of the area.

Within sight, there were two guards near the front door, both armed with guns and full-plated armor. They said not a word but their movements - presumably of boredom - tipped her off. If it were someone else, they might have crept around to find another way in. After all, the guards were heavily armed. But she was not human, and she had her ways. A bit of time waiting was all it took for them to daze off. They didn't recognize anything, including her. Very gently, she nudged them to the side and grabbed one of the guns, sneaking inside.

There were no other guards inside the first floor of the house. Likewise, there could be none on the second floor since it had caved through. But there had to be something there. Otherwise the need for guards was useless. Though she could not hear anything that would indicate life, she did scan the first floor for anything suspicious. She started lifting up rugs and pushing aside furniture in hopes of finding some kind of trapdoor or secret passage.

However, it was in one of the walls that she found what she was looking for. The tiny crack in the wallpaper gave it away, allowing her to pry it open and find a secret set of stairs. Testing the wood, she first applied a little weight from her foot, careful to remain on the other side, lest it come out from under her. However, even as she shifted her weight, nothing happened. Not even a sound was made. As a result, she followed the staircase further into the sub-level, finding a steel door blocking her way.

Interestingly enough, the door was open. They must have thought that the guards and the wallpaper were good enough to keep intruders out. Still, remaining cautious, she listened carefully to the sounds of people walking around. There were more armed guards down there, she knew. And while she had a gun, it was best to remain hidden and not tip anyone off. Otherwise, they may kill their hostages.

When she was sure there was a gap in their rotation, she slid out, keeping low to the ground while investigating everything that came her way. The house was now clearly a cover-up for the basement laying underneath it. And though she could not date the dungeon-looking area, the presence of copper cups scattered along the floor and in the cell bars told a grand story. Umayena was a relatively new country, only about a hundred years old or so. But the use of copper in cups or other food-related items was thousands of years old. The use of the metal had been stopped more than three hundred years ago. It likely meant the house was not made by Umayena.

As she snuck further into the compound, she found a guard standing around the corner. He was stationary, probably not meant to move. But, since he was an obstacle, she was quick to disarm him before locking her arms around his throat and twisting sharply and methodically. He fell to the ground, immediately dead. The girl then dragged his body back around the corner in hopes of buying more time, but, in the process, someone else rounded the corner. A moment of fear flooded over her as he shouted out in a different language.

Biting down on her lip, she used her gun to eliminate him as a threat before grabbing the dagger at his hip, just in case. She then bolted off at the sound of others rushing towards the area. Silently, she handled anyone she ran into, slitting the back of their neck before breaking their gun. Again, this would be impossible for any normal human. Yet, at the same time, it was beginning to weigh on her. She only had so much inhuman strength she could use, and, when she had no access to her usual source of power due to her inability to read their language, the girl could only use the small amount of sugar she'd stashed. But now she was running out.

Before long, the entire place was on high alert, and she was running out of room to sprint. And then she heard a scream. It was a familiar one; high-pitched and young. She could only think of Bastien, following the sound urgently. He sounded like he was crying, resisting something, but, in the first place, it was concerning because he never audibly cried. The brunette was a very happy, oblivious child, who saw the good in everything. Even when he got hurt, he would only mumble and shed tears. He would never scream. So something was very, very wrong.

As she turned the corner, she found a group of soldiers in a cell, the door wide open. One of the men was holding Bastien by the shoulders, ensuring he could not run anywhere. Another one was gripping at his mouth, prying it open as he neared a piece of meat towards the boy. Immensely concerned, the girl wasted no time shooting them all, one bullet per person. Though Bastien screamed as they fell, he closed his eyes tight and fell on the ground, shaking and covering his ears while he bawled.

"It's alright, baby," she mumbled, trying to show him it was alright now, "It's (Y/n). Hey."

The brunette peeked one of his eyes open to see if she was telling the truth. When he realized it really was her, he clung to her, his tiny hands shivering even more than the rest of him. He repeated her name over and over, refusing to listen to anything she said. It was clear he just wanted to leave immediately and be back with his family. She flinched at the thought, grabbing onto the boy and forcing him to look at her.

"Where's your mother? Your mére?"

Bastien looked confused, almost insulted. With tears in his eyes, he said nothing. Wincing, she apologized. He didn't recognize Eloise as his mother. She was just a pretty lady he saw occasionally that Haru seemed to really like. Regretfully, she corrected herself, describing the woman to him. As she did so, she watched the boy's eyes shrink before he glanced down at the spoon one of the soldiers had dropped. He shook his head in denial, quick to hide himself back in her arms while he cried for his brother.

As she tracked her eyes to the spoon, she took a moment to glance at it. However, it was not the spoon the boy was scared of. It was the piece of meat that terrified him. She froze in place as she contemplated it. It was not like a typical piece of meat that would be served. It wasn't a cube like it would be in a soup and it wasn't a slab like steak or hamburger would be. On the contrary, it was like a potato skin with how thin it was; a long, skinny strip. The only indication that it was meat was the blood off of it. Apostol.

She paused, holding Bastien tightly. She knew why he had been crying now. Glancing up around the room frantically, she caught a glimpse of a barrel before she keeled over and threw up. Protectively, she held onto the boy, averting her eyes from the sight. He seemed to give in to exhaustion, slumping into her. And yet, still, in his passed out sleep, he twitched and cried, clinging onto her for dear life. And why would he have done anything else?

Quickly, she picked up another gun. It was easier than reloading the one she had. As she held the boy, she started sprinting towards the exit. He had to feel he was safe as soon as possible. (Y/n) cared about very few people like that, let alone children, if Celith was any indication. But, when Eloise wasn't recognized by him as his mother, she had taken on that role for him. So, in some way, to both of them, along with Kazuya and Haru, she had the obligation to protect him.

It was ironic she thought about that right before a gun was pressed to the back of his head. She froze in place, glaring at the woman that had stepped around the corner to intercept her. Her soldiers then trapped the younger girl from both the back and the front, all of them pointing guns at her. It seems they had finally learned to get coordinated and use the method of surprise. The girl narrowed her eyes at the ravenette, but she cared very little.

"Apologies. Need this one."

"Do you really think that either the royal family or Echal will let you get away with this? And if the global superpowers are trying to destroy your country, don't you think the other countries will do the same?"

"This is why Umayana needs this one. I asked Miss Shiratori to help. Not one would have been hurt. Not Echal. Not Vethela. Not Umayena. Not you."

"Now what? You're going to shoot him? If you need him alive, I doubt he'll survive any shot, lethal or otherwise. He's still only a toddler, you know. He doesn't have much blood to begin with."

"Mm," Apostol hummed as though the thought hadn't occurred to her, "Boy is good. But, in first place, Miss Shiratori was better target. Only problem was security. But now Miss Shiratori is here, alone. So boy is not needed."

The (h/c) haired girl tucked the brunette's head further into her protective embrace. She glared at the woman, daring her to try anything. And try, she did. Without so much as a hint of hesitation, she sent a bullet into the girl's leg. The younger girl cried out in pain, wincing and transferring all of her weight to the other leg. It stung like crazy, the heated metal searing her skin as it shot straight through her flesh. The quick millisecond it dug into her skin somehow, despite the immense heat, was not enough to seal the wound up. Though, that was probably because it came out, blasting away a much larger margin of flesh.

The girl gave a malicious smirk, knowing now that the woman really would do anything to keep herself alive. And since she had already chosen to align herself with Umayena, she was going to keep the boat afloat no matter what. But she was only human, and that was one of the only ways the two differed. (Y/n) gave a pleased and amiable grin as she straightened her posture, caressing Bastien carefully for just a moment to apologize for what was about to happen.

"Very well. I'm impressed. But first, if you're going to take me anyway, " she paused, reaching out her hand for a handshake, "may I know the names of the soldiers who I will be answering to?"

Apostol raised a brow. She glanced at the men around her, then to the girl. A sense of empathy washed over her for the younger girl. After all, Umayena was not kind to women. In her captivity, she would be prodded, branded, tortured, and likely worse. They would take advantage of her and scorn her lowly, lowly existence. (Y/n) knew that well. After all, Apostol went and foolishly rambled about her own experiences. That was how she knew she would honor the request: because the ravenette believed she would be abused and because the ravenette wanted a young woman the right to know her abusers for once.

"Seyha Xon," she mumbled, pointing at each of the guards one at a time, "Tild Skan. Reid Driet. Devot Ern. Lark Tona. Ksandri Emn. Well, Norin Idlu. Ulen Nork. Lier Wan. Xandri Pae. Kieran Sti. Teeil Laz. Ayre On. Evar Ist."

"I see. Then, let's see if I have this right," the girl smiled purely, pointing at each one of them calling out their name, "Syha Xon, Tild Skan, Reid Driet, Devot Ern, Lark Tona, Ks - Ksa...Well, Norin Idlu, Ulen Nork, Lier Wan, Xandri Pae, Kieran Sti, Teeil Laz, Ayre On, Evar Ist."

At each name, a man would drop, presumably dead. They all watched in horror as it happened, the girl prattling off name after name, leaving them confused and bewildered. They thought it was poison, or perhaps a sniper. But it was neither. In fact, they were so panicked about what was happening that they neglected the fact that the girl's leg had fully healed from the bullet hole. Only one man remained, the (h/c) haired girl quick to grab at his gun and break it in two. He stared at her like she was a monster. And he wasn't too far off. No human being could snap a weapons-grade gun in two, let alone with one hand.

"I'm sorry. I can't really pronounce your name, Ksandri. Gsandri? The difference is just barely phonetically real to me, so it's not possible for me to say. But it's alright. I can kill you all the same."

By the time the girl put a bullet in the man's head, Apostol was long gone. She had probably run off around the third man that had dropped dead. Her instincts were sharper than theirs, clearly. And though the ravenette was on (Y/n)'s hit-list, it wasn't a priority at the moment. As such, she carried Bastien upstairs carefully, shocked to find a small army already waiting. At first, she prepared herself for another fight, but, at the sight of the Vethelan royal crest, she let out a sigh.

Haru rushed forward first, mainly because Orion's guards were holding him back. Nonetheless, he did struggle, trying to push his way past them to get to her. But it was the brunette that hugged her tightly first. He even waited his standard five seconds first, squeezing her for dear life. The male then glanced down at his baby brother, tears watering up in relief, but he did not take him from her. He trusted her with him. Then he looked behind her, his heart dropping.

"Where's mére?"

"Haru...," A pause. "I came as soon as I could. Bastien's okay. He's not hurt. Here. Hold him."

The brunette's brows turned upwards. Still, he did as she said, reaching his hands out for his brother and holding him lovingly. He murmured his love for the boy, kissing him and taking in deep breaths. (Y/n) then placed her hand on his cheek and sighed, giving him a sudden but abrupt kiss. Then she hugged him tightly and mumbled the truth: his mother was gone. He burst into tears, his father rushing up to support him while the guards closed in on the house to make sure the threats were cleared out.

"Get off of me, Presley!" Orion yelled, pushing and shoving his guard.

"Your highness...Leave them be."

"No! He's trying to steal her from me! I can't let him - "

"He has just lost his mother! A mother that held him together most of his life. And she was a woman that Miss Shiratori has known closely for years. Let her grieve with him."

"But she's mine!" the prince shouted, "Ezdia gave her to me! She cured me! And she's going to be my queen! Nobody else can have her!"

"Well," the knight paused, giving a disapproving look to the boy, "Either way, Umayenan forces have overwhelmed this location. The royal heir may not step foot into danger until all threats have been properly assessed and handled."

"You're going to order me around?"

"For the time being, your highness, yes."

Before Orion could protest, the prince was moved away from the scene. That left (Y/n) to hold the brunette in tears. Regardless of if his mother was going to die or not, knowing she was killed was beyond painful. But, at the very least, she spared him the sight of the horrific murder it was. She shivered as she thought of it, petting the poor toddler that had to see it all happen firsthand.

Just as Apostol described, the scene was horrific. Though she was grateful Eloise didn't have to be boiled for a week, the rest of it was not spared to her. There were no limbs on the corpse in the barrel, matching the absence of the head that had dropped to the floor. Her lips were stitched shut and one of her eyes was missing, the other popped in her skull. Though her expression had been long wiped off of her face, replaced with a blank, hollow look, no doubt she experienced agony for hours before she died. And the worst part of it all was knowing that Bastien was right there, forced to watch and locked up in the same room as her.

But would that be as heartbreaking as knowing, even in her death, Bastien never recognized her as his mother?