La'marri had been nice enough to Lucy Neste, but the more she lay idle here, the more anxious she became. The answers she was searching for could not be found in this vapid village — she had flitted from library to library, pouring over tables littered with brittle tomes, and there was nothing about the world, the kingdom, she had come from. The longer she stayed here, she knew, the longer she was simply prolonging the inevitable. Either spies from the old world would eventually find her and assassinate her, and— ah, worst of all! — she'd end up passing away in a world that didn't recognize her as a princess! And that would be truly unforgivable.
The people here were nice enough — they gave her food, shelter, and some even doted on her kindly — but none of them would take her beyond the village gates. "There's trouble at there, beyond La'marri — people ain't as nice as us," they would say, and they'd down another bottle of mead, smile humbly while studying their frivolous spells, and continue on with life — living, but never living. Lucy Neste, despite being a paper-thin bone with no magic or might in her arsenal, could not stay still while the world turned around her — especially when this wasn't even her world to begin with.
Eventually, she knew, someone would have to take her out of here. She'd already asked everyone in town — they laughed and told her no, either with grimness or grace — so her best bet would have to be with a newcomer, she was sure. There had been talk of a newcomer strolling into La'marri buzzing around those gossipy merchant stalls, so Lucy, adorned in her frilly pink dress, one fit for a princess, with her gold and pink coronet sitting neatly atop her head, sought out him out, figuring it wouldn't be hard to spot a newcomer amongst the see of regular villagers.
Ah, and there he was! Adorned in clothing fit for a prince, no doubt, strumming an instrument she'd never laid eyes on before. Oh, it was better than she had hoped! She clutched a hand over her chest — but ah, there were succubi who stood in her way — he women from the baker's shop, it looked like. They had made it very clear that they loathed her from day one. Honestly, it wasn't her fault that the kind baker let her stay at his shop for free while they had to work for their keep!
This was probably the perfect time for a bit of revenge...
Conveniently, the bakery was nearby, and the baker was busy manning the counter — he hadn't even noticed her step inside. She popped into the kitchen, smirking a little — as she thought, they'd left it unattended, with bread baking in the oven, no less! Looking left and right, Lucy stoked the fires a little hotter, watching the smoke unfurl, watching the bread bake, and burn. Oh, she'd make this up to the baker one day, she was sure! But for now, she skedaddled away, looking behind her to see smoke leaking through the windows.
She stepped tentatively towards the women, as if she were afraid to intrude. "Sorry to bother you, but I thought you should know..." Lucy began in the most innocent of voices, turning back toward the bakery. "But it looks like the bread you've left baking is burning. I would probably tend to that, before the baker—" It was too late, though, and the baker's scream of frustrating could be heard from where they stood. The women, panicked, pushed past Lucy, barreling back towards the bakery, nearly tripping over their shoes.
Lucy took her seat next to the stranger, smiling. "What is a gentleman like yourself doing in La'marri, of all places?" she asked, her eyes wide, fascinated by him simply by appearance alone. "You must be able to travel absolutely anywhere you want to, right?"
