Hey there, here's a new fic idea I had in mind for months, a fantasy AnR AU (in a D&D style). I hope you'll like it.

Tokaku didn't know why she had to kill this girl in particular, but she didn't care. If she had to kill her, then she'll do it. Orders were all that mattered, she was nothing more than a tool made to kill. An assassin.

She ventured in the forest known to be enchanted. On her way, she met small animals who were peacefully doing their own things, carefree of any potential dangers. She didn't mind them, she was busy looking for a track, clues of where her target was. She noticed faint footprints on the ground and followed them, eventually reaching a flower field.

There she what, her target. The girl was standing in the middle of the field, surrounded by flowers and butterfly, illuminated by sunlight. The painting she saw of this girl didn't capture her radiant beauty. She looked so beautiful, so pure, just like a fairy. She was smiling so brightly, Tokaku was simply dazed by how pretty she was.

The girl eventually looked in her direction and smiled softly while Tokaku instinctively recoiled.

"Oh, who might you be?" the girl asked.

She looked so fragile, so innocent. Tokaku didn't know what to say and her body refused to move. The thought of killing her didn't even cross her mind, it would be like crushing a helpless butterfly. As she was about to run away, Tokaku noticed something shining on the other side. She immediately understood what it was and instinctively rushed towards the girl.

"Get down!" Tokaku shouted.

The girl reacted immediately and got on the ground, while a knife passed right above her head. When Tokaku reached her, another knife was thrown, she pulled out her own knife and blocked it, before she helped the girl to get up. She then lifted her and took her in her arms, before she rushed back into the forest, disappearing in the trees.

Running for a while now, Tokaku didn't feel any presence following them. Exhausted, she decided to take a break. She stopped by a big tree and gently put down the girl, before she leaned against the trunk and let herself fall, panting. She wiped her sweaty forehead with the back of her hand, before looking at the girl, who seemed concerned and worried.

"Huh… miss…?"

"Azuma. Azuma Tokaku."

She didn't see any particular reaction on the girl's face, she was not aware of the Azuma name.

"Azuma-san, thank you… for saving me," the girl said, grateful.

"You really shouldn't thank me… uh…"

"Ah, my name is Ichinose Haru! Nice to meet you, Azuma-san," she said with a soft smile.

So that was her name. When she was requested to kill her, all she saw was a painting of her. Haru… this name sounded familiar, yet it was quite a common name. It was probably not important.

"But still, what were you doing so deep in the forest, Azuma-san?"

"I was looking for you. The villagers from the small-town near the forest told me about a young druid living there among fairies."

"Oh? You were looking for me? Why?" Haru asked wit curiosity in her voice.

Tokaku hesitated to answer before she sighed.

"I was sent to kill you."

There wasn't even an ounce of shock on Haru's face, she simply looked surprised.

"Oh… then why did you save me?" she asked.

There was no sign of fear or worries in her expression, it was as if she didn't care if Tokaku was here to kill her.

"Why… aren't you afraid? I just told you I was here to kill you."

"Because… you saved me. You wouldn't have saved me if you truly wanted to kill me, right?"

This girl… was way too naive for her own good. Tokaku couldn't believe that someone could be that innocent. But she could see Haru's logic. Even she wasn't sure why she saved her. Was it simply because she wanted to be the one who will kill her? No, this thought didn't even cross her mind. She saved her because she had been overtaken by the desire to protect her, but she didn't know why. It was the first time she felt that way towards someone.

"I… I don't know… why I saved you," Tokaku admitted.

"Then, why did you want to kill me?"

"Simply because I was asked to. I'm from a clan of assassins, I obey orders, I don't question them."

Tokaku rose up, feeling rested, before she stared at Haru.

"Now your turn to answer my questions. Why would people want to kill just an ordinary girl such as yourself? What have you done to get a target on your back?"

Haru bit her lips and looked away with a hesitant expression before she took a deep breath and looked back at Tokaku.

"Someone… view me as a threat. The fact I'm alive bother a lot of people," Haru replied.

"Someone? Who? How could someone like you potentially be a threat?" Tokaku asked, incredulous.

"It's… the Queen."

"Huh? The Queen of Myojo? Why? How are you a threat to her?"

Haru hesitated even more, her muscles all tensed, clenching her teeth, before she finally opened her mouth.

"Because I'm the real heiress to the throne."

Tokaku's eyes widen in surprise. She wasn't expecting that. She then remembered her name, Haru… she recalled a certain person wearing that name.

"No, it can't be… Princess Haru!?"

"If had been such a long time I have been called that," Haru said with a smile full of sadness and nostalgia.

"But it's impossible! The daughter of the king and queen died alongside the rest of the royal family, they were assassinated years ago!"

"This is what the new queen wanted the people to believe… in reality, I managed to escape and hide, but she kept sending assassins after me. She sees me as a threat, she's scared that I'll claim back the throne. But I'm not interested in ruling, I just want peace and to be free!"

Haru nearly cried those last words. Tokaku felt like she could relate to her, to the weight of your family on your shoulder, the curse of blood. The family they were born in chose their fate, but unlike her, Haru was fighting against it, she refused to be bound by blood to this destiny forced upon her. Tokaku found that truly admirable and, blinded by this respect, took a decision.

"Ichinose… I won't let them kill you. I'll protect you, I'll be your guardian!" Tokaku declared.

Haru looked uncertain, looking away for a moment, like she was hesitating.

"Azuma-san… are you sure? Don't you have, uh… some obligation? You know, assassin stuff?"

It was right. As the Azuma heiress, Tokaku had responsibilities. But deep down, she never wanted that. Something buried in her memory made her despise that job. Haru's determination to break free from fate inspired her to do the same, to brain the chain of blood that kept her bound to a destiny she never wanted.

"I'm the master of my own destiny!" Tokaku said with assurance. "I choose to be your protector from my own free will, I don't care what others may think."

Faced with Tokaku's resolve, Haru smiled with relief, her eyes gleaming with trust, before she hugged Tokaku.

"Thank you, Azuma-san."

Tokaku didn't know how to respond to this fondly gesture so she remained still, her heart racing. She wondered if she made the right decision, but right now, she had no regret.

She'll take her fate into her own hands and protect that girl no matter, that was her resolve.

Surrounded by dozen of mirrors showing her reflection, a short girl dressed as a jester with blond hair was mumbling some incantation. Suddenly, the mirrors started to shine and her images disappeared, replaced by shadows with humanoid shapes. A sinister grin then appeared on the jester's lips.

"Dear members of the Black Party, I summoned you because I have an important mission to entrust you," the jester began. "No, the Queen herself requested it."

The jester took out a piece of paper with a painting on it representing a young girl with auburn hair and lilac eyes.

"This will be your target. Do not underestimate her, she's much stronger than she looks. She's the type of person who would do anything in order to survive, she has been escaping death for years now. I'm counting on you to put an end to this. You may dismiss now."

The shadows disappeared and the mirrors were reflecting her again. Alone by herself, the jester giggled with bad intent.

Even if they all failed, she was determined to cause her undoing. This girl had to die no matter what.

Short chapter, but this is only the prologue.

So, interested? Let me know what you think and if I should continue this story. Thanks for reading!