The witch was the first one I met.

Then she dumped me in the clearing, and I waited. And waited. Punched a tree, and waited, then decided to find her again.

That's when she appeared again, and with the person I would've given anything to not see.

Of course Shadow would be the only holding the witch hostage. I thought sarcastically.

"What in the bloody hell was that?" She asked, trying to emanate a true assassin from Schbailar as she liked to do. (It was a pretty bad disguise though. Her proper Nyxghett pronunciation always would slip through.)

"It's 'what the bloody hell' not 'what in the bloody hell', Shadow," I sassed.

I really hated her.

What gives some snobby royal the right to be an assassin? I would wonder angrily from time to time. She doesn't need to, she's plenty well-off already. It's all just a game to her while others do it just to get by.

People from Schalbailar often had to turn to... unsavory forms of work since the economy was so messed up.

Meanwhile in countries like Delphstratopia and Nyxhgett there were tons of people who didn't face the same struggles. It's just not fair.

The onyx and midnight haired assassin regained me carefully with her heterochromatic eyes. Sharp silver and dangerous blue staring me down.

"Marial?" She questioned, not shifting at all from the lockhold she had on the witch.

"That's my name, don't wear it out," I said, not doing her the favor of giving her eye contact. (I've found that miner miss manners can really piss off her royal highness.)

She glanced from the white haired witch to me and back.

"Are the two of you... acquainted?" She asked with a slight snarl.

I rolled my eyes, about to refute her, when I got an idea. "And if I were?" I questioned, smirking down at her. (Okay fine up. I'M NOT THAT SHORT THOUGH! She's just tall.)

She seemed to shift slightly, uncomfortable.

I never knew what her deal with the supernatural was. Anything from witches to sorcerers to fae to basic illusions put her off. (Another thing in my little book of things to bother the princess with.)

In a flash second the white haired non-human poofed into the air, a cloud of pink smoke to be exact, and in her place was a dove with bright magenta eyes.

The bird flew away half a dozen feet and then turned back into a humanoid being.

"Will you chill out?" The magenta eyed girl demanded, her finger tips glowing slightly.

"Excuse me?" I exclaimed, "you're the one tying people to trees,"

She seemed to have only just now realized that her actions may be considered rude.

I gave her a look. Are you stupid? I wondered.

She untied me.

"Where are we anyways?" Shadow asked no one in particular.

"No clue." Replied the witch, after standing up from letting me go.

Just like that she disappeared again.

"What the hell," I muttered as a white dove flew away.

"My thoughts exactly," Shadoe agreed, dead serious.

I facepalmed. She really needs to work on her cover.

When the white haired witch returned she was with a guy this time.

He looked about 19, Shadow's age. A year older than me. He had brown-black hair, a different shade than Shadow's pitch black hair that faded into midnight and navy dye. And he had blue eyes that nearly matched her one blue eye, just slightly lighter in hue.

"Rain?" He asked.

Shadow had her back turned and she quickly concealed her weapons in her black jacket and put on her simple silver crown before turning to face him.

"Chester?" She asked, the whole motion only taking her a split second.

Looks like she still hasn't told him about the whole assassins guild thing. I noted.

Figures, seeing as she hasn't split off and made her own guild for her kingdom yet. I reasoned.

"Follow me," the magenta eyed witch instructed.

Hesitantly, the three of us followed.

We trekked just a short way through the dense forest to find three other people.

There were two boys, one with curly bleached blonde hair and light blue eyes and the other with golden blonde curls and sharp green eyes. The one with the bleach and blue eyes appeared to be a bit older. (Probably Rain's age as well.)

The girl had honey blonde hair and soft, light green eyes. She stood behind the older looking boy.

She looked about 12 though she had a sort of juvenile look to her so it's anyone's guess.

"What are you standing around for?" The witch demanded. "You're burning daylight!" She argued.

I exchanged a dubious glance with Rain but we helped set up camp anyway.

We were stuck out here after all.

The witch magically made tents appear. (But they still had to be set up, seeing as she summoned the materials all rolled up.)

Rain went to clear a spot on the forest floor for the tents and her brother and I helped the rest of the strangers make a place for a fire and seating.