A/N: Hi there everyone, sorry for the slow update. I really couldn't get words down and honestly I am not entirely happy with this chapter. Anyway I will be replying to reviews here.

-ZenoZen- thank you so much for your review. I am glad you enjoyed the chapter.

-LifeisBeautiful17- I'm glad that you like Carmine and Oriole. She is a bit annoying, but sweet. I am glad that you liked Shiloh and that you noticed the repressed emotion thing

-ObieSenpai- Thank you for your review. I also enjoy a good foil.

-Artesys- Thank you so much for your review. Oriole is very extroverted which is funny because Jay isn't. I created them as opposites, but in this story they almost have to overcome their nature so to say. And the hostage/captor lackey trope will probably definitely come into play. As far as Shiloh and how she gets around that will have to wait until I use her point of view or she just answers that.

-ElectricalZats- I am so glad that you like Oriole. She is a fun character, but her situation makes her difficult to write. I wouldn't call Carmine soft, but more kind than Demetri. As far as the huntsmen and huntress system I picture it something like this. Individuals can train themselves in combat and aura usage and more/less try out to join a guild. There is a guild in each city-state. While they don't have to answer to the leadership, it is recommended because the ruler of the state is allowing them to operate.

-Firealis- Oriole is alright...for now. And yup, Carmine and Oriole are going to have an interesting dynamic. I am also so happy that you said I got Shiloh right. I was a bit nervous, but I hope she is everything you pictured her to be.

The tawny-haired girl walked through the slowly filling streets. Her chestnut eyes looked over her shoulders for the upteenth time this morning. She wondered if the inn keeper was following her. But there wasn't a single pair of eyes looking at her, everyone was doing their own business. The feeling of being watched didn't leave, she could feel eyes like ants crawling up her back. She took a deep breath in and released it, calming just slightly. She looked instead to the marketplace in front of her.

She saw spools of colorful fabric in a well-kept market stall. Her nose could catch the scent of freshly baked bread. She could see a baker exit his bakery to place the fresh rolls on his stall's counter. She watched as a portly man lay out wooden trays full of fruit. The girl padded slowly, carefully to the produce seller. Her chestnut eyes scanned the fruit. The golden skin of the apples caught her eyes. "Can I have three apples?" she asked the portly man, she pointed to the fruit. He grabbed a burlap sack. Her eyes saw the pears and a dark purple fruit. "I will also like a pair of pears and one of the purple fruit," she concluded her order.

"A plum," the man clarified as he put the purple fruit into the bag. The girl nodded. "That would be three pieces of silver," he concluded.

The girl pulled out her pouch, pulling the drawstring to open it. Seven shining copper coins looked back at her. She dumped it into her hand to recount. "That isn't enough," the man said, his voice was harsh. The girl looked down at her hand and the bag of fruit.

She heard a sigh from her left and a hand slapping down a single golden piece. She bolted straight to see a tall blue-haired man storm by. "Thank you," she called out to the retreating form who didn't react.

The portly man huffed, taking the gold off the wooden counter. He counted two pieces of silver and handed the girl the pieces. "Lucky girl. I wonder where the prince is heading off to in a hurry," he mused.

"The prince?" she asked, looking into the crowd to see if she could see the apparent royal.

"Yup, a shame what happened to his sister," the man said. "What are you doing here? You're blocking the other customers." The girl jumped and hurried away, taking her newly purchased fruit. She had two more silver coins. Her eyes searched for the baker. She scurried to him, her boots served her well as she dodged the other patrons. She held her money close to her, she never knew where pickpockets would pop up. She stopped in front of the stand. She looked over her shoulder again, expecting the prince to come back demanding his change. The blue-haired man was no where to be found. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably. She didn't deserve this, she wasn't worthy of his charity.

"Are you feeling well, miss," a warm voice asked. The girl looked up at the kindly brown eyes of the baker. She nodded. "Anything catch your eye?" he asked.

She looked at the baked goods. She never really had bakery goods. "Can I have some white bread?" she asked. The baker nodded, he pointed out some other goods. The girl had gingerbread, a thing the baker called a Cryspes, and Lente Frytoures. The total came out to be a silver piece and three coppers. "You look like an adventurer," the baker mused, "How would you like a bit of an experiment of mine? I call it a churro. Has some spice that my wife grows that she got from a far off traveler. On the house of course," he said, holding out a long log that sparkled with sugar and another spice. The girl took it with a squirm, but didn't complain.

"Thank you," she muttered.

"Don't mention it. Just spread the word. The publicity is worth more than one piece of pastry," the baker said. The girl turned to leave, but a question crossed her mind, a debt she hadn't repaid yet. It nestled against her mind like bull nettle, prickling. She owed him a debt, a debt that couldn't be repaid as simple as the baker's.

"Sir, the prince, what happened to his sister?" she asked, it was the only information she had on him.

The baker sighed, "You haven't heard? She was abducted and the hunters of the guild are forbidden to pursue whoever took her." The girl gasped slightly, Dale wasn't safe. For all its stone walls, it was dangerous. She thanked baker before hurrying along. Her eyes now darted nervously.

She found herself in front of a red stone building. A pair of people stepped out of the doorway. A taller blue-haired man and a shorter girl with burgundy hair. She could let them pass, they didn't see her. But then she would never pay back her debt. The girl walked slowly to the pair. She tried to convince that this was a good idea. But what kind of man was the prince? Was he cruel, did he even care about his sister disappearance? "Your Highness," she called a bit nervously. The pair turned to her, making her freeze.

"You're the girl from the market," he replied, his blue eyes looking down on her. "You can keep any change." The girl at his side, blinked at her with dull red eyes.

"I, I heard about your sister," she said. "I need to repay you. I can get her," she said.

The man looked down, a faint smile graced his face. "You will come with us? Shiloh and I are fetching her as well. How much do I owe for your service?"

The girl shook her head, "No, I am the one who owes you."

"Jay, there isn't a price to be placed on destiny. If she decides that she wants monetary incentive, she will inform you," Shiloh said, calmly. The girl nodded, grateful that the red-eyed girl ended the discussion.

"Very well, Welcome to the team…"

"Tanya," she filled in, keeping her last name to herself.

RWBY~RWBY~RWBY

The young man grinned to himself. He looked down at his cards before back at the man at the other side of the table. The silver in front of him glinted in the low lamplight. "Oh come on, did you forget how to read?" he said with a grin. He ran his fingers through his shoulder-length black hair.

The man glared at him, "Straight flush." The younger laughed, beaming confidently. The other looked at him disbelieving. "Are you folding?"

"Royal flush," the younger replied. The man looked to the younger's bright green eyes. He sighed putting down his cards. "Ha, fooled you," the younger said, sweeping the coins on the table toward himself. "We can play a different game. You any good at knucklebones?"

"Cocky little-"

"Asher," the young man interrupted, "Might as well use my name." The older man formed a fist.

"No fighting in my tarvern," a female voice called from across the room. Asher smirked at the man who stood up roughly, knocking his chair over. The young man got to his feet padding to the bar with his pouch of newly won silver. The woman barkeep looked at him unamused with gray eyes. Asher sat on the bar stool, leaning his elbows on the bar.

"Hey beautiful, how about a glass of ale," he said with a smooth voice. The woman's gray eyes turned molten, burning with a wrathful fire.

"I ought to kick you out," she grumbled, "That was the second time this morning I had to stop a fight for you."

Asher shrugged, "I could have taken him. I am tougher than I look." The barkeep wasn't amused in the slightest. She plopped down a pitcher. Asher looked down with a frown. "This isn't ale," he said with a frown.

"I don't think you're responsible enough," she replied, moving onto another patron. Asher groaned, but drank the fruity drink. It tasted like apple juice. Made sense apples was Dale's main export as well as other fruit. It wasn't ale, but it tasted good.

The tavern was fairly empty. Perhaps because no one else came in the morning, too busy living their lives. Asher saw two women, huntresses by the look of them, whispering to each other. He got to his feet with his empty apple juice pitcher. He walked over to them.

"Good morning ladies, how about a couple of ales on me?" he asked, sitting next to them. They glared at him. "How about it?"

The two rolled their eyes returning to their conversation. "As I was saying, the blind girl from the guild went with Prince Jay," one said with a chuckle.

"He must be desperate," the second replied. "Not like we can do much. The king forbade any of us from going." Asher sat himself beside the huntresses.

"It is his sister that they took. Those two were inseparable," the first said.

"Wait a sec, there is a Princess out there abducted by some none dowells? Where do I sign up?" Asher asked getting to his feet. "Actually scratch that, I'll find him myself. I bet a hero like myself will be very attractive." The girls groaned and glared, but Asher had already waved saying good-bye.

The dark-haired teen sauntered out of the tavern. His green eyes looked over the part of town he was. If he was a prince looking for someone to help, where would he be. Asher strode through town. The beige stone buildings were charming in their own way. He walked toward the center of the city. He knew the market was in the center of Dale. He had passed it the couple of days that he had explored the quant city.

He passed the cloth-covered stalls. His green eyes just barely glancing at the goods. While he had plenty money in his pouch, he really didn't have time for them. Not when there was a beautiful princess to save. He straightened his dark green vest to make himself presentable.

He didn't see the group at first. He saw the parting of the crowd. There was three of them. A tall blue-haired young man, and two shorter young women. Asher strode to the blue-haired man, he knew the heir to Dale's throne well enough. "Your Highness," Asher introduced himself to the prince who towered over him by at least a half foot. "The name is Asher, Asher Rook. I heard that you are rescuing the beautiful and fair princess. And what sort of man would I be if I let such an opportunity to pass me by?"

Jay looked down with his blue eyes. He frowned, furrowing his brows. "Be careful with how you describe my sister." Asher laughed, nodding.

"Sure, man. So I am allowed to join you or not?" Asher asked with a confident grin.

"Can we trust him?" the tawny-haired girl asked, pulling the sleeves of her black shirt. Her chestnut eyes looked at him through her bangs. Jay looked at the girl, his blue eyes becoming thoughtful.

"I get a good feeling about his aura," the second girl mused, her faded red eyes focusing around his person. "Fate is favoring us with another ally. We shouldn't spurn the aide that it has place in front of us."

Jay hummed, "Okay, I guess welcome to our little group. You already know me, this is Tanya and Shiloh."

"Alright, not only being the knight in shining armor for a princess, but being around two lovely ladies. I'm single by the way," he said, giving the two girls a wink. Shiloh narrowed her faded eyes and Tanya seemed to take a step behind Jay.

"It appears that your destiny is to remain that way," Shiloh said with her calm voice. Jay smirked with a muffled laugh. Tanya also giggled slightly. Asher smiled as well.

"Very funny," Asher said, rolling his green eyes.

"Being serious now, I think we should be leaving before nightfall," Jay pointed out. "We don't want to lose too much distance."

"Come on, ladies. We got a gorgeous princess to save," Asher said. Jay didn't say a word, but he was sure, his blue eyes were burning through his skull.

RWBY~RWBY~RWBY

The arrow struck with a thud. The wooden shaft quivered, the metal point fully embedded into the red target. The girl grinned to herself. It may have taken all morning, but she finally did it. It was a perfect shot. The other arrows surrounding it didn't count, they weren't perfect. The girl tied up her long black hair into a ponytail, it was a little low for her liking. She released her hair to retie it again. Satisfied with her hair, she retrieved her arrows.

She turned back to her home. It was a simple thing, still within the walls of Dale. She could see her neighbors from where she stood. In fact she could see the armored figure of her neighbor stomping to the house. She watched her mother walked to the man. They spoke for a moment. "Harriet," her mother called looking over her shoulder to the girl. Harriet held onto her bow as she ran to the two.

"Yes mother," she said as she neared the two. Harriet could see the exasperation on her neighbor's face.

"Mr. Jones, has some interesting news," her mother said, pointing to the man.

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Jones? Do you need help of some sort?" Harriet asked, her black eyes focused on the man.

He sighed, frustrated, "I am looking for the prince. I was supposed to guard him and he disappeared."

"Is he going to find his sister?" she asked.

He shrugged, "It seems so. He got into an argument with the king about it."

"I want to help him," Harriet announced, "He needs help and she needs help. I can't ignore that."

Her mother smirked at her declaration. "You have always wanted to explore outside of Dale. Enjoy your adventure," she said putting a hand on her shoulder. Harriet nodded, running to her room. She picked up her sword that sat next to her bed as well as her fully packed travel bag.

She waved her mother good-bye as she ran toward the gate. She'll intercept the prince there and offer her help. Harriet pushed herself to a brisk run, slowing when she saw the large gray wall. The gate was a bright red, easily visible even from her far distance.

A group of four stood at the opening. Harriet could easily recognize the prince's blue hair. She picked up the pace, her soft black leather boots hitting the ground as fast as she dared. She wouldn't be left behind. "Your Highness," she called out to the tall figure.

She skidded to a stop in front of the group, putting a hand above her leather corset on her light pink blouse. "Are you offering to rescue my sister as well?" his baritone voice asked. Harriet froze for a second. She had only seen the royal siblings on their rare public appearances, would he even care for her help.

"Yes, if you will have me," she replied, looking away from the prince to his companions. The tawny haired girl was looking at her with suspicion in her chestnut eyes while her burgundy counterpart seemed to be looking at her with a warm smile. Both were shorter than her, but the male of the group was her height. Harriet could see that his eyes were roaming over her well-shaped form.

"I say we let the hot girl in," he said with a wink of his bright green eyes. "And you are a looker, miss." Harriet could feel her face turned a bright red.

"Asher, that isn't an appropriate way to speak with her," Jay said turning to the shorter male. "I will not tolerate anymore harassment of Shiloh, Tanya, or this woman."

"Harriet, my name is Harriet," she said speaking up.

Asher huffed, "Sure thing, man. Let's just get going, we're wasting daylight." He straightened his gold sash as he sauntered to the open gate. He looked over his shoulder at the group who remained standing where they were.

Harriet looked to Jay who was paused in front of the opening. His blue eyes were staring beyond the gate to the forest beyond. "Are you okay? Do you see something?" Tanya's soft voice asked, her shoulders hunched as if prepared to react to an attack.

Jay looked down to the girl to his right. "I. I never been outside the walls before," he said simply.

Tanya gave him a sympathetic look. "Every journey worth taking, takes us to places we have never been," Shiloh said sagely. Asher marched back to the group stepping behind the prince.

"There we go," he said pushing the taller male across the gate and outside the walls. Jay stumbled, turning around to frown at the black-haired man. "You were taking too long," Asher said as the girls also gave him a look of disapproval. Harriet looked from one person to another. She wondered to herself what exactly she signed up for.

A/N: Here's the updated list.

Tanya R- ElectricalZats

IC- Obiesenpi

Carmine Vermillion- alucard deathsinger

RS- SnowBranwen

Asher Rook- Artesys

SG- onyxwhip

Shiloh Vermell- Firealis

RA- LifeisBeautiful17

Harriet Marshall- Hofund