Hirokazu

I strode deftly down the hallway, and Jae was by my side instantly. Her dress was gone and replaced by her uniform. Yatsu was also by my side, I allowed her in because when she sensed danger, nothing could stop her from protecting me.

"Through here." A guard said, opening the door to the study that once belonged to my father. It was mine, a place I never used.

I entered and Yatsu and Jae stayed by my side as I sat down in a simple lounge chair. Face to face with our five foreigners.

I leant forwards and watched how they trembled, they all seemed to be crowded around and protecting the white blonde-haired girl who sat in the middle of the long couch.

The three servants huddled at her feet contentedly, watching the guards with hard expressions. The boy sat by her side, he hugged her the way a younger child hugs their older sibling.

And the girl herself was shivering, she stared at her hands with wide eyes. Like she was in shock.

I frowned. "Have you given them blankets? Food? Tea?"

The guards shook their heads. "We needed to get to you first, but now you're here…" The guard sent a suspicious look in their direction.

I sighed and waved the man's expression away. "I have the finest warriors next to me, even if they failed," I sent him a dark look. "I'll be fine."

He bowed apologetically and gestured for his men to leave us. I looked back at the girl curiously. "Where did you come from?" I asked.

She didn't respond, her gaze was locked on my face. She seemed around nineteen, or twenty. I felt a low rumble behind me and looked over my shoulder. Yatsu's worried liquid eyes met mine and I made a small gesture. She came to my feet and sat there comfortably. She let out a loud sigh and watched the group with a slightly interested expression.

I looked at Jae. "Do you know where they're from?"

Jae frowned and looked at them, she walked out from behind me and knelt beside me. She sent them a strange look and bowed.

"I am honoured to finally meet you, Anja Lukin." She said, I stiffened and looked at her closer. I met her gaze as she looked up and as her white hair fell over her eyes—her ever-blue eyes—I felt a jolt of recognition run through me.

"I see you now," I murmured.

I nodded as respectfully as I could and Anja looked at me and frowned. "Are you him?" She asked, her voice husky and out of place. She seemed to know Inglesh as a second language.

I smiled, slightly confused. "My name is Hirokazu Yamashita." I said. "Is that whom you're looking for?"

Anja sat up straighter, the servants at her feet scrambled for the door, the guards had returned. The servants pushed harshly against the double door. The guards pushed back. The servants would soon let them in.

The boy blinked rapidly with perfect fawn eyes and looked at me up through thick brown lashes. His skin was literal porcelain. His hair was an umber brown, the roots slightly lighter that the ends. I marvelled at his beauty, so these were the features of the Russian Alyains.

Anja stood up and pointed at me, she tried to walk and collapsed. I stood up, I knew that this was going too far. And if they were here without an escort, this meant that something bad had happened in Alya.