First 👑 Lost without Direction [Open]

[silent_beauty]

Who; Princess Luna & You!!!
What; Trying to be brave.
Where; Around the city.
When; April 17th - 23rd.
Warnings; MAX CUTNESS


17th - House of Solace Orphanage

A small figure stood outside of the Orphanage with a steady frown pointed at the large building. She understood what it meant but denial crept through her little body like a snake. She wasn't an orphan. Her mother and father were alive but it didn't matter in this kingdom because her family wasn't here with her. She was alone and it was something that she wasn't able to get used to. It'd been two days since she'd first arrived and her loneliness only grew with each passing hour.

The nights were the worst. She didn't want to return to the orphanage where she was forced to try and sleep while unsettling thoughts plagued her. Perhaps she's cursed like her mother. She'd been told that this world wasn't a curse but what else could it be called.

Luna sighed softly before turning away from the Orphanage and walking down the street. When she grew hungry she'd have to return but for now, she was going to avoid the daunting building. Her shoes were a little too big, borrowed from Mono, and every few steps she tripped before regaining her footing once more.

She had no idea where to go or what to do.

20th - Nightime Storm

The nights were the worst and the sudden storm made it unbearable. Luna had hidden under her bed with a blanket over her head for the first hour but she could still hear the rumble and see the bright flashes of light through the nearby window. She cried silently making her throat ache for the voice that she'd lost. She wanted to call someone to come save her but no one could hear her cries.

She thought of her twin brother and knew that he'd have been there with her, holding her to protect her from the angry god that cried out for justice. Sole wasn't with her. It was time for her to be brave.

Luna gathered her blanket and wandered out into the rain. It was difficult to see but she'd been to Mono's home when he'd given her a pair of shoes and she was positive that she knew the way. The wind battered at her tiny form and if she'd been any taller then she would have blown away but she stood strong with her tiny fingers clinging desperately to the blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

Her steps stumbled to a stop when she spotted a figure in the distance. She couldn't make out what it was but stopped, falling to the ground as fear froze her tiny limbs.

23rd - Midday Songs

Her time in the city had been stressful and not without incident but there were calm moments too. In between the hours she found herself looking up at the sky with a thoughtful gaze. Was the storm truly over or was this a lull. Luna had never liked stormy weather and the castle she'd once lived in did nothing to define the noise. It was for this reason that she'd first begun to learn how to play the harp.

The small lyre that she'd been given from Llyewelln sat on her tiny legs as she carefully plucked the cords. The notes were a little different but the strings were the same.

Luna sat on a random street corner and began to gently pluck the lullaby that her mother used to sing to her. It wasn't overly complicated and even when she fumbled she was able to recover and recall the remainder of the song. It was far from perfect and she played one of the sets twice having forgotten what had come next but it was a lovely song. If it wasn't for the frown and slow draw of her fingers it might have sounded happy.

Comments

[silent_beauty]

Llewellyn's voice was steady and comforting as it rose to her above the pitter patter of rain on the outside of the house. He was being careful and while a small part of her resented the weakness he saw, she knew that it was his kindness that inspired him to speak. Ever since she'd arrived in the city he had been kind to her but she had mistrusted him.

Guilt knotted uncomfortably in her chest as she held Llewellyn's hand clumsily in her own. A shiver forced her release him and to wrap her arms around her slender shoulders. It had been easy to forget the cold once taken away from the constant onslaught of the storm but the warmth of the home was slowly seeping into her limbs, reminding her of the chilling ice that had sank into her tiny frame.

Luna nodded her head to tell him that he was free to go get what he needed. She had intended to patiently wait as Llewellyn headed upstairs but another problem quickly captivated the young princesses attention. Luna noticed that her valiant steed was also soaked from head to tail with water and while Pretzel could shake off a great deal of the water clinging to his fur, he was wet.

With good intentions, Luna searched the nearest room and found a stray throw blanket that had been tossed over the arm of a thick chair. With the blanket in hand she walked the short distance back to the front landing and tossed the blanket over Pretzel. Her hands were clumsy and it was difficult for her to move with any efficiency but she began to diligently dry the wet dog.

[silent_beauty]

Luna gave his suggestion some thought before calmly nodding her head in confirmation. She held out her hat for him to place the coin before turning and grabbing her small harp. The instrument was light but looked large as Luna strung a leather cord between the instruments sides to fasten it to her back.

It was always important to be ready to run away without anything getting in the way and it was those words that inspired the material that Luna used to hold the instrument in place.

She stepped next to Rhy but paused as if suddenly nervous. He was a stranger. She could hear her brothers voice in her head telling her to be careful but she was sure that it would be okay. They were going somewhere with food and if not she could run away.

[gadaboutdetective]

Once Llewellyn was certain his small friend was alright with staying where she was, he disappeared upstairs to gather up what they needed. The man winced a little as he realized he was tracking water across the hardwood himself. He quickly opened the closet and began pulling out things that were dry and warm. Once he had something for Luna, and a change for himself for after, he slipped into the bathroom off the side of the bedroom. She was going to need to dry her hair, as would Pretzel, before he got it in his head to begin shaking the water off all over the place.

So, clothes and fluffy towels in hand, he made his way back downstairs quickly. Llewellyn didn’t want to keep the girl waiting. What with how cold she was and having been out in the rain for so long…? She could easily get sick, and that was rather worrying to think of.

Though he came to a rather surprised halt as he looked on at the sight before him in the entrance hall where he’d left his two charges.

Pretzel was rather excited about the blanket and getting dry. It was nice and soft, and she was being very careful! So it felt rather nice, really, even if he disappeared under it a few times. Other times he gave himself a decent shake, trying to get some of the water out of his rather long ears.

Then by the end of it, he’d even rolled over for Luna to get his belly.

This was when Llewellyn had entered, towels and clothing tucked under his arm, eyes wide. He’d known the blanket was downstairs, which was why he planned to let Luna curl up in it after she was changed… But that probably wouldn’t be happening now. Poor thing was clearly trying to help though, and he wasn’t the sort to become cross at such things. “Well, that’s quite resourceful of you, Luna. I believe he’s quite comfortable now.” Slipped out a moment later with a small smile. They had plenty of blankets, at least, since both he and Rhy weren’t fond of the cold. He could gather up a few later.

[unbreakable_king]

The coin? Oh dear child, he'd never be so stingy. He dropped a number of them in there, not even small ones. Llewellyn would understand.

"Alright then. My name is Rhy. We're going to walk the Market nearby. There are number of stalls there. You will pick which you want by pointing, and may choose whatever you wish to eat," he promised her. And yes, he made sure there was some space to feel comfortable. This was about her setting her own comfort levels.

[orangewayfinder]

"Alright." Terra replied. He figured this little girl couldn't be okay since she was so little and there weren't any parents hanging around this place. He hadn't seen another adult in a little bit now that he thought about it. And he gave her silent praise that she wasn't screaming or panicking which by all right was what she should be doing right about now.

The keyblade wielder moved his head to the side, unsure as to what the little one was asking, but he gently took her hand anyway. It was a small hold that she could break at any time but he stood up slowly as to not startle her.

"Did you want to go somewhere?"

[silent_beauty]

Luna had to make a focused effort to match Mono's pace but she didn't mind. She didn't want to slow him down. In fact, Luna was determined to be able to match Mono's longer stride by occasionally skipping to stay a step behind him.

When they reached the park the young princess was slightly out of breath but grinning as her wide dark eyes gazed around the green park. She was familiar with the lush green woods that surrounded her home but she hadn't seen this much green since arriving in the city. She hadn't realized that it existed.

Luna released Mono's hand to take a quick look around before finding a comfortable place to sit on the ground. The grass was soft and the silence sweet as the soft spring winds tugged at her braids. Her attention focused on Mono and she nodded though her delight was evident on her face. Luna wasn't used to being around a lot of adults or people and she preferred the silence. This was likely going to become her favorite spot.

She carefully pulls her small harp onto her lap and adjusts to sit comfortably. After a pause she waved for Mono's hand and gently spelled out the words she wanted to say when he complied. 'This song - for you.' When she was sure that he understood, Luna dropped his hand and began to play a short melody. It was a melody that she had composed for him after their first meeting.

[silent_beauty]

Luna gently shook her head from left to right. She took Terra's hand and gently turned it over so that his palm was facing the sky. This wasn't an ideal way to communicate but Luna didn't know another way.

Meticulously, the young princess began to spell out a word. 'L - o - s - t' She looked up at him and waited for him to indicate that he understood before continuing. 'Do - you - know - the - queen?' Luna had been told that the evil queen wasn't in this city and that she was safe here but the young princess had her doubts.

Maybe if her brother was here it'd be okay.

[silent_beauty]

Her eyes widened at the extra coin though she didn't truly understand how much it was. She'd ask Mono for help later and hopefully learn how to count the money on her own given enough time.

Before they left, Luna pointed her chest. She then pointed at the sky and then closed her eyes like she was sleeping with her hands tucked under her head. It would definitely be easier to communicate if she had some paper and a quill but Luna didn't know of a place that sold such things. Even if he didn't guess her meaning correctly, she'd accept it and head towards the food stalls.

Luna walked next to Rhy but would begin to stray off as she looked at the people and stores that lined the path. After a few steps she'd run back to his side and then repeat the process. Once the thick heady scents of food filled her nose her attention was more pointed and she came to a stop at the nearest food stall that was selling some sort of meat dumpling.

[silent_beauty]

The drying process took some time but by the end of it Luna was smiling at the cute puppy happily wriggling beneath her affectionate touch. It was impossible not to smile when confronted with such a cute scrunchy face.

The blanket was uncomfortably damp and smelled like wet-dog but it had gotten the job done and had somehow dried the skin exposed by Luna's dress. She had dropped it to the floor when Pretzel rolled over and began to scratch at his belly. Luna had to kneel so she could reach Pretzel's entire tummy but she didn't mind. She was beginning to fall in love with him and didn't know what her life in the city would have been if she hadn't meet him.

Luna looked up after the detective returned and stopped her frantic petting. She had already placed her shoes at the front door to minimize the amount of water that she trailed through the house however the path she took to grab the blanket was noticeably marked with droplets of water.

She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with everything gathered in Llewellyn's arms.

[monochromatically]

Mono would have been happy to slow down for her, if he had realized she was having a harder time following… It was hard, sometimes, to remember that not everyone was used to running around as much as he was. Hopefully, someone would teach him to slow down a little at some point, now that he didn’t need to always be running.

Following her to the comfortable place she found to sit down, he settled in the grass next to her and set his letter bag aside for now. The boy was rather proud of himself, though, when he saw her expression upon arriving at the park, since he was sure that someone as sweet and nice as her should see the better places in the city. This was the best by far, in his opinion, after having been around for so long. It was actually nice to share it with another person his age. Most of the time, he bumped into adults who wanted to talk or see what he was up to.

Noticing she wanted his hand again, he held it out and let her spell out what she wanted to. His eyes widened a bit when he realized that she was ready to play the song she wanted to play for him. He gave her a quick nod with an excited smile, indicating ‘Yes, thank you!’ for her thinking of him like that. It was best now, though, to be quiet so he could listen to the music as she began to play. It was so very pretty, and not like anything he’d heard before- not that he had heard much music in his short life beyond music boxes and what was here… but the point stood.

The boy looked rather awed, honestly, to hear something played by a friend. Luna really was amazing in his opinion, even if he still didn’t know much about her yet… He didn’t know anyone who could make something sound so nice. “Wow…” escaped as the melody faded, tilting his head slightly. “That was amazing, Luna… Is that another lullaby?” He said in a hushed but excited tone.

[gadaboutdetective]

It didn’t take him long to notice that her shoes were already by the door next to his own, and that Pretzel looked ridiculously pleased with himself for all the attention he was getting. Silly pup, but he clearly had captured Luna’s heart. It was good, because he knew Pretzel would keep close to her while she was around, and that clearly made the girl happy. She needed something to focus on; he was sure, after the whole ordeal of being out in that horrible weather.

”Alright, then... Let’s see if we can’t get rid of the cold and damp as well as you have for Pretzel, hm?” He crouched again to give her the clothing. I… don’t really have anything in your size, but I think this shirt should do for a nightdress, don’t you? It’ll at least keep you warm while we wait for your things to dry. These too-” He added, holding up a pair of socks that… probably would be more like knee highs on the child, but hey… They were also bound to be warm and soft for her feat!

Letting her take the shirt and socks, he rose to his feet again to lead her towards the small guest bathroom that was between the guest room and the sitting room. ”But, before we get to that. You should be able to dry off with this. I brought a couple, one for before you put the new clothes on, and this one for your hair.” He held up the other two fluffy towels, before setting them down on the counter next to the sink. “So! I’ll let you get dried off and changed in here, okay? Pretzel will be outside in the hall waiting for you, and I’ll be right back. I just need to uh- get something dry to wear myself. I’m also going to get a few blankets for you to warm up with, too. Something that should chase the chill from the storm away.”

He waited again, just to make sure the girl didn’t need or want anything else before he left her to get changed.

[unbreakable_king]

Sorry, but he didn't really know just what she was getting at. Which was a bit sad. Though when he sees her move away, he follows after her, giving some distance though.

"Is this it?"

[orangewayfinder]

This was a strange way of communicating but he let the little girl do what she wanted and he nodded once he figured out the first part. So she didn't know where she was. Alright, that was something he was going to have to deal with, but then she went on to spell out the next parts.

Queen. There was one Queen that he knew of, and that was the one who wanted Snow White's heart. But he was pretty sure that she wasn't here. Or so he hoped. Terra hadn't had a chance much to explore the new places so he couldn't be sure that she wasn't here.

So he kept his tone even because he didn't want to alarm this little girl. "The one I know..I don't think she's here. You're not related to Snow White, are you?"

[silent_beauty]

The song slowly picked up and Luna imagined the chorus repeating in a round that ended with the same steady note that reminded her of Mono's sincerity. When the song was complete she placed the small harp to her left on the grass and smiled at Mono.

It was a lullaby but she wanted him to know that it was a gift that she'd composed for him. With a little wave of her hand, she reached for Mono's palm again and began to slowly spell out the words. "I made." She looked up at him to make sure that he understood. "For you." Luna smiled. "Gift."

It was getting easier to spell out each word but she wanted to find another way to communicate. Not with the world at large but with Mono. He was her knight and she trusted him beyond measure.

She kept holding his hand and continued her slow methodical writing. "Protect. Can I learn too? Sole would be proud."

[silent_beauty]

Luna followed to the bathroom but hesitated before stepping into the small room. She wasn't familiar with this room but had been told what a toilet was and how to use it at the orphanage. Chamber pots weren't used in this world however, the plumbing of the city was much more sophisticated than a meer bucket.

She looked back at the detective and waited for him to leave before playing with the door. The lock was strange because it locked from the inside. This wasn't a cell then but truly a private room for dispelling waste. Luna looked back at the clothes and towel but before she began to dry off she cracked open the door to see if Pretzel was outside and wanted to come in to keep her company.

Luna didn't like being alone, even for short periods of time. It made her nervous but Pretzel made her feel confident again.

No matter the pup's choice, she dried, peeled off the wet clothes, and hang them on the back of the toilet to dry. Once they were carefully placed she finished drying and then pulled the dry shirt that Llewellyn had given her over her head. It was a strange design for a dress but it covered her and she was happy to have the warmth that it offered. Luna used the second towel to dry her hair but sat on the bathroom floor to braid the damp strands. It wasn't perfect but it helped keep her new shirt dry and she wouldn't have to worry about dripping on the floor as she walked through her savior's home.

When she was finished she peeked her head out of the bathroom door and then set off to explore. Llewellyn would surely find her and if she had Pretzel as company then she wasn't truly tracpassing.

[silent_beauty]

Luna looked back at Rhy and nodded her head.

It smelled amazing.

She moved to stand in the short line that lead to the cart and waved for Rhy to join her. Her stomach had overruled her caution as the thick heady scents of delicious steamed rolls and filled dumplings filled her nose. She didn't know exactly what they were but they smelled like meat and that alone was delicious.

Luna looked back at Rhy with a bright smile and pointed to the sign before pointing to him. Did he want some too?

[silent_beauty]

Luna shook her head from left to right before continuing her attempt at communication. 'Taila. Mom. Sleeping Princess.' No one knew her mother as a lady of the court but as the sleeping princess who was cursed by a stranger. She knew the story and found it romantic as her mother awoke after meeting her father but Luna didn't know all of the details.

'Queen evil. Hurt. Cook. Brother and me.' She looked up at him to see if he understood what she was trying to say. Telling someone the truth was a gamble but he said that the queen wasn't here and as far as Luna knew, there could only be one.

Who else would want to be an evil queen like the woman who tried to cook and eat her and her twin brother.

[orangewayfinder]

Terra's blue eyes grew wide once Luna was spelling out sleeping princess. It made him think of the Princess in the castle that Maleficent had him take her heart. And that made him feel sick. But if this was somehow her daughter, then Terra had to protect this little girl at all costs.

He then gazed back down and nodded even if he was internally horrified at what she was spelling out. Why would Maleficent want to cook this little girl and her brother? Well whatever the case was, he wasn't going to let any harm come to her.

"If that's the one I'm thinking of, I haven't seen her."

Although he did have a score to settle if this little girl's mother and the sleeping princess was the one with Maleficent in Enchanted Dominion.

He nodded once more. "I'll keep you safe until we can figure out where you need to go."

[gadaboutdetective]

Once Llewellyn was sure Luna would be alright, he disappeared upstairs to get dried off and changed himself. Wincing slightly at the soaked state of everything as he tossed things in a basket they used for laundry. He’d have to see about taking care of that later, he supposed… But for now he needed to get changed and get back to tending to the surprise guest… He was still rather worried about the state he’d found her in, and that she was out so late alone.

At some point, he knew he’d have to call the orphanage to let them know he’d found her, but he was a little miffed at them for not keeping an eye on those in their care. She could have been hurt out in this, after all. But for now, he let the matter lie. It wasn’t like he was going to take her back out in that mess to return her to that place… That would be both cruel and foolish, and he didn’t have the heart for that. Maybe he was soft, but… he didn’t care. Children should be cared for, and kept safe, and too often they weren’t in his experience.

Meanwhile, when Luna opened the door, it didn’t take long for Pretzel to poke his head in and rest it on the floor while he waited for her to finish. After all, the hound had decided he was her good little guard and he would make sure she was alright after all that storm. He let out a little whine to say hello, tongue flicking out lightly for a moment before he settled for watching her braid her hair.

It wasn’t until she moved to leave the bathroom that the hound got up and moved to trot at her side as she explored, tail wagging lightly, as he gave her a ‘tour’ of the place. The door that had been opened to the bathroom at the time led to the small sitting room for entertaining guests, that had a nice big fireplace and a plush looking red sofa. It was cozy, even if it clearly wasn’t quite finished yet, between needing furniture and some more decoration. Much of the house was the same, though, as they’d just moved in that month.

The dining room had a table and chairs, the guest room had no furniture as yet due to them trying to decide what to do with it… The kitchen, of course, was fully furnished with clean counters and an old-fashioned stove, ice box and sink. The counters clean aside from a few morning necessities like a kettle and teapot. It still needed a coat of paint, but it was clearly kept tidy for use.

Upstairs was a mystery unless she went up, but Llewellyn wasn’t long in descending from the second floor. “Luna?” He called out gently, adjusting the collar of his shirt as he looked to see where the girl had gotten to. He didn’t expect her to still be in the bathroom, and hoped to find her comfortable on the sofa or something. He had a few blankets tucked under his arm that she could use to curl up in if she wanted to. At least after he got her something to eat and had another word with her about the evening if she was willing to talk.

[monochromatically]

“Wait, really?” Mono blinked, his hushed words rising a little in surprise. That was something she came up with all by herself??? That was even more amazing then just knowing how to play songs… “You really made that just for me?” Mono had received a few gifts in this world, but… That one was definitely something special, something unlike he’d ever received before. “Thank you, Luna. I never heard anything like it before, I really like it!” He wondered if she would play it again for him sometime…

But first he realized she was still spelling out words for him, and he payed careful attention. She wanted him to teach her to protect too? Did she mean she wanted to learn how to protect herself and other kids? Mono was silent for a moment, as if thinking. He knew Sole was her brother and protector, but without him around… Maybe that would be smart. But…

Mono’s mind drifted to the things he’d had to do to protect himself and save Six, to the things he’d seen or heard Six do to survive as well. None of that suited Luna, and Mono never wanted to see her have to do stuff like he did. It was ugly, and brutal and… Not normal, if what he’d been told by others was to be believed. Maybe he could think of something better to teach her… Or to at least give her something to protect herself. “Um… Maybe, but I can protect you, so you don’t gotta worry about bad stuff.” Big promises for a child to make, but he never thought those things through… “And sometimes it’s better to know how to hide and how to get away from bad stuff. I can show you that too. I used to have to do that a lot in my world.”

Because some things in his world were just too big and dangerous to fight.

[soulsword]

The way the girl jumped with the thunder only served to continue to remind her of her own situation in Limbo. Her fear mirrored Illyana's own terror when she'd first been taken into the hell dimension at a similar age. They had to have been almost the exact same age, or at least similar enough for Illyana to find herself oddly troubled by the little girl's presence. Why was this place bringing children? They should be home with their own families safe and living a normal life like a normal child.

Why did this stir so much inside of her? She couldn't even place what precisely she was feeling other than the echo of memories flashing inside her mind. Every roar that a demon had let loose had caused her to jump exactly the same way this girl was doing. She'd trembled when the demons had approached and she'd expected even a friendly smile to reveal hidden teeth.

With that in mind she approached as cautiously as she could with her best attempt at a smile. Though, truthfully, her smile was a bit stiff and awkward.

"Do not be scared," she said gently. "It's only thunder and that can't hurt you."

[unbreakable_king]

"Of course I'm going to get some for myself as well," he answered with a smile. "A nice collection of them. And maybe one filled with sweet bean paste too."

That way she'd have quite a good meal, something she very much deserved.

"How many meat ones do you think you can eat?"

[silent_beauty]

She didn't think that he would know her mother personally or anyone from her kingdom but with each new person she met, there was a small sliver of hope that she might become acquainted with someone from home. It was terrifying to possibly meet someone aligned with the queen but being entirely cut off from her home and her family was somehow worse. If her family was here she wouldn't be forced to in the orphanage.

Her dark eyes brightened when it appeared that he was familiar with her mother.

Maybe he was a good person like the palace chief and her wife.

Luna gently traced her name on Terra's palm before pointing to herself. She then traced a question mark into his palm and pointed to him.

[silent_beauty]

Her bare feet stepped silently as she began to explore the first floor of the large house. Pretzel on the other hand was not quiet with little clicks of his paws and nudges to show his new best friend around his home.

They quickly walked from room to room with nothing particularly pulling at Luna's attention. It wasn't until she found a small bed on the floor that looked like it belonged to Pretzel that she stopped and curled up with her four-legged hero. The young princess smiled and rested her head on the pillow, waving for Pretzel to lay next to her for her to pet.

Luna heard her name being called but didn't respond. It was impossible for her to speak and she didn't want to make a mess to let him know where she was. She also didn't know what room she was in but at the same time, she was sure that Llewellyn would find her quickly enough.

Or perhaps Pretzel would reply for her so that he'd know where they had wandered off too.

[silent_beauty]

Luna nodded her head in confirmation of Mono's question and then again when he repeated the question but used more specific wording. In Luna's kingdom, it wasn't so strange to sit down and quietly pluck out new melodies. There were some well-known songs that she'd learned when she'd first picked up the instrument but the lack of songs to learn inspired the young princess to create her own sounds to compliment the silence of the castle.

She plucked a few more notes absently that were all lower in octave. Mono was strong and comforting, similar to those low notes that she used to create his song. It was his sound, a sound that blended with the shadows while radiating strength and warmth.

Luna looked up and once again leaned the small harp against her side and reached for Mono's palm. He sounded strange but the little princess wasn't able to read his thoughts. 'Yes. Hide and run.' It wasn't the ability to protect herself but it was a way to stay safe and that was all that Luna wanted. She had to stay safe because she knew that her brother would be trying to find her.