DISCLAIMER: While I wish SO HARD upon the stars to have 4 beautiful turtles to be at my beck and call, they are and will never be mine. They belong to their rightful owner/s.

A visiting monarch from oceans away was a victim of a kidnapping plot that involved a group of Foot soldiers, was found injured, bleeding on the arm in one of the back alleys of the city. April found her as she arrived at the scene on one of her patrols, managed to protect and hold off their assailants long enough for the Turtles to arrive and pummel the last of the minion to a pulp. Not wanting to risk more exposure from the Foot, they decided to take her to their home and allow her to recuperate from there.

Splinter who is a native from that land oceans away, is familiar with the monarch. Having followed the story of the royal family, the woman-child is newly crowned, taking the place of her father who is too ill to rule on her 16th year. Blind from birth, there had been many debate whether she can manage the responsibility due to her disability. But in the months since her ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne as the Dowager Empress, she had provided enough wisdom and strength to rule in the matters of the state. But still a child, nevertheless.

The monarch in question is supposedly the most protected of the "highest order", how the Foot managed to grab her while heavily guarded mystified them.

The woman-child monarch, who sensed the Hamato clan as a trustworthy protector and with April's help, managed to convince the consul and her representatives that her current protectors will ensure her safety until the Foot is infiltrated. It also included a lot of heavy convincing for them to allow the mysterious protectors to remain mysterious. April, seeing this as another challenge among her other duties, took up the role naturally, without hesitation.

Splinter had warned them to keep a delicate balance to ensure her safety. And with his blessing, the Dowager Empress was granted to remain in the lair until her presence is needed at the consul meeting, the main purpose of her visit.

In the midst of her 2 weeks under the protection of the Hamato clan, she had bonded with the its head patriarch, April, the brothers, most especially, the quiet presence of the eldest brother, Leonardo.

The moment the Dowager Empress felt a hand on hers as he guided her along the labyrinth of cold, wet tunnels and questionable materials that sloshed around her kimono skirts, away from the scenes of fear and abandonment, that same hand supporting her weight, emulating the smell of incense and grit, stayed with her, even in her dreams.

Leonardo on the other hand, was taken by her the moment she opened her eyes after collapsing from her tired journey of brief captivity. Endless pools of gray looked back at him, as if piercing the soul, and he knew, he had fallen.

2 weeks had ended quickly, and the consul meeting had adjourned without trouble. And on the cold night of her departure, the Monarch contemplates her short stay in the city that gave her a chance to experience what most take for granted, a kindred spirit. And for the warrior Turtle Leonardo, a chance to feel comfort and happiness of a companion that sees beyond the color of his skin and the difference of his form.

But alas, 2 beings, whose hearts belonged to the sames arms of Honor, Duty and Sacrifice, will need to face each other for the very last time. This was far more difficult than the sharks of politics, or face a million Foot Soldiers ready to charge.

2 weeks was the time for the woman-child Dowager Empress and the Warrior, to reflect on the role they were given and accepted, without so much of a choice.

For love does not contain, or possess. It expands, it accepts and allows to blossom beyond the nest. Sometimes the love you hold for that person is not about staying, but in letting go.

This is how they parted.

Author's Notes:

Thank you for taking this chance to read my tale. This is the first fanfiction I have ever published.

I encourage readers to take the chance to expand this universe. This prologue acts as a backstory to the actual tale in the next chapter. I am simply too excited to get on to this tale. So forgive me if there are any slip ups or inconsistencies.

Notes to consider:

I used the term 'Woman-child" in this to identify the heavy burden of an adult but is trusted to the child of barely legal age. Though urban dictionary has a different term for it.

The Chrysanthemum Throne is actually real. It is the throne of the Emperor of Japan (so you probably get the gist where the origin the monarch is from.). And the Dowager Empress is actually a Regent, since the Emperor is still alive (though very sick) in this tale, but her title is already becoming to long so I settled in with either 'Monarch', Woman-child Monarch or Dowager Empress. Hopefully it doesn't confuse in the coming chapters.

Speaking of universe, I wrote this without considering which TMNT world it belongs to. But it is possible it could be in the 2014 version.

I do not see much TMNT fanfictions that involves a blind character (or I didn't research enough.). So please send in recommendations if you know any. This tale is partly to satisfy my yearning for a story with an Blind OC and since I am a sucker for writing too much 'feels' , it could get mushy. But I hope you like mushy...or words that take on poetic form.

Again thank you and stay tuned for Chapter 1! Don't forget to leave a review if you like it! :)