[h3][center][i]Etsuko Tanaka // Capitol of Barcea[/i][/center][/h3]

For the duration of the trip back to the Capitol, Etsuko had been silently following the party. It was hard to tell what upset her more: the fact that a whole village had to perish under one kingdom’s desire to start a war or the fact that she hadn’t made it in time to warn them of their grisly fate. Whatever it was, she could hardly bring herself to smile.

Even as they entered the Capitol and were given all sorts of pleasantries, she couldn’t find it in her to wave back or even to smile at them. It was her first time in the Capitol, and yet her heart was heavy.

As they approached the castle, she finally looked up, feeling a dull sense of awe at the fact that she was being welcomed into such a noble place. Already having met the Prince and Princess was enough to set her above most of the citizens of Barcea, but finding shelter in their castle might make her seem blessed by the Divines from the day she was born.

Well, not including her gift of foresight that is.

Her sense of curiosity came back as she thought of what would happen between the Prince and his sister, the Queen. She hoped that they wouldn’t go to arms, but after seeing how brutal the attack was on an innocent village…

Peace seemed long gone at this point.