"So many people in one place," Katiya said to herself as she looked around her. The streets of Hattusa were bustling with people as Katiya tried to weave through the crowds. She swayed to avoid bumping into others, trying hard not to make any unnecessary contact. Her concentration was lost when she heard laughter a few feet ahead. Dorius, her partner, so he said, stood still amongst the sea of shoppers, staring back at her with a smile.

Of course he would. He had rarely seen her flustered before, even when they were children.

That's when Katiya realized that trying to avoid people had caused her to stop walking completely. Understanding her silent realization, Dorius snickered. "Nervous?" Though he attempted to make his voice sound normal, he failed at hiding his amusement.

"Of course not! It's just…different." Having so many people in one place was foreign to her. Never in her life had she seen so many people of different ethnicities and backgrounds in a single city. Merchants lined the main road with their colorful stalls, shouting out to passerby's, waving their goods in the air for all to see. The eye-catching outfits they wore attracted glances from the shoppers, creating smaller crowds in front of their stores. Whenever a new group would form, the people would flock over, wondering what new items were in such high demand at the time. Most of the shoppers were women, accompanied by their children to help bring the newly bought food home.

Hastily, she caught up with him, fighting the crowd, glaring at him every chance she could. When she reached him, Dorius' smile faded as he slowly moved his eyes up and down her body, whistling as he inspected her. "I thought for sure the clothes would tear in a crowded area. I picked out too strong of a material."

Katiya gasped. Dorius had reminded her of the one thing she had tried to forget before coming to Hattusa. Her outfit consisted of a small, silk top with small straps that ended just below her bosom. Her belly was completely visible, which didn't stand well with the random gusts of wind that blew through the streets. The small pant-like bottoms ended at her mid-thigh and she had no shoes. "Tell me again why we have to wear this scrap again? I'm practically naked!"

"Take it easy. We have to remain inconspicuous, right?" Dorius wore a vest, much too small for him, which seemed to be made out of very rough material. He could have been mistaken for a thief if it wasn't for the elaborate embroidery along the edges. His chest was uncovered, which only seemed to draw more attention to his muscular build. The silk pants he wore ended just above his boots. "They'll never notice us foreigners if we are dancers. Relax!"

Foreigners were generally welcomed in Hattusa. As the capital city of the Hittite empire, it was among the wealthiest as a center of trade, with traveling merchants acting as its lifeblood. However, political unrest made it both easier and harder for some individuals. Katiya and Dorius were among the few unwelcomed. As citizens of Mishkerna, they were feared by the Hittites.

Mishkerna was a small country, surviving without any troubles. Its people had long been owners of the land, with rich soil and plenty of resources to allow it to stay peacefully isolated from the rest of the continent. There was also no political struggle, making it an internally harmonius country, as well.

It had received the title of "Land of Saints" by foreigners that were exploring the continent. The natives of Mishkerna had, unlike most of the world, freely harnessed special powers. Not only that, but each one was born with silver hair and gold eyes. To the strangers, the kind folk who took in the travelers and allowed them to stay in their lands became Saints. Over time, a small portion of the residents were not born with abilities or distinct characteristics. But there were still many who carried on the old ways, using their powers to help others.

Katiya had long, lightly tinted, blonde hair. Dorius' family had almost completely lost the silver trait, which only showed itself as a few streaks on the side of his head. The one similarity that had remained was the many gold speckles in their eyes.

However, about ten years ago, the Hittite empire suddenly invaded Mishkerna. Not having a suitable fighting force, Mishkerna was easily overtaken. Soldiers forced their way into homes, capturing as many Saints as they could find. All captured were slaughtered, Katiya's father included. Since then, the remaining Mishkernian people had rallied together to form a better, stronger army.

As a precautionary measure, the Hittie empire then commanded that if any Mishkernian were found in the lands of the Hittite empire, they were to be killed immediately. They were frightened of the consequences if a hoard of Saints made their way to Hattusa to rebel. It was the very reason Katiya and Dorius were here.

"Relax?" Katiya gasped. "Look at me! I'm completely vulnerable!" Katiya's dancer clothes had no hidden place for her swords or knives, a fact that made her very anxious. The only weapon they had, a small dagger, was on Dorius' waist. Suddenly noticing her rant and attire were attracting many glares from the women around her, Katiya began to walk again, not bothering to look back at Dorius.

"According to the scout," he started, "this main road leads to Prince Kail's palace. Though, if you had let me do it myself I'd be absolutely sure."

"I can't have you running around on your own." Katiya waved her hand. "Besides, I gave your parents my word that nothing would happen to you."

Dorius placed a hand on Katiya's head. "We aren't kids anymore, Katiya," his voice now serious. She stopped walking, but it was more like she couldn't continue. Dorius' hand had tightened its grip, preventing her from escaping. "You should focus on yourself more. Women are more deli—"

She slapped his hand away and turned to face him, reeling her arm back to punch him. "What part of me seems delicate to you?"

He sighed. "Just don't protect me anymore! It should be my job to save you since I'm one of the next elders."

"Precisely. It's because you're one of the next elders that I must protect you. You know what will happen if you die!"

Before she could seriously hurt him, Dorius face became dark. Making sure not to turn completely, for fear of exposure, Katiya glanced behind her. Two guards stood near a grain stall. She would have overlooked them if one of them had not motioned for the other to quiet down. They both eyed the passing people, careful to stop their conversation when anyone stepped closer than a few yards.

"Us?" Katiya whispered.

"No. Something else happened." Dorius never took his eyes off the two men.

"Shall we find out?"

Wrapping her arms around Dorius, they walked towards the grain stall. Noticing their approach, the old woman behind the counter immediately rose and began to gesture towards the many open bags of grain. Katiya grabbed a handful, inspecting each kernel, as Dorius stood behind her, making small talk with the shopkeeper. The guards, noticing the couples focus elsewhere, continued their conversation.

"Did you hear? Yesterday the body of one of Prince Kail's servants was found."

"Yeah. Not to mention that all of his skin from the neck down had been shaved clean off."

"Wasn't it only a small boy?"

"About twelve or thirteen years old I heard."

"It's a shame to see kids die at such a young age."

"If you guys are so disheartened about such a thing, then talk about something else!" The guards turned to see the woman glaring at them, waving her fist in the air. Without a word, the two returned to the topic, ignoring her. She cursed, causing Dorius to snicker. "I'll do it myself! Young lady."

Katiya, who was eyeing Dorius to stop, recoiled back. The woman was now leaning over the counter, her face only a few inches away. "Me?"

"Of course! The handsome gentleman beside you most certainly is not a woman! He doesn't have any breasts!" Not being able to hold it in any longer, Dorius burst out laughing. The woman joined him, sharing looks with him. They obviously thought Katiya was stupid. After regaining herself, she continued. "You both look like travelers. Have you heard of the Lady Yuuri?"

"I'm afraid not, miss," Dorius said, his wide smile still on his face. "Who is she?"

"Indeed! And what is she? I'd like to know! The woman appeared out of the spring in the plaza only days ago. Quite a commotion it caused! They even say she was sent by the gods as a saint!"

Katiya froze. A saint?

"What happened to her?" Katiya pressed. She needed to know everything. "I do not see her wandering the streets freely. Was she imprisoned?"

"Ah! That's because she became the prince's concubine!"

"Excuse me?"

"Lady Yuuri became the concubine of Prince Kail. His first, I might add!"

Dorius placed his arm around Katiya's waist. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we must be leaving. Don't want to be late for the group practice." They waved as they walked back through the crowded street, Dorius' arm still supporting Katiya. The shock of a potential Mishkernian in Hattusa had shaken her badly. If he let go, she would surely fall to the ground. As soon as he was sure they had disappeared from the guards' sight, Dorius pulled Katiya through an alley. Rotted barrels and boxes lined the edges, homes to the many rats and stray felines that ran across the only visible, clear path. They were about to step into the next street when the sound of armor could be heard beside the opening.

"Hey, Zansen," one man yelled. The clanging grew louder, along with heavy breathing. "You've been put on duty for tonight."

"Why?"

The man was gasping for breath. The change in shift must have been urgent. "Prince Kail needs more guards. He and Lady Yuuri are going to perform a ritual at the spring in the plaza tonight."

As the men continued to chat, Katiya began to push herself away from Dorius. He released her. "I know what you're thinking, Katiya. You don't know if she's one of us!"

She looked up at him, tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. "And if she is? What will we do if she is and we don't go! Who knows what the Hittites will do to her!"

"That's a risk we can't take!" Dorius grabbed her face, making sure she couldn't turn away from him. "Our focus is Kail Mursili! Focus on the mission, General Katiya!"

"Are you using your next elder authority? Really!"

"General Katiya, this is an order. You will not go to the plaza tonight. Uderstand?" Knowing Dorius would not let her go until she agreed, Katiya nodded. Though he released her, she knew he wouldn't take his eyes off her after this.

She had a habit of breaking orders.